Poringland Primary School and Nursery

Full Governing Board Meeting

Thurs 2ndFebruary2017, 7:00pm

Minutes of Meeting

Present: / Janette Johns - Chair
Pete Dean – Acting Head
Rebecca Anderson
Chris Impey
Penny Gardner
Steven Harrowing / Jennifer Thetford
Matt Walker
Mitzy O`Loughlin
Jo Francis
Claudia Bangs
Jac Humphries - Clerk

Action Log

Item / Details / By Whom / When
3 / Check current Governors hold their DBS checks and assist new Governors with obtaining theirs. / MW / 23/3/17
3. / Meeting Minutes to be added to the website. / PD / 23/3/17
3. / Check if Revision 3 has been signed and sent off. / PD / 10/2/17
3. / Governor`s photos to be taken for the school notice board. / MW / 23/3/17
3. / Finance Courses specified by RAG to be completed. / CI/JJ/PD / 28/2/17
3. / Safeguarding Policy review to be placed on the next FGB agenda. / JH / 23/3/17
3. / Quotes to be arranged for a new front door and securing the internal doors, proposal to be brought to the next FGB meeting (codes still require changing once doors are fixed). / PD / 23/3/17
3. / Missing Appendices mentioned in the Finance Policy to be looked in to. / JJ/PD / 16/3/17
4. / Governor`s duties spreadsheet to be updated to show the H&S Governor`s and other alterations. / JJ / 10/2/17
4. / School purchasing cards to beamended so can used on more websites. / PD / 23/3/17
5. / Safeguarding leaflet in reception to be better placed. / PD / 10/2/17

Key: Green text = Governor challenge/support; Blue text = School response to challenge; Red text – Governor decision/recommendation

Apologies for absence
No apologies, all Governors present.
The Chair wished to welcome the 2 new members, all Governors introduced themselves. The new LA Governor at this time was voted in unanimously by all present, subject to the LA approving too.
Declarations of conflicts relating to this agenda
None.
Approval of Minutes and Actions from:
FGB minutes 8/12/16 – action point`s discussed:
Item 3 –DBS checks for all staff now complete, the Governor will also assist with checking that all Governors including new Governors have theirs too.
Item 3 – Outstanding Business Interest Form and Code of Conduct now filed in the office.
Item 3 – The website has been completely updated, just the Minutes of meetings to be added.
Item 3 – Extra FGB meeting minutes confirmed as signed and filed. The Chair wished to clarify if Revision 3 has been signed and sent off, the Acting Head will check.
Item 3 – New school buildings and entrance/office area to be discussed later.
Item 3 – ID badges will be ordered shortly, double checking staff`s personal details and gathering all photos. Employees will be issued a blue badge and visitors will be red, expect them to be in the school shortly after the half term break, the Governor will also arrange for Governors photos to be taken for the school notice board.
Item 4 – Pupil and Sports Premium; to be discussed later.
Item 4 –Instrument of Government amended, school has a copy of the new one.
Item 4 – Finance Courses as specified in RAG are still to be arranged, aware that they must be done by 28th February.
Item 7 – Safer Recruitment has been done.
All Governors agreed the minutes. The Chair signed the minutes and passed to the Acting Head for filing securely in the office.
Education Committee Minutes (12/1/17)
Ran through the minutes, highlighted the improvements made to safeguarding within the school. Monitoring Visit as agreed had been completed and it was very positive, the staff are aware of their requirements. Agreed the Safeguarding Policy needs to be reviewed at the next FGB meeting.
Security discussed, the front door needs ongoing adjustments to ensure it closes properly, a Governor queried if the door codes have been changed, it was confirmed this will be done once the doors have been fixed properly, the Acting Head will look into a new front door too, report back at the next FGB meeting with a proposal.
SEF discussed with the staff at the recent Inset Day. EYFS has been updated by the relevant Governor. RAISE online now has a large EYFS part, this will be discussed in detail at the next Education Committee meeting.
A Governor commented that it is brilliant to see actions rather than just discussions now taking place.
Resource Committee Minutes (19/1/17)
Ran through the minutes, the Capital Budget that had been discussed has been looked into further and the school has been receiving and spending this. The Acting Head wishes for a kitchen component (not covered by council funding) to be replaced, as long as there are no objections he will discuss this with Vicky on her next visit, no Governor objected.
Currently the electrical work has cost £17,575 out of the £26,000, work is ongoing.
A Governor queried if the appendices mentioned in the Finance Policy have been found, the Chair and Acting Head will look into this. / MW
PD
PD
MW
JH
PD
JJ/PD
Chairs items
Governing Board changes –has been done.
Agree LA Governor – voted at the start of the meeting.
Governors duties due to change in the Board – a new spreadsheet was passed to the Governors listing responsibilities and discussed. Two Governor`s agreed to work alongside each other as the Health & Safety Governor, a couple of other responsibilities will now vary to share out the workload and a Governor agreed to look after all Cluster meetings, Governors all agreed the changes and are happy with their responsibilities, spreadsheet to be updated.
Staffing – Nothing to report.
Head teachers position update – there were 16 applicants in total, 5 were chosen for interviews but 1 declined. The Chair passed to Governors (now attached on Governor Hub) the timetable of activities for the 2 days. Discussed in detail the running of the day, ensuring enough Governors and staff would be available. Expect 2 or 3 candidates to go through to day 2.
Annalies, our Consultant believes Staff Governors should not assist, all Governors agreed that they should help.
Asset Register – values discussed in the Resource Committee meeting, however, this evening a Governor confirmed that if it is purchased through the STAR system and over £100 it automatically goes on the Asset Register. As personal purchases have now been stopped the Asset Register should run smoothly now. Discussed the purchasing cards the school holds which do not currently work on certain websites (where we can buy items cheaper), the Acting Head will look into if this can be changed.
MUGA – Previously discussed asking for the MUGA to be used for a multi-purpose sports area on the grounds of the Pavilion, council have said no.
8.30pm MO left the meeting. / JJ
PD
Head teachers report
See attached, information discussed.
A Governor queried the Year 6 cohort? The Acting Head confirmed that the PITA system had showed them as a strong cohort but teachers highlighted they were not. Their Maths results are particularly low in progress and attainment. Teachers have been assisting the borderline pupils (to expected), their teacher has already seen positive outcomes and it is a key focus. A Governor asked if there are booster groups for other subjects, the Acting Head confirmed there is a full programme for all areas.
A Governor asked if the Safeguarding leaflet could be better positioned in the entrance, the Acting Head agreed.
Regarding Pupil Premium funding a Governor queried if the spending would be clearer if it was ring fenced? It was confirmed that better records are now being kept and a lot of thought put into how these funds are effectively spent, we are also monitoring the children’s progress.
Discussed the Sports Premium being mainly spent on the older children, Years 1, 2, 3 and 4 benefit in other schools but not ours, currently discussing ways of spending money across the board. / PD
PD
6. / A.O.B.
None.
Meeting ended at 8.55pm.
Minutes Agreed: / Date:

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