Governors

A schools Governing board should fulfill the following responsibilities:

• help the school to set high standards by planning for the school's future and setting targets for school improvement
• monitor and support school improvement
• be a critical friend to the school, offering support and advice
• help the school respond to the needs of parents and the community
• make the school accountable to the public for what it does
• work with the school on planning, developing policies and keeping the school under review
• exercise its responsibilities and powers in partnership with the headteacher and staff
• The headteacher is responsible for the day to day management of the school.  Governors may assist with this if called upon in times of extreme difficulty.

Chilcote’s Governing board meets at least four times a year as a full governing board and at numerous times between these meetings as committees.  There are three committees which perform a variety of different tasks.

 

Curriculum and Standards

This committee reviews many of the schools policies, assists in the writing of the school development plan each year and finds out about how subjects are taught in schools.

 

Finance and Staffing Committee

This committee is tasked with approving and monitoring the school budget, approving policies relating to finance and authorising payments that exceed the headteacher’s delegated limit.

Members of this committee are often involved in the recruitment of new staff; reading application forms and asking questions as part of an interview panel.  The Finance and Staffing Committee scrutinises policies relating to staffing.

 Our Governors 2022-2023

Rev Martin Stephenson - Co-opted

Dean Thompson - Parent (Chair of Governors)

Vacancy - Co-opted 

Vacancy - Local Authority

TBA - (Vice Chair of Governors)

Eleanor Ashton - Teacher

Karl Merrick - Co-opted

Dawn Guren - Co opted

Leon Clifford - Parent

Claire Lockey - Clerk

Graham White - Co-opted

Saiqa Andleeb - Parent 

Dr A Ahmed - Parent 

Debbie Doherty - Headteacher

 

Governing Board Annual Statement 2020/2021

‘Celebrating, Affirming and Developing every child’

 

The role of the Governing Board

 

The Governing Board supports and challenges the Headteacher to provide the best education for each child. It also helps the school to set high standards by planning for the school’s future and setting targets for school improvement. In accordance with the government’s requirement, the three core strategic functions underpinning how the Board operates are:

1. To ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction.
2. To delegate the operational management of the school to the Headteacher and to hold the Headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils.
3. To oversee the financial performance of the school, making sure the school budget share is well spent.

This annual statement is one way that the Governing Board communicates its work and the impact it has on school improvement to all stakeholders.

The Board is made up of a group of committed volunteers and school staff who bring a range of skills and expertise from various backgrounds. In this academic year we have seen the following changes:

• Dean Thompson appointed Chair of Governors
• Matt Gostelow resigning as Parent Governor/ Vice Chair
• Saiqa Andleeb appointed as Vice Chair following Mr Gostelow’s resignation
• Dr Umamah Ahmed appointed as a Parent Governor.
• Pauline Okirie resigned as the Local Authority appointed governor.
• Local Authority to appoint
• Nicola Kelly resigned as a co-opted Governor.
• Governing Board to recruit via the Inspiring Governance
•  Note: there are now 2 vacancies for co-opted governors.

 

Board composition and Meetings

 

The Board and its Committees meet periodically throughout the year:

 

• Full Governing board x 4 meetings 2021/22 academic year: responsible for setting, monitoring the budget for the school, overseeing the financial management of the school, ensuring the school premises are fit for purpose; ensuring pupils progress appropriately in their education
• Finance and Staffing x 3 meetings 2021/22 academic year: responsible for monitoring and reviewing the school budget and the school fund. It is also responsible for policies and matters relating to staffing.
• Curriculum and Standards committee x 3 meetings 2021/22 academic year: Responsible for monitoring and reviewing the school curriculum and standards
• Pay and Conditions x 1 meeting 2021/22 academic year: responsible for monitoring and reviewing school pay and conditions.

 

School Development Plan (SDP) evaluation

 

Governors work collaboratively with the Headteacher in writing and monitoring the school development plan (SDP). The SDP sets aims for the forthcoming academic year. The SDP for 2021/22 was based on priorities identified from data, school self-evaluation and Ofsted priorities. The SDP sets out clear aims, the key tasks which will be completed to achieve those aims and the success criteria in order to measure outcomes. 

Successes from the SDP for the 2021/22 Academic year were: 

•  Implementation of the redesigned Curriculum
•  The creation of a Wellbeing Strategy – to be implemented from Sept 2022
•  Improvements in the assessment of writing
•  Improvement in provision for the school’s lowest attaining readers
•  Innovations and developments in self-regulation strategies for teaching and learning
•  Implementation of the Mastery in Number in EYFS and KS1

 

The school was also successful in delivering high quality teaching which resulted in promising attainment in: Reception GLD (good level of development); Phonics; Year 2 SATs; the Year 4 Multiplication test; Year 6 SATs.

 

Link Governor roles/Monitoring

 

Governors also take on linked governor roles and undertake monitoring visits to the school. This year monitoring has included:

 

1. Safeguarding
2. SEND
3. Wellbeing
4. Finance
5. Early Years provision
6. The implantation of the school Vision
7. Reading, Writing, Maths
8. Self-regulation

 

Training

 

To effectively fulfil their roles, Governors undertake additional training to ensure they have the required knowledge and skills to support them in their specific appointments. This ensures the Board is kept up to date regarding the latest requirement/ expectations from the DfE. This is vital to ensure there is no uncertainty with policies/ plans changing so governors understand and can challenge information and data presented to them by the school.

 

This academic year has seen the reinstatement of Ofsted inspections and to ensure that Chilcote is prepared for this the school undertook a School Review with a presiding Ofsted inspector to ascertain the readiness of the school for an inspection. The result of the review was very good. To ensure the Governing board is prepared to support the school when an Ofsted inspection is called, the Board undertook a training session with the inspector.

The review noted the following:

  Quality of education

•  The school’s curriculum is both broad and
•  SEND provision is of high quality as a result of work by a highly skilled SENCo and their
•  Sports and instrumental opportunities exemplify the school’s commitment to a broad and balanced curriculum.

   Behaviour and attitudes.

•  The behaviour of the pupils and their attitudes is something to be proud This is due to the robust behaviour policy that is in place that ensures any incidents of poor behaviour are consistently addressed and positive behaviour is celebrated.

   Personal development.

•  The school has excellent relationships between staff and pupils and pupils know how to respect
•  Pupils consistently develop confidence and resilience due to the safe environment and support of all staff.
•  Emotional well-being prioritised and led by trained mental health first
•  Opportunities for disadvantaged pupils reflected in the pupil premium strategy and  Leadership and management.
•  School structure carefully planned to ensure expertise is exploited to benefit the pupils which has resulted in enhanced quality of teaching and
•  Staff are valued and supported at all
•  High expectations (both academic and social development) for all pupils are embodied in daily interactions with
•  Subject coordinators are being supported and developed to enable school  Early year provision.
•  Reading books linked directly to phonics
•  Rigorous teaching of phonics and methods reviewed
•  Targeted use of catch-up funding for readers resulted in good

 

Conclusion

 

Pupils’ safety, wellbeing and academic performance remained the key priorities in another challenging year recovering from the impact of the global pandemic. Every year the work put in by the school staff and their dedication and commitment to delivering pupil outcomes is extraordinary. Also, we cannot forget the work put in by the whole school community (Pupils, Parents/ Carers and Staff) who pull together every year to ensure that each and every child has an education they deserve to ensure they have a good foundation for their future selves.

 The Board would like to take this opportunity to wish the entire school community a wonderful summer break. We hope everyone has the chance to take a break, rest and relax before the new academic year starts.

 

Chilcote Primary School Governing Board.

 

Meeting Attendance 2022-2023