Minutes of statutory board meeting 25.11.15
Minutes of the Statutory Meeting Of The Board Of Governors
At Blossomfield Infant & Nursery School On
Wednesday 26 November 2015
Present: Mrs L Bosley, Mrs B Farkas, Mr D Flavell, Mrs S Church, Mrs L
Coombes, Mr R Jarman, Mrs R McDermott, Mrs D Rothwell, Mr T Tiwana
In Attendance: Mrs P Atkinson (Business Manager), Mrs R Martin (Clerk To The
Governing Body), Mrs K Morrison (Deputy Head Teacher) - Observer
Agenda Item |
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Supporting Documents |
3 |
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Minutes from the previous meeting – 1 July 2015 |
5 |
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Outturn Statement at September 2015 |
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Audited Accounts for School Fund – tabled at the meeting |
7 |
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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 |
11 |
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Chairman’s Actions |
Minute Item |
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Outcomes |
4 6
7
9 10
12 |
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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. |
Item |
Details |
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. |
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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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3 |
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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4 |
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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7.
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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. |
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5
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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:
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Action |
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5 Cntd |
and it appeared that Lloyds Bank offered the most suitable service. Mrs Atkinson was looking into possible charges that could be incurred.
Mrs Atkinson said she was happy to take any questions.
There were no questions.
Mrs Atkinson informed the meeting:
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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Item |
Details |
Action |
5 Cntd |
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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6 |
Governance
Governors were provided with details of the upcoming training events offered by SMBC and the following was agreed to:
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Clerk to book Governors onto the training listed. |
7 |
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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Item |
Details |
Action |
7 Cntd |
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. |
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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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Item |
Details |
Action |
9
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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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Item |
Details |
Action |
9 Cntd |
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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Item |
Details |
Action |
9 Cntd |
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:
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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Item |
Details |
Action |
9 Cntd |
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.
Question 3 – Do you feel welcome in school; are there enough opportunities for parents to visit school?
Question 4 – Are there additional ways you would like us to communicate with you about whole school events?
Question 5 – Are there any additional ways you would like us to communicate with you about your child?
Question 6 – What has your child enjoyed most about school?
Question 10 – Comments on after school clubs
Question 11 – If your child has ever had problems in school did you feel confident in how situation was resolved?
Question 13 – Any Other Comments
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Item |
Details |
Action |
9 Cntd |
The Head Teacher felt that the comments made on the questionnaire were very positive about the school.
The comments regarding the expansion had been recorded separately as it was felt that the comments did not relate to the school overall.
Page 13 – Parent Teacher Association
The Head Teacher highlighted the Christmas Fayre event to the Governors.
Page 14 – Parent Partnership
Mrs Morrison provided the meeting with details regarding the Parent Partnership meeting which had taken place.
Pages 14 and 15 – Sum 8
The Head Teacher asked Governors if there were any questions regarding this section. There were no questions.
Mr Tiwana asked what the policy was regarding family holidays |
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Item |
Details |
Action |
9 Cntd |
in term time. The Head Teacher referred Mr Tiwana to the Attendance Policy. She explained that authority Education Welfare Officers had been reduced and that they dealt with the legal aspects of the work. The school employed an Education Welfare Officer (EWO) who had regular meetings with the Head. The EWO would follow up on pupils who had triggered the targets regarding absence.
There were no further questions regarding the Head Teacher’s report.
Child Protection/SEN
Mrs Morrison informed the meeting that safeguarding was a high priority in school.
She and the Head Teacher had attended a meeting the previous week where the importance of thinking about the unthinkable had been highlighted. The meeting had been useful with the LADO, Simon Stubbs being present.
She explained that there was a clear procedure and escalation process in place to identify teams and their manager. It was clear to whom you escalated problems should the need arise.
Mrs Bosley stated that she had had a meeting with Mrs Morrison and Mrs Lee in October.
Mrs Morrison reported that 10% of pupils had been identified with SEN. These pupils achieved in line with national figures and often out performed their peers in social progress rather than academic progress.
Mrs Morrison explained that the school had case studies about pupils with SEN and the work that had been done with them. The case studies were invaluable for staff to read through.
Mrs Coombes asked if SEN covered both ends of the spectrum i.e., gifted and talented. The Head Teacher explained it did not. The more able learners often underachieved and staff looked out for such pupils.
Safeguarding Register
The meeting was informed that Mrs Bosley and the Head Teacher had signed the Safeguarding Register.
School Bullying/Incident Registers
The meeting was informed that Mrs Bosley had signed the School Bullying/Incident Registers. |
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Item |
Details |
Action |
9 Cntd |
Parental Partnership
This item had been covered by Mrs Morrison earlier in the meeting. |
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10 |
Teaching and Learning Committee
Mrs McDermott explained to the meeting that she had been elected as Chair of the Teaching and Learning Committee at their meeting on 30 September 2015.
Mrs McDermott highlighted the following from the Minutes.
Terms of Reference
The following change had been made to the Terms of Reference:
Mr Jarman felt it was important that any actions should be measureable.
The Terms of Reference were agreed and accepted by a show of hands.
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Item |
Details |
Action |
11 |
Chairman’s Action
Mrs Bosley highlighted to the Governors the training that she had attended was shown in blue in her written report. The Governors were informed that the Solar Panel project was waiting the signing of documents that need DfE agreement. Concern was expressed regarding the timescale to sign the documents. The Head Teacher explained to the Governors that she had done everything that she could do from the school’s point of view. |
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12 |
Website
Mrs Bosley informed the Governors that the website was progressing. She explained that increased time for the technician to come in was being discussed because of the additional items that need to be put on the website.
The Governors were asked if they had any objections to their photographs being included on the website. There were no objections.
Mrs Bosley asked if Governors, after Christmas, would provide a digital photograph of themselves so that it could be forwarded to the technician to add to the website |
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13 |
Publication of Minutes and Papers
It was agreed that there items 1-12 were not confidential. Item 14 was confidential and would be recorded separately. |
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14 |
Performance Management Outcomes
The details of this item are recorded separately and held by the Head Teacher and Chair of Governors. |
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15 |
Date of Spring Statutory Meeting
Wednesday, 16 March 2016 at 6.30 pm. |
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16
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Termination of Meeting
Mrs Bosley terminated the full Statutory Board Meeting. The Teaching Staff Governors and the School Business Manager withdrew from the meeting. |
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