Minutes of statutory board meeting 25.11.15

Agenda Item

Supporting Documents

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Minutes from the previous meeting – 1 July 2015

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Outturn Statement at September 2015 

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Audited Accounts for School Fund – tabled at the meeting

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Pay Policy

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Purchasing Policy

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Complaints Policy

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Teacher Appraisal

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Social Media

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Attendance Policy

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Behaviour and Anti-Bullying Policy

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Disciplinary Policy

8

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Written Report from Orchids

9

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Report of the Head Teacher

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Home/School Partnership Questionnaire Results 2014-15 – tabled at the meeting

10

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Teaching and Learning Committee Minutes – 30 September 2015

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Terms of Reference

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Chairman’s Actions

Minute Item

Outcomes

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6

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The Minutes of the Meeting held on 1 July 2015 were approved. Governor training was identified.  RM to book Governors onto the training.

Policies agreed and accepted for use in school: Pay Policy,

Purchasing Policy, Complaints Policy, Teacher Appraisal Policy, Social Media Policy, Attendance Policy, Behaviour and Anti-Bullying Policy, Disciplinary Policy.

The School Development Plan was ratified by Governors.

The Terms of Reference of the Teaching and Learning Committee was agreed and accepted.

Governors to provide a digital photograph to go onto the school website.  This to be done after Christmas.

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Action

1

Welcome and Apologies for Absence

Mrs Bosley welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked them for attending.

She asked that all Governors’ signed the Governor’s Signing In Book at any Governor’s meeting they attended and also when visiting school in their official capacity as a Governor.  The use 

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of a Signing-In Book had been recommended by Ofsted as good practice and would enable Inspectors at future Ofsted Inspections being able to identify easily when Governors had been in school.

Apologies had been received from Jamie Woodbridge.

2

Pecuniary Interests Register

Mrs Bosley informed the meeting that the Pecuniary Interests Register needed to be updated.  She asked all members of the meeting to take and complete one of the new Pecuniary Interests Forms and return it to the Clerk of the Governing Body.

Mrs Bosley informed the meeting that the forms would have to be published on the website in line with new regulations.

PI Forms to be completed and returned to Clerk

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Minutes of the Statutory Board Meeting held on 1 July 2015

The minutes, having been circulated and read, were agreed as a true and correct record of the meeting.

The minutes of 1 July 2015 were approved.

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Ma

4.

tters Arising from the Minutes

Matters Arising from the Minutes

4.1. It had been agreed that this would not be progressed further.  If the school is requested to keep a place open again, a letter from the Authority stating that they will fund the place will be requested.

4.2. This item has to be completed.

4.5. The School Asset Register has been set up.

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Th

Governance

.1. Mrs Bosley informed the meeting that she had booked everyone on to the training.

e meeting agreed that the Minutes should be signed as an accurate record.

5

Resources Committee Report

Mr Tiwana confirmed he had taken on the role of Chair of the Resources Committee and had chaired his first meeting on

Wednesday 11 November, 2015, supported by Mrs Bosley.

Mrs Atkinson presented the School Business Manager’s Report:

• The office staff had settled in well.
• A new photocopier had been installed and was now being used by all staff.
• A new lanyard system had been introduced for visitors and was working well.
• An investigation into On-Line Banking had been carried out

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and it appeared that Lloyds Bank offered the most suitable service.  Mrs Atkinson was looking into possible charges that could be incurred.

• The school was operating a mixed recycling system now and all classrooms had new bins.
• The last Resources Committee Meeting had looked at a benchmarking report comparing the school’s spend against other schools for the first time.  This will be a good tool for the school to use and had been something the Auditor had asked about during the Audit.
• Some staffing changes had taken place – these were included in the Head Teacher’s Report.
• The Asset Register is now complete and electrical items with a value over £100.00 have been security marked.  The Auditor had been happy with the register and the marking.
• The PTA has offered to purchase another 12 i-pads for the school.  They have been ordered.
• The Minutes of the Resources Committee Meeting held on 18 November 2015 would be circulated shortly.

1. 1. Outturn Statement

Mrs Atkinson said she was happy to take any questions.

There were no questions.

1. 1. Audited Accounts For School Fund – tabled at the meeting.

Mrs Atkinson informed the meeting:

• The document had been discussed and reviewed at the Resources Committee Meeting on 18 November 2015.
• The Auditor had been very happy with the Accounts.
• The Account was not being used as much as previously as the items were now included in the school budget.
• The Wildlife Fund had received an additional bequest of £5,000.00.  An Action Plan was being developed on how the money should be spent.  It was recognised that the bequest needed to be ring-fenced.  

There were no questions about the Audited Accounts.

The Head Teacher thanked Mrs Karen Adams for driving the Wildlife project forward.

The Head Teacher also thanked Mrs Atkinson for the work she had done for preparing for the Audit.

Mrs Atkinson informed the meeting that a Value Standard Register now existed.  The training which had previously started but had stopped due to the member of staff leaving would begin again in the Spring Term.

