Governors Meeting
1st December 2015
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Present: Alison Mackintosh (chair) Stuart Duggan
Carol Rayfield (vice chair) Dawn Coe
Gordon Newton Malcolm Bowler
Stuart Duggan Helen Seeley DHT
Anne Siggins HT
Bubbles Bence
Also present: Michelle Noden
1. Apologies for Absence
Bryan Cope
Henry Coates
Vicky Smith
2. Confirm Minutes of Meeting in Term 1
Minutes agreed and signed by the chair. Publication agreed.
3. Updates
Register of Business Interest
Governors were given the opportunity to update their business interest forms and there were no updates.
4. RAISE Presentation
HT presented the RAISE Online document to governors. Each section of data, from Early Years through to upper Key Stage 2 was discussed at length.
The basic characteristics of the school were discussed to begin with; the school is in the 80th percentile in terms of size and in the top percentile in terms of deprivation.
In Early Years, ‘GLD’ (Good Level of Development) is used for assessment which includes English, Maths, Physical Development, PSED (Personal, Social and Emotional Development) and Communication and Language. The data shows that 72% of children achieve GLD, above the national average of 61%. This can be broken down in to Free School Meals achieving 82% GLD and non-FSM achieving 63% GLD. CR asked why Free School Meal children appear to be doing better than non-FSM, HT explained that some of the children who are not eligible for FSM are some of the most deprived i.e. a portion of non-FSM are GRT (Gypsy Roma Traveller) children who are from a deprived background.
The assessments are moderated by the Local Authority to ensure the judgements are sound.
Attainment in Phonics was analysed, the data shows the three year percentages trend as 69% meeting expected in 2013, 63% in 2014 and 73% in 2015. Although there is a dip in 2014, the trend is upward between 2013 and 2015. AM asked why there was a big dip in both disadvantaged children and in boys in 2014, it was surmised that this might be the same children, i.e. it was disadvantaged boys not meeting expected.
Phonics is re-taken in Year 2 by the children who did not meet expected in Year 1. Out of 9 children who did not meet expected in Year 2, two children who were new to English joined in Year 2, a further two joined in term 4 or later in Year 1, two children had a ‘statement’ (now EHCP) and one child had poor attendance. These 9 children will re-take phonics in Year 3 and are in receipt of the phonics programme throughout the course of this year. Action: HT/DHT to investigate whether the ‘boy’ and ‘disadvantaged’ groups are discrete or whether they are the same children affecting both sets of data.
Attainment in Key Stage 1 was presented and compared to national data. The only significant negative difference to national was in Level 2B reading. This is because some children joining late in the year and are new to English therefore there is not enough time for children to make enough progress. They will receive one-to-one support in class and interventions to help narrow the gap as they move up the school. It was concluded that the general picture in KS1 is good with the school meeting national expectations in all areas (except 2B reading). Action: HT and DHT are going to work on compiling some data for non-FSM deprived children.
The data for attainment in KS2 is unvalidated; therefore it includes children who can be dis-applied from the data. When looking at the data with relevant children dis-applied, it is unsure whether there will be any significant negatives to national data in attainment at Level 4 once validated data is released. The average point scores were also analysed, when dis-applying the relevant children these figures also change and the 5 year trend shows an improving picture.
Expected progress was the final piece of data to be discussed, this data shows progress from Key stages 1 to 2 in Reading, Writing and Maths. This data shows that all but three children made expected progress from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 2, with a number of children making accelerated progress.
In Reading, one of the three children had an EHCP and went from a P5 level at KS1 to a Level 1 at Key Stage 2. The other two children achieved a level 3 at KS1 and did not achieve a level 5 at KS2, one of whom joined in year 4 and lost their mother during the school year which affected performance.
In writing, there was one child who did not achieve expected progress and they are the same child mentioned above with an EHCP.
In maths, out of the three children; two children are the same as mentioned in Reading, they obtained a level 2 at KS1 and achieved level 3 at KS2 and the third joined the school in Year 6.
5. Headteachers report
The report was sent to governors prior to the meeting for governors to review. The white envelope questions posed following the meeting in term 1 have been answered by both HT and DHT. This included a questions regarding the attendance service SEAAS, which has seen an improvement in attendance of the families who have had persistent poor attendance and have been involved in the attendance meetings.
6. Report from Pay Committee and Headteachers Appraisal
Headteachers appraisal has been completed and supported independently by a KCC Improvement Adviser. Recommendations from the pay committee were all agreed by the full governing body, see confidential minute.
