Minutes of the Meeting of Governors

Inkpen Primary School held on Weds 27th April 2016

Present:Mrs S Marston (Chair)

Ms. J Kanisius (JK)

Mrs J Obin (JO)

Mrs A North (AN)

Rev. R Lewis (RL)

Mr M Taylor (MT)

Mr R Jefferies (RJ)

In Attendance: Mrs M Tillett (clerk)

Meeting started at 7.pm and closed at 8.55pm.

Documents Considered at meeting

  • Minutes of 11th Feb 2016
  • Head Teachers Report
  • Tracking Data
  • Evaluated SDP
  • Governors Monitoring Form
  • Main School Budget
  • Sports Fund Budget
  • Capital Budget
  • Budget Deficit Strategy Plan-Draft
  • Safeguarding Report
  • Equal Opportunities Policy
  • Finance & Premises Draft Minutes 13th April

01.Apologies:

Apologies received from Mr J Hutchinson & Prof T Atkin

The meeting is quorate.

02.Items for Any Other Business:

-Head Teacher review panel

- Rev Rachel Lewis leaving

03.Declaration of Interests in Agenda or Any Other Business:

Governors were asked if they had any interests to declare in any relation to the agenda, or any other business items, details of these items which were announced. No interests were declared.

04.Approval of the Minutes from 11th Feb2015

Minutes were reviewed, and signed by Chair.

05.Matters Arising & Review of Outstanding Actions

  • RL to advise MT of date Safer Recruitment training undertaken- Outstanding
  • Undertake 360 degree review of the Chair of Governors- Outstanding
  • Letter to Parents to invite them to meet Governors –Completed
  • Email Gel Access to two new Governors- Completed
  • Chair to meet up with new Governors once Induction training completed- Outstanding
  • Email out amended Staff Code of Conduct to Governors-Completed
  • Chair to complete Case Study as SEND Governor & email format/framework to other Governors to enable them to complete theirs- Decision Change-N/A
  • Upon receipt of format/framework, complete case study & email to Chair- Decision Change –N/A

06.Head Teachers report including Tracking Data & Evaluated SDP

All Governors have received documents so JK asked for questions relating to any of the three documents. AN asked about the Yr1 results on the tracking data sheet as it appears to have fallen. JK explained that a change in the children with one leaving and another one joining this had squewed the results. AN then asked about the girls Maths in Yr1 as it has fallen from 80% to 60%- JK said that whilst this looked like a big drop it is just one child, as well as the boys writing has fallen from 67% to 50% again just one child. Because the numbers are low one child can change the percentages drastically. Focus & additional support is being given where required. Another change is that hand writing is now part of the curriculum and assessment and figures in a child’s rating, cannot achieve, met or exceed without achieving the level required in hand writing.

Concern was then raised regarding Year 3. JK said that 6 of the 11 children are on the SEN register and that the assessment of year 3 was done last year on the old curriculum and that the children therefore need to make bigger progress. The children who are not SEN are making good progress and are all on track. The SEN children are also making progress however with the number of SEN in this year group this will always have an impact on their percentages.

SM asked what Gillham was? JK said Gillham is a Maths tracking and is useful as it does help with measures and showing progress. SM asked how did WB feel about the information.

JK said that the SIPP was initially concerned when she saw the data until she met the children and then she fully understood and was no longer concerned. Class is split into Cans/

Cant’s- non SEN children are doing fine, most are “above expectations/securely met.”

With SEN it’s important that we can demonstrate that they are making progress from their starting point.

RJ asked about the time scale-JK said it was from Yr2- Yr6 but that all children are monitored termly. All SEN have a plan. SEN PPG & children who we may be concerned about do termly tests to support monitoring of performance. The targets at 67% cannot be changed, children join and children leave but targets stay the same. Future targets can then be reflective in the following year to meet the cohort’s ability.

SM asked about yr4, boys seem to be making progress but girls seem to be falling. JK said when a cohort is reviewed; whilst data may look as though there could be a boy/girl issue, there was not. JK said that the comments below the table reflect the issue. No child has gone backwards, if a child is borderline then the decision has been made on the safer side rather than just marking up. These children are getting additional support/help.

MT asked if percentages was the best way to show the data- JK said we have to use percentages and we are judged on percentages nationally & within the LA. JO also advised that Ofsted look at Raise on line and that’s all in percentages.