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The meeting was informed that Paula Caine had been in school. to complete an audit.  This had taken 1.5 days and she had returned on the previous Tuesday for a meeting to discuss her findings.  

Three actions had been identified, two of which will be auctioned when the Pecuniary Interests forms are complete and published on the website.

At the last audit a Level 3 had been achieved.  The school had now moved to a Level 1 which is the highest level possible.  

Mrs Bosley said the school owed Mrs Atkinson a great debt for the work she had put into achieving this level.  Mrs Atkinson acknowledged the support she had received from other members of staff and the Head Teacher.

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Governance

Governors were provided with details of the upcoming training events offered by SMBC and the following was agreed to:

• Chairs’ Briefing Sessions – Thursday 11 February 2016 – Mrs Bosley.
• Understanding Head Teacher/Teacher Performance Management – Thursday 10 March 2016 – Mrs Coombes.
• Governors’ Audit – Self Review and Skills – Tuesday 8 March 2016 – Mr Flavell.
• Understanding the Role of the Governor in relation to Safeguarding Pupils, with a focus on Child Protection – Thursday 11 February 2016 – Mrs Coombes.
• E-Safety In Schools – Thursday 21 January 2016 – Mrs McDermott.
• Supporting Looked After Children – Wednesday 03 February 2016 – Mrs Bosley.

Clerk to book Governors onto the training listed.

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Adoption of Policies

7.1. Pay Policy

The Pay Policy was agreed and accepted for use in school through a show of hands.

7.2. Purchasing Policy

The Purchasing Policy was agreed and accepted for use in school through a show of hands.

7.3. Complaints Policy

The Complaints Policy was agreed and accepted for use in school through a show of hands.

7.4. Teacher Appraisal Policy

The Teacher Appraisal Policy was agreed and accepted for use in school through a show of hands.

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7.5. Social Media Policy 

Mrs Coombes felt that this was a strong tool and thought it would be good for volunteers to use it in respect of tweeting events that were happening in school.  The Head Teacher explained that there was a question of confidentiality and that volunteers at Blossomfield would not be able to send a tweet from school.  It was not possible to take item 1.6 out of the  document due to the fact that it was an Authority document and applied to council staff, secondary schools and colleges.

The Social Media Policy was agreed and accepted for use in school through a show of hands.

7.6. Attendance Policy

The Attendance Policy was agreed and accepted for use in school through a show of hands.

7.7. Behaviour and Anti-Bullying Policy

The Behaviour and Anti-Bullying Policy was agreed and accepted for use in school through a show of hands.

7.8. Disciplinary Policy

The Disciplinary Policy was agreed and accepted for use in school through a show of hands.

8

Written Report from Orchids

The Head Teacher brought the meeting’s attention to the written report which had been previously circulated.

The Head Teacher informed the meeting that Orchids was thriving.  The school was working well with Orchids and that there was a symbiotic relationship.

Orchid supported school events such as parent workshops.  Discussions are taking place regarding the expansion of the school.

Mrs McDermott asked what the position for Orchids would be with the increase from 15 to 30 hours of free childcare.  The Head Teacher confirmed that Orchids would not have to provide the additional 15 hours.  The 30 hours referred to child care not just education.  The additional hours can be sourced through Orchids and other child care in the locality.  Payment would be made directly from the Government.

Mr Jarman raised the fact that the agreement with Orchids expired in August 2016 and of the need to remind the Authority of that.  He thought the Governing Body would need to keep a close eye on it as it would affect the school’s contract.  He advised that the Authority only issued one year contracts now.  The school needed to be sure that the school budget would not be adversely affected. 

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Report of Head Teacher

The Head Teacher asked if there were any questions regarding the report that had been circulated prior to the meeting.  There were no questions.

The Head Teacher took the meeting through her report and highlighted the following items:

Page 2 – The new Raise-on-Line Inspection Report This had reduced a long document to two pages.  It provided headlines so that strengths and weaknesses could be easily seen.

Page 2 – Christmas Productions

The office staff had asked the Head Teacher to make

Governors aware of the productions listed on page 2 and ask that Governors contacted the office staff for tickets.

Page 3 – Average Attendance

The Head Teacher made the meeting aware that the figures were now subject to Ofsted Inspections.  She had separated the attendance statistics for Statutory and Non Statutory school age as the latter tended to be higher and as a result it affected the Infant figures.

Pages 4 and 5 – Sites and Building

This was the first report from the Site Manager – Mr P O’Connor.

Page 7 – New Staff

Mrs Morrison is mentoring NQT staff through their qualifying year.

Recruitment in the Autumn Term included the appointment of a new Clerk to the Governing Body and two lunch time supervisors.

The Head Teacher informed the meeting about the personal circumstances of a member of staff.  This agenda item is confidential.

Page 7 – Safeguarding

5.1 – Designated Members of Staff:

The Head Teacher highlighted the members of staff who had designated safeguarding roles.

