Sandhills School Paper
Minutes of a Meeting of the Full Governing Body of MarshBaldonSchool
Held at the School on Thursday, 15th May, 2014
Present:
Arj Arul (AA)Parent/Chair
Geraldine Lydon Burke (GLB) – LA /V.Chair
Nick Pitson (NP) – Headteacher
Shirley E Bull (SBu) – Staff
Emma Timms (ET) – Parent
Joe Singleton(JS) -Parent
Veronica Sandilands (VS) – LA
Sonia Hobbins (SH)– Foundation
Christina McCormick (CMC)– Foundation
In Attendance: Alison Porter (AP) - Clerk
The meeting was quorate.
1. ApologiesApologies were received from MJF and DR.
PC did not attend.
2. Declaration of interests
There were none.
3. Minutes of the Meeting held on24th April 2014
These were approved as a true record and signed.
4. Matters Arising
a) Events - NP gave a list of events during the term that governors might wish to attend.
b) Budget – AA pointed out that the budget which had been filed differed from the one agreed at the last GB meeting. It had become much more likely that the teacher about to be appointed will be at a lower grade than the one being replaced. The bursar and NP had thus been able to produce a much healthier-looking budget as AA had outlined in an email to governors. In Years 2 and 3 there will be a greater provision for teachers’ pensions which had been notified last minute so was not in the budget.
c) Minibus – NP is going to view a possible minibus. If this is not suitable, he will send the requirement criteria to CMC who will pass them on to her contact.
5. School Improvement
a) Curriculum – this committee had not met. Gifted & Talented children - GLB reported that she had had a very satisfactory meeting with Annette Polley from Kidlington School who is willing to come to talk to the staff at the school and can give a link to the school in Steeple Aston. GLB outlined some of the ideas Annette Polley uses for the Gifted and Talented students in her school.
CMC will forward the link to a charity in Uganda.
b) Safeguarding – the group had met on 29th April and had discussed the recording and monitoring of children especially in Class 1. They had also discussed the best methods of communicating with the class teachers. SH, GLB and NP had completed a Safer Recruitment Training course and NP had done one on How Safeguarding is Inspected.
c) SDP Update – Gifted & Talented see above.
Science had not met but SB has made progress.
Literature – no events are currently planned. NP was asked to include something to mark Shakespeare’s 250th anniversary. Holly Taylor is coming on 20thMay to discuss drama in the village. It was suggested this would involve more children if done as part of curriculum rather than in an after school club. ET will look into a visit to the Pegasus Company.
Thanks were given to CMC and Jude Aspinall for leading the Young Arts activity which culminated in 8 children having their work displayed in the Ashmolean. That the school had 8 children out of 68 as winners was felt to be a very good achievement. This should be included on both the Challenge and Challenging Children Registers.
d) Governor Training – AA encouraged governors to take courses and to tell AP so that an accurate record could be kept. NP and SB to tell AP of any coursesthey undertake relevant to their roles as governors.
6. Resources
a) Finance – NP pointed out that the Pupil Premium remains with the school even if the relevant children leave. AA will check that this is correct. As the children are about to leave, the governors agreed that the funding should be targeted towards children on the Vulnerable Register.
b) Premises –Ivan Ball is putting together ideas on three options: a small internal reconfiguration; an extensive internal reconfiguration and a large external project. CMC will email the options to governors before the next meeting. She proposed to bring Ivan Ball’s plans for the premises to the training session on 19thJune. Governors would be invited to affix Post It notes with their comments which CMC would collate for the meeting on 17thJuly.
c) Health & Safety – GLB reported that the committee had met on 6th May and had checked the school. They had made some recommendations many of which had already been carried out. An awning at the back of Classroom 3 between the wall and the wire fence was suggested. This would allow the children to remain within sight and remove the trip-hazard of boots etc.. There was discussion on skylights for Class 3. JS suggested waiting until a decision had been made on the three building options. It was agreed that this decision needed to be made soon so as to inform parents. Quotations will be sought for the skylights and awning.
There was discussion about the position of the library corner now that the radio has been installed in the area it occupied.
It was mooted that the History banner in Class 3 should be moved. It was feared this might be difficult. Phyllis Slaney, who made it, will be consulted about how it was affixed.
d) Personnel – the minutes of the meeting held on 8th May had been circulated. There are now two new Teaching Assistants and a new teacher is currently being recruited. The Pay Policy will be considered at the next meeting but NP pointed out that the teachers’ appraisal targets have an effect on the policy.
GLB suggested that the staff and governors should all have a Safeguarding training session especially because of the new members of staff. This could possibly be done on the second Inset Day as the first will be reserved for the curriculum. GLB will ask Alison Beazley who may be able to undertake the training.
The need to appoint a new SENCO officer to replace SB was discussed.
7. Dates
19 June - Governors’ Training 7pm
17 July - Governing Body 7pm
8. AOB
1. As the next GB will be busy, AA asked that all reports should be sent to AP at least a week before to enable time for everyone to read them.
2. The OFSTED letter stating that the school is still rated as ‘good’ makes it unlikely that an inspection will take place before the summer of 2015. It was suggested that a mock inspection should be held in the spring, 2015.
There being no other business, the meeting ended at 8.40pm. / Action
NP
CMC
NP
ET
NP/SB
AA
Christa
GLB