7. Agree Policy Schedule
The policy schedule has been drawn up in line with DfE guidance and includes statutory and non-statutory policies. Delegation was agreed by Governors who have also agreed the policy schedule.
8. Review Following Policies:
Pay Policy
Governors have reviewed the Pay Policy, all pay decisions, except those of the leadership team, will be delegated to the Headteacher. Pay decisions for the leadership team including the Headteacher will be made by a committee of governors. Full Governing Body agreed the Pay Policy.
Discipline and Conduct
Governors have read the policy via the secure governor page on the school’s website and have reviewed this policy. Action: Dismissal decisions to be reviewed at the next meeting and agreed by Full Governing Body.
Managing Allegations against Staff
Governors have read the policy via the secure governor page on the school’s website and have reviewed and agreed this policy with no amendments.
Governors Allowance
This is a new policy which governors have accessed and read via the secure governor page on the school’s website, they have agreed this policy.
Governors commented that they preferred to access policies at their own leisure through the website rather than having a paper copy sent through, it was agreed that this method will be used for further documentation and policies.
9. Other reports/actions from previous meetings
At the last meeting, a report on Pupil Premium was requested and this was presented to governors. Largely, the same priorities continue to be present such as good staffing ratios, management capacity, extra-curricular provision, uniform and wider opportunities and trips. The provision of milk has been introduced this year and it is offered to all children at lunch time.
Sports funding report was also presented to governors and the impact of the sports coaches has been hugely apparent in the school and has been discussed in previous meetings. The provision of ‘holiday camps’ in the summer holiday and half term was introduced and has been successful; this will be something that continues throughout the year.
Following training, AM visited the school for Health and Safety Monitoring of the paperwork and procedures in place. AM found that all procedures were being followed correctly and paperwork was up to date and being managed well.
A Personal Development, Behaviour and Wellbeing monitoring visit has been completed by DC and GN; the report will be discussed at the next meeting. Action: PDBW report for the next meeting.
10. SEF and School Improvement Plan
Am and CR have monitored both the SIP and SEF for Teaching and Learning and presented the report for discussion at the meeting. Governors challenged the statements on the SEF and how judgements are made. AM explained that through comprehensive monitoring, which includes external judgements, the school is able to determine their performance and the statements made. The monitoring pair informed Governors that the school meets the ‘good’ grade descriptors with elements of outstanding as described in the Ofsted framework. The school is embarking on a coaching programme to improve pedagogy with a focus on outstanding.
11. Governor Training
HC and DHT attended ‘what does challenge and impact look like’ training session. HC and DHT felt that the course reaffirmed the good practice currently being maintained by the Full Governing Body, all governors agreed that there is a healthy level of challenge towards the school and governors are confident in challenging the HT on issues.
Prevent training is to be completed by governors; there is an online link to ‘Channel Awareness’ which will be emailed to governors. Action: Clerk to email link to governors.
12. Governor monitoring for term 3
There will be a date set for ‘meet the staff’, as discussed at the last meeting, governors would like to conduct an informal monitoring visit by speaking to members of staff. Some governors will come in earlier to conduct some pupil conferencing that day (BB, AM and CR). Action: Clerk to arrange a date for this.
A safeguarding monitoring visit with MB also needs to be arranged for term 3. Action: Clerk to liaise with DHT and Malcolm to arrange a date.
9 Month Monitoring for Finance will take place on 19th January and a monitoring meeting will need to be arranged following this. Action: Clerk to arrange a meeting date.
13. White Envelope Questions
White envelopes distributed, topics for questions are Reading and School Uniform.
14. Any Other Business
Due to high winds, the perimeter fence outside EYFS has become a health and safety and safeguarding risk and temporary repairs have been made and part of the outdoor play area has been cordoned off to ensure safety to pupils.
A quote has been obtained from Fineview and two more quotes are in the process of being acquired, however Fineview have proved to be a reliable and competitive supplier in the past. Due to the health and safety risk, governors have agreed to the quote with Fineview due to their good value for money and involvement in previous fence projects.
As per the School Improvement Plan, the school is in the process of obtaining quotes for a new curriculum server. One quote has been obtained by EIS (the current supplier of the school’s SIMS network and IT support) which is under budget. Two more quotes will be gained prior to the next meeting.
The governors discussed the prospect of the school gaining a second minibus, by purchasing the currently-leased minibus and taking a new lease for a second one. This would give the school better opportunities for extra-curricular trips and outdoor learning as a whole class would be able to fit on two minibuses. Governors have agreed in principle that it would be a good idea. Action: This will be raised at the next FGB meeting.
Minutes taken by Clerk, Claudia Sawyers.