5.2 – Single Central Record:

The Head Teacher informed the meeting that the Single

Central Record had been signed off by herself and Mrs Bosley 

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during the current term.

Page 8 – Fire Drills

The Head Teacher informed the meeting that a fire drill had taken place on Friday 13 November 2015 which coincided with the Children in Need event.  The school had been evacuated in 2.51 seconds.  It had been decided that the Head Teacher would not know when the next fire drill would take place.

A lock-down drill had also taken place so that if there was an instance of marauders on site, staff and pupils would know what to do.  A new plan had been put in place and this drill tested that plan.

The plan consists of whistles and door keys being placed on the back of doors.  As the school does not have a bell system the whistles inform other classes further down the corridor that there is a marauder on site.  When the whistles sound, the doors are locked and pupils and staff go under the table as sleeping lions.  

The drill took place the previous week.  The pupils were not told prior to the event, but a follow-up assembly was used to explain the drill.  A few tweaks were made to the procedure as a result of the drill.  

Page 8 – School Development Plan

The Head Teacher stated she had received no feedback from Governors regarding the School Development Plan which had been circulated.  The Head Teacher asked Governors if they were happy to ratify the School Development Plan at this meeting.  Governors were happy to do so.

The School Development Plan was ratified.

Page 8 – Safeguarding CPD

All staff had attended the Prevent Training, including the Site

Manager, Lunch Time Supervisors and Mrs L Bosley,

Chairman of Governors.  The Head Teacher stated that it was important that Governors familiarized themselves with the Prevent Duty and had provided a website link to where the document was.

Pages 8 and 9 -  SDP Priorities

The Head Teacher asked if there were any questions regarding the SDP Priorities.  There were no questions.

Page 9 – PE Funding

The Head Teacher informed Governors that the Auditor had 

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been very happy with the report. 

Mrs Church explained to the meeting the Daily Dash that had been introduced as a result of seeing a similar activity with Key

Stage 2 pupils during the Pride of Britain Awards.  The Daily Dash had been diluted to suit the age of the pupils but still involved running laps around the playground.  The pupils love it and know that they learn better when they have had some exercise.

Page 10 – Activities

The Head Teacher explained that the activities listed on pages 10, 11 and 12 of her report were a taste of what had been happening in school and highlighted other events: fire fighters and ambulances in school as well as pupils learning to ride safely without stabilizers on their bikes.

The Head Teacher also informed the meeting that the pond had been emptied the previous weekend.  A working party including staff and grandparents had emptied the pond to ascertain its state.  The general feeling was that it just needed a good overall with surrounding trees being cut back.  Mrs Atkinson and the Site Manager would be obtaining quotes to spend the bequest to the benefit of pupils in the school.

Page 13 – Questionnaires

The Head Teacher presented Governors with the analysis of the questionnaire that had been circulated to all parents.  

Governors were informed:

• On the whole parents either strong agreed or agreed with questions 1 to 13.  
• The two parents who did not, had been invited into school by the Head Teacher who had discussed the reasons for their answers.  One parent had disagreed with the expansion of the school and this had impacted on her answers to the questions.  She subsequently apologised to staff.  The second parent had not been in the country very long and did not like the playground being at the front of the school, but had been complimentary in other ways.  The parent had accepted the reasoning provided by the Head Teacher.

Mrs Morrison informed the meeting that there had been a higher return of responses in previous years and she felt that people tended to respond when they wanted to complain about something.

The Head Teacher highlighted some of the comments that had been made by parents in the questionnaire. 

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Question 2 – Is there anything we could do better? Where there is a tick it was an indication that something was being done or about to be done.  It was not always possible to let parents know what is happening.

• Changes had been implemented regarding spelling, punctuation and grammar and positive feedback was already being received.

Question 3 – Do you feel welcome in school; are there enough opportunities for parents to visit school?

• Parents like the formal workshops and would like more.

Question 4 – Are there additional ways you would like us to communicate with you about whole school events?

• The Head Teacher is already looking into what services the school needs in regards to a technician.
• The school does not have the capacity to use parentpay text in that manner.  It is only used for emergencies.

Question 5 – Are there any additional ways you would like us to communicate with you about your child?

• It was felt that a homework communication book would add to staff’s workload.

Question 6 – What has your child enjoyed most about school?

• The Head Teacher highlighted the immediate response and follow up that happened with the issue regarding friendships.

Question 10 – Comments on after school clubs

• The Head Teacher stated that parents were very happy with the clubs that the school provided.  It was not possible for all pupils who wanted to, to be able to attend a club and where this was the case, staff targeted those pupils who would benefit it most and rotated membership so that all pupils had an opportunity to attend.

Question 11 – If your child has ever had problems in school did you feel confident in how situation was resolved?

• The comment regarding the incident of bullying was on going and everything was being recorded and followed up.  The school was doing everything it could in a professional manner.

Question 13 – Any Other Comments

• The accident form had been changed as soon as the parent had mentioned the comment.