WMIN200907
Western Church of England Primary School
Browning Drive, WINCHESTER, SO22 5AR
Minutes of the Meeting of the Governing Body
Thursday 20th September 2007 at 19.30
Present; Helen brown, Mark Brown (Chair), Philippa Cook, Sarah Duck, Vicki Henderson, Isabel Hughes, Vivien McElroy, Sarah Pease, Mark Phillips, Lorraine Smith (Head), Andrew Strevens, Libby Wallis, Tim Woodland.
In attendance; Neil Mackenzie (Deputy Head), Andrew Maundrell (Clerk).
1. Apologies; Peter Seal, Chris Sermon, Carla Zanetti.
The meeting opened with a school prayer led by the Head.
2. Welcome;
The Chair welcomed Helen Brown, newly appointed Foundation Governor, to her first meeting.
3. Minutes of the last Meeting held on Monday 9th May 2007 were approved and signed.
4. Matters Arising;
4.2 With regard to the vacancy for LEA Governor, Councillor Dickens has been notified. Governor Services are unable to propose a nominee, but the School know of someone who has expressed an interest.
ACTION; Clerk
4.3 Governor Services confirm that, at present, CRB checks are not required for school governors; but a List 99 check is carried out.
The Head confirmed that, for example, where parents accompany an activity such as a school trip, CRB checks are required.
5.6 Regrettably, no charitable outlet for redundant computers had been found. Governors noted that work has been carried out to ensure security of information from disposed computers.
5.7 Documentation relating to safe use of the internet has been issued.
8.1 No specific additional quotes relating to premises have yet been received.
11.3 see agenda item 15.
13.1 A rota for attendance at PTA meetings has been circulated via yahoo link.
5. AOB; Governors agreed to receive for discussion the SEN Policy, as presented to the recent Curriculum Committee meeting. See item 18.
6. Correspondence;
6.1 The head had been contacted in the summer holidays, raising concerns over site security, following letters from parents to Ofsted. There has been immediate and ongoing follow-up, see Item10.
6.2 The attention of governors was drawn to an item in a letter to clerks from Governor Services. The Governors Guide to the Law will no longer be available in paper form. It is available to schools in CD Rom format. The Chair has received a copy and will make it available within school.
ACTION; Chair
7. Annual General Business of the Governing Body.
7.1 Officers for 2007 / 08;
Chair; Mark Brown (nominated Tim Woodland, seconded Philippa Cook)
Vice- chair; Isabel Hughes (nominated Sarah Pease, seconded Andrew Strevens)
7.2 Meeting Dates for 2007/08. Proposed dates are;
Monday 26 November 2007.
Monday 21 January 2008.
Thursday 13 March 2008.
Wednesday 30 April 2008.
Monday 7 July 2008.
7.3 Governor vacancy;
See matters arising note 4.4.2
7.4 Manual of personnel practices was adopted.
Delegated powers will be considered at the next meeting.
ACTION; Clerk
7.5 Committee membership will continue as last term. Helen Brown was invited to attend each committee initially.
Each committee will review its terms of reference at its next meeting.
ACTION; Committee Chairs
7.6 The Chair of each committee is happy to continue.
Personnel; Tim Woodland
Resources; Mark Brown
Curriculum; Isabel Hughes
7.7 Appointees