Annual Governance Statement for the Governing Body of The Kingfisher Partnership Schools: Gillingham St. Michael’s C of E Primary Academy and Ditchingham C of E Primary Academy
September 2016
In accordance with the Government’s requirement for all governing bodies, the 3 core strategic functions of The Kingfisher Partnership Primary Academies Governing Body are:
  1. Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
  2. Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the schools and their pupils;
  3. Overseeing the financial performance of the partnership and making sure its money is well spent.

NOTES
Academy governing bodies are called ‘Local’ as there is a Multi Academy Trust above this. / Governance arrangements
The Governing Body of Gillingham and Ditchingham Primary Academies is made up of 2 staff governors (including the Headteacher), 2 elected parent governors, 6 trust governors and 3 associate governors. We are called The Kingfisher Partnership of Church Schools (KP). We have two new Trust Governors appointed since June. The Local Governing Body (LGB) meets six times a year, and we also have a number of committees to consider different aspects of the school in detail. We have a resources committee, which focuses on finance, premises and some personnel matters; a curriculum and standards committee; a strategic and human resources (HR) committee and an ethos working party. We also have committees that meet if required to consider pupil discipline and staffing matters.
See page 3 for a list of Governors.
Attendance record of governors
Governors have excellent attendance at meetings: we always try and schedule meetings to accommodate the majority of governors including the teaching commitments of the staff. This can mean early mornings, twilight or evening timings.
NOTES
The chair of the whole governing body is approved by DNEAT. The committees all have their own elected chairs – see the list attached.
NOTES
Key Stage 2 – years 3,4,5,6
Key stage 1 –
Years 1 and 2
Reception = Early Years or Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) / The work that we have done on our committees and in the governing body
Governors are all aware of their main duties as listed in the three points above.
We have been inspected for SIAMS (Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools) at both schools during the past academic year. Work on the SIAMS Evaluation documents has been constantly updated and reviewed, especially by the Ethos Committee. The inspection in December 2015 at Gillingham graded the school as ‘Outstanding’ and in April 2016, Ditchingham was graded ‘Good’. The governors wish to ensure that both schools can be graded as ‘outstanding’ and are working with the local church benefices, diocese and staff on the ‘areas to improve’, recommended for both schools by the inspector. The ethos of the schools and the significance of Christian values that make our schools distinctive are of huge importance to the governors.
We are particularly focusing governor training on how the new methods of marking and assessing the new curriculum (the subjects taught to the pupils) are reported to parents andpupils and how our results compare nationally. Mathematics (Numeracy) remains a major focus for pupil progress and achievement.
The introduction of the PATHS (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies) programme has been monitored by governors through classroom observation and by attending the training. The role models and enhanced pupil attitudes to learning will continue to be evaluated alongside the three ‘core values’ introduced this year: Respect; Friendship; Creativity.
Both schools have begun the process of working with EDISON. Governors have attended Edison training sessions and met with the providers.
The numbers at Gillingham have necessitated a third class, as mention in last year’s report. This is now a larger cohort and a bigger teaching space is needed. We have been lucky to secure a grant for an extension from the development fund held by DNEAT of behalf of its Academy Schools. This is planned for completion by Christmas 2016.
The budgets are carefully reviewed regularly and approved by the LGB on recommendation of the resources committee. Our three year budget plans for both schools balance on the basis of the pupil numbers we have forecast. Our spending is compared against schools of a similar size and income to check that we are using the money effectively and we seek explanations if there are any significant differences. The governors regularly review how the schools’ resources are used. We have agreed to the allocation of significant sums on IT spending to upgrade and enhance the current provision. The Pupil Premium and Sports Premium monies are closely monitored by the resources committee to ensure they are effectively used for the enhancement of provision and improved attainment, as they are intended. The trustees have carried out their responsibility for ensuring that effective management systems, including financial monitoring and control systems, have been put in place. They also consider the impact of the free school meals for infants. We watch closely for new changes in funding and the delivery of primary education as reflected by new government policy.
We search for evidence in many ways which include talking to pupils and parents as well as visiting the school residential trips and supporting or attending school day trips, events, acts of worship and productions and just generally by walking around the sites on a ‘learning walk’.
Safeguarding is given a high profile. The governor responsible for Safeguarding gives regular reports to Governors and training is regularly undertaken. Checks are made that all staff, governors and volunteers have the necessary information, training and appropriate policies are in place. All school policies are approved by governors on a rolling programme and can be read on the school web sites.
Future plans for the governors
Governors are committed to the continuous improvement of teaching and learning and aim for higher standards for all of our pupils. This involves regular attendance at training sessions and some specific monitoring relating to our SIDP (School Improvement and Development Plan) and individual governor roles. Changes in membership this year have brought new skills and knowledge to our governance which we hope can be exploited for the advantage of all associated with our schools.
How you can contact the governing body
We always welcome suggestions, feedback and ideas from parents – please see the feedback slips on the bottom of our newsletters. We are often available for informal chats but will always follow the correct procedures should they be necessary. You can see the full list of governors; their attendance at meetings; minutes of governing body meetings and more information about what we do, on the Governors’ page of the school website.