SUMMER 2015 – AGENDA ITEMS CHECKLIST.
This list is designed to help you plan the work of the governing body. It is intended only as a guide. While some items must appear on the agenda of every meeting eg Declaration of Interests, others may be undertaken at other times of the year and / or delegated to committees. If delegated to a committee they must still be reported to the governing body.
Business / Standard Items1. / Apologies for absence
i. to receive any apologies for absence
ii. to consider whether or not to give consent to any absence
Governors’ minutes should record whether or not the governing body consents to absences. A governor who misses meetings without agreement for six months (calculated from the date of the first missed meeting) is disqualified.
Clerks’ Update: Weds 22 April 2015 , 3.00 – 5.00pm, Lila Huset
2. / Declaration of interests / update of Register of Business Interests
To declare any personal, direct or indirect financial interest in any item on the agenda and withdraw during discussion of any such item. From 1 September 2015 the Register of Business Interests will need to be published on line.
Note: New Statutory Guidance has been issued for School Constitution Regulations 2012.
Clerks’ Update: Weds 22 April 2015, 3.00 – 5.00pm, Lila Huset
Chairs Forum – Tuesday 19 May 2015 6.30-8.30pm – Kensington Town Hall
3. / Minutes of Previous Meeting and Matters Arising
i. to confirm the minutes of the previous meeting as an accurate record
ii. to consider any matter arising which does not appear elsewhere on the agenda
Ofsted inspectors will use minutes as part of the evidence for their judgement on the role and impact of the governing body and the extent to which governors both challenge and support the school and hold senior staff, including the headteacher, to account for the achievement of the pupils.
Minutes should record questions and responses, particularly on the issues of quality of teaching and learning, pupil achievement and progress , safeguarding and behaviour and how leaders and managers are helping pupils to overcome specific barriers to learning.
New Governors: Sat 6 June 2015 10am-3pm at Lila Huset
Clerks’ Update: Weds 22 April 2015, 3.00 – 5.00 at Lila Huset
4. / Governing Body membership /Reconstitution
i. Appointments and vacancies to be recorded.
ii. Governing body constitution
New regulations allow a governing body to reconstitute with more skills based appointments achieved by reducing the proportion of representative governors and increasing the proportion of co-opted governors. Governing bodies will continue to contain elected parent governors, the headteacher, an elected staff governor, a local authority appointed governor and for voluntary aided schools, a majority of foundation governors. All maintained schools MUST reconstitute by 1 September 2015. .
Clerks’ Update: Weds 22 April 2015, 3.00 – 5.00pm, Westminster City Hall
Chairs Forum: Tues 19 May, 6.30 – 8.30pm – Kensington Town Hall
5. / Reports
To note reports from individuals or committees eg
i. chair's report on any decisions / activities on behalf of the governing body
ii. committee reports
iii. visiting governor reports
and to consider any recommendations . Committee terms of reference should set out areas of delegated authority. All reports should be circulated in advance with the agenda and noted at the meeting.
6. /
Headteacher’s report with monitoring information and commentary.
These items could also be specific agenda items or discussed in committees eg:
· School Improvement Plan update with evaluation of progress in achieving objectives / significance / impact and proposals to address any issues. Inspectors will want to know if priorities in the improvement plan are discussed regularly and check how governors are involved in its development and evaluation, whether any of the success criteria are quantifiable and enable the governing body to hold staff to account and the extent to which the allocation of resources is linked clearly to appropriate priorities
· Quality of teaching – with commentary eg SLT / ht observation monitoring cycle; progress towards 100% lessons judged to be good or better; outcomes of any review of curriculum areas, support and professional development available to staff to improve teaching
· Trends in pupil progress and achievement in light of school monitoring systems and the latest comparative and performance data. To include:
- pupil progress monitoring - progress towards the targets for pupil achievement for 2015 and 2016, the percentage of pupils / students on track to achieve those targets and any groups at risk of not achieving their potential; percentage of pupils making 2 level progress and pupils performing below expectation plus actions to address
- any identified trends in groups eg any diversity in attainment in subject areas or by gender or ethnicity or other relevant vulnerable group such as looked after children, children with special needs or disabilities, Pupil Premium, EAL, and proposed actions to address
- any implications of the government’s new floor standards
· Achievements of pupils and other members of the school community
· Pupil attendance and exclusions, racist incidents summary
· Health and safety report eg accident statistics, emergency arrangements, evacuation procedure tests, approval of off-site school visits
7. / Assessment without Levels
Governors should be aware that assessment is changing within schools. This is commonly being referred to as Assessment without levels. Schools should engage in moderation with other schools and training will be taking place in the summer term. Governors should be aware of the school’s plans for assessing pupils. Briefings for governors will also be taking place.