On the Head Teacher report SM asked which schoolswe are working with, JK said Kintbury, Enborne & Hungerford.

SM asked for an example of strategies & ideas that are being used.

JK said that an example would be that with year 3 the class is being split for one lesson a week for Maths & English with the Head Teacher to stretch them, with JO focusing on closing the gap with the others. We have also looked at who is the best person to work with different children as some staff can get more/better out of a child than another.

SM said there seemed to be a difference in the year 5 targets between the SDP & the tracking data and also in year 6. JK said she would revisit the targets in the SDP and make corrections. Maths Yr5 end year ARE should be 70% not 90% as listed on tracking. JK will amend.

Also SM raised on the SDP the sentence on page 15 does not make sense. JO & JK then discussed and could see that it need adjusting accordingly, words all their but wrong order.

07.Governors Monitoring

Document was reviewed to assess were we are at this point of year. SM said we were a little behind so would need to make up some ground. SM felt we could move some bits around.

RL is going to undertake a Pupil Voice session, with yr5/6 on Houses of Parliament & for Yr3/4 about Rugby (as they won the trophy for sportsmanship) and also IT care/use. RL will also talk to staff about CPD, new curriculum, & workload, instead of JH. RJ will do TA’s review Enrichment & X-curricular and link into sports coaching before end of school year, RJ to liaise with JK. MT will undertake a general Learning walk before end of term. Clerk to email out Governor Monitoring & Feedback form.

08. Finance & Premises Draft Minutes

SM felt it would be better to review the minutes of the meeting held last week at this point in the meeting as the committee has undertaken the work/review of the budget in detail and therefore this may cover off some of the questions that Governors may have. Governors of the F&P felt the minutes covered the meeting and SM said that the budget had been paired down, with every line being reviewed by the HT & BM to make savings where required. Student numbers are key for future budgets. No further questions were raised about the minutes of the meeting.

09.Budget Approval

Main School Budget

SM highlighted that the budget Forecast showed just under a £12k credit balance end of year position for 2016/17 but that the Governors need to be discussing and reviewing the various elements that will have an impact on 2017/18, hence the next item on the agenda being Budget Deficit Strategy Plan.

RJ asked about inflation, and was advised that inflation had not been calculated in the budget but neither had an increase in basic funding/income, so it was a flat budget using the 17 page budget spreadsheet provided by WB.As a local authority school we need to use the budget preparation sheets provided.

It is felt that with very careful monitoring, that there is potential to increase the surplus further thus reducing the potential deficit in 2017/18. Changes have been made regarding covering for staff when absent or on courses and the budget line E02/E26 is showing a lower figure than spent last year but this is felt could be reduced further. We are aware of the low numbers of children at this point for reception in September 2016 and plans are in place to manage this. Also there can be changes between now and Sept which could increase the numbers. It’s the October Census that will calculate the Funding for 2017/18.

Governors then unanimously voted approval of the budget.

Clerk to submit budget to WB by 30th April.

Sports Fund Budget

Budget reviewed and MT raised that the Affiliation fees seemed high and that he thought there was a lower band that the school could buy back into with a reduced offering. The coaching would not be included but this could be purchased directly from same providers at the same rate. Clerk/BM is to investigate this option.

Governors then unanimously voted approval of the budget.

Clerk to submit budget to WB by 30th April.

Capital Budget

Governors then unanimously voted approval of the budget.

Clerk to submit budget to WB by 30th April.

10. Budget Deficit Strategy Plan

Schools Business Manager has drawn up a draft document for Governors to discuss, looking at the various aspects that could have an impact on the budget for future years. A discussion followed around what else could be done to promote the school and to secure either more children into Sept reception or in year transfers. Governors suggested active poaching but HT does not agree with aggressive tactics. JO said that word of mouth is the best advert for any school. JK had always felt that results were the key and for past three years they have gone up & up, but it’s not a quick fix. The school has grown by 30 children in past 10 years and so it a long term process. The best advocate for the school is the parents and the children. MT asked about posters and advertising. JK said can be very expensive and that we had displayed a number of posters in and around the area, including Hungerford town centre. The clerk then provided some laminated display A4 sheets and discussion followed on where these could be displayed to market the school.SM took three to go in the Bakery, Parish notice board(via Gloria) & the shop/butchers in Kintbury.