8. / Governor Development
· To report on attendance at any training and any implications for school and governing body practice
· To agree attendance at future training sessions
· Modern Governor: to monitor the use of online learning tools such as Modern Governor and their use at GB meetings (NB. Modern Governor can be used as a prompt at governing body meetings or for individuals to learn or refresh their knowledge in particular areas . The Tri-Borough has signed an agreement with Modern Governor for all Tri-Borough Maintained schools and Academies to access the modules.
· Review the impact of the governing body over the previous year and agree any changes which will improve practice from September onwards.
9. / Forward Planning / dates of meetings
i) to confirm the main focus and objectives for governing body work and agendas for future meetings linked to school development plan
ii) to confirm forthcoming meeting dates for full governing body and committee meetings
10. / Any Other Urgent Business
Governors should agree the criteria for raising issues under this heading. In any event this should be used only as a notice-board item and not for detailed discussion or decision.
Specific Issues
11 / Finance
· Approve the final budget by 30 June 2015
Schools should check their final 2014-15 budget positions, taking account of the end of year position following the closing of accounts and provide Children’s Services Finance with the revised allocation of their budgets for 2015-2016 according to the template produced for consistent financial reporting by 30 June 2015 approved and signed. Governors should expect schools to provide them with details of the budgetary position in the format they have agreed with headteachers. The budget should be approved by the Full Governing Body.
· Review contracts / service level agreements.
A Tri-borough Local Authority Traded Services SLA was sent to headteachers in the Spring term. Governors need to be aware that Governance advice and Support is included in the School Improvement SLA. All contracts should be reviewed.
· The school’s scheme of delegation will set out the financial values above which a decision must be referred to an appropriate governing body committee or the full governing body.
· Pupil Premium/Sports Funding
Pupil Premium funding is additional to main school funding and is allocated according to the numbers eligible for free school meals (FSM) at any stage during the last six years and children who have been looked after for more than 6 months. In 2014-15 the premium is £1300 per pupil for R-Y6. £935 for Y7-Y11. For pupils who have left Local Authority Care the premium is £1900. The stated aim is to reduce the attainment gap between the lowest and highest achieving pupils. It is for schools to decide how the premium is to be spent; however they will be held accountable for the use of the additional funding by publishing online information. Ofsted inspectors will also question governors on its use and impact.
Action: Resources Committees / governing bodies will need to discuss with the headteacher how Pupil Premium funding is being used to support the progress and attainment of disadvantaged pupils and how its impact is evaluated.
12 / Staffing
· Teachers’ Pay and policy review
Schools need to review their pay and policies to set out the new pay arrangements that come
Into force from September 2015, including how they will ensure that teachers’ pay progression is linked to performance. Schools will be able to download the School Teacher’s Pay and
Conditions document and the advice to help them review their school’s approach to teachers’
pay.
· Approve school staffing structure for 2015-2016
· Headteacher’s Performance Management (PM) arrangements – external advice
Governors will need to consider any arrangements for appointing an external adviser. There is still a requirement under new Appraisal Regulations for governing bodies to appoint someone to advise and support in relation to the head teacher's performance management and review. The Tri-Borough has issued a service level agreement for this service
· Any other issues eg – turnover, temporary and agency staff, vacancies, appointments and changes in allocation of responsibility with commentary on any diversity and equality issues or trends; significance / impact on teaching and learning / actions and proposals to address any issues
Performance Management: the Governors’ Role Weds 1 July 4.30-6.30pm Westminster City Hall
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Suggested Agenda –Summer 2015