JK felt we could ask a parent to display one in their new shop in Hungerford.

Governors felt the draft plan covered the areas and that it needed to be reviewed and discussed at all forth coming FGB meetings.

11. Safeguarding Report

All Governors have read report and no questions were raised.

12. Policies for Review

  • Equal Opportunities Policy- No changes were felt were required, document approved and marked on for review in two years.

13. Academy Conversion- Excalibur Academies Trust

JK informed Governors of a meeting that she would like support from Governors by attending the next Heads meeting on Thurs 19th May at 9am at the Bear at Hungerford to hear Patrick Hazlewood who is the Chief Exec of Excalibur. Following the governments announcement that all schools must convert to Academies by 2022 and must have started that process by 2020 Excalibur have been invited to the heads meeting to explain their offering. Excalibur is and has been in discussions for some time about

John O’Gaunt and setting up a hub of primaries similar to the St Johns academy hub. JK felt this would align Inkpen with St Johns more and JOG rather than the Newbury schools which would be a benefit. JK & BM attended a meeting that Hungerford Primary had set up 2 weeks ago and were impressed with Excalibur and felt that they very much operated with the children at the centre. SM asked what Patrick Hazelwoods background was, JK said he was a retired head teacher and had then set up Excalibur. It was felt it would be good to listen to what he had to say and that the Governors would also need to consider other options. SM asked what other small schools were doing. It seems the church schools will go with the Diocese, Enborne and possible Kintbury. Oxford Diocese is a group on its own and also takes non church schools. Stockcross and Welford& Wickham are considering converting themselves. JK felt it would be good to get as many Governors as possible to attend and to listen to him for approx. an hour. Governors are to let the clerk know if they are going to attend

14.Training & Governor Visit Update:

MT has undertaken Induction part 1 & 2 run by WB Governor Services in March & April 2016.

SM has undertaken via Gel on line, Understanding Schools Finance and Monitoring Performance Data & Targets,

15.Any Other Business

  • Head Teacher Review Panel- HT is shortly due to have a half yearly review. AN can no longer be on the review panel as she is now a member of staff and as RL will be resigning her role as Governor (due to relocation) a new panel will be required. The half yearly review can be done on an informal basis but there is a need to appoint more Governors to the panel for the full review in Oct/Nov. This needs to be raised again at the next FGB meeting, as an agenda item.
  • Finally as this will be Rev Rachel Lewis’s last meeting as she is relocating in June the Governing body would like to thank her for her support and assistance over the past 2 years. We will miss her and wish her every success in her new role. RL will formally resign at end of May.

16.Date of Next Meeting:FGB is Thurs 14th July at 7pm.

12/02/2016 / SM / Letter to parents inviting them to meet Governors prior to next FGB meeting / Completed
12/02/2016 / Clerk / Email Gel Access details to two new Governors / Completed
12/02/2016 / Clerk / Email out Staff Code of Conduct after changes are made / Completed
11/12/2015 / RL / Advise MT of date of Safer Recruitment training completed / Outstanding
11/12/2015 / SM & Clerk / 360 degree review of Chair / Outstanding
12/02/2016 / SM / Meet up with new Governors for an hour once Induction training completed / Outstanding
27/04/2016 / SM / SM to complete Case Study on Pupil Numbers & Governor Recruitment / Outstanding
27/4/2016 / RL / Pupil Voice Yr3/4 & Y5/6 / Outstanding
27/4/2016 / RL / Staff Voice re CPD, curriculum & workload / Outstanding
27/4/2016 / MT / Undertake a general Learning walk / Outstanding
27/4/2016 / RJ / Review Enrichment & X-Curricular with Sports link / Outstanding
27/4/2016 / Clerk / Feedback Form to be emailed to Governors / Outstanding
27/4/2016 / Clerk / Submit approved main school, sports & capital budgets to WB by 30/4/16 / Outstanding
27/4/2016 / Clerk / Contact Sports Affiliation Maxine Slade re costs / Outstanding
27/4/2016 / Governors / Attend Excalibur talk Thurs 19th May 9am- let clerk know if able to attend / Outstanding

Approved by Chair of Governors

Sarah Marston………………………………………………….

Date……………………………………………………………………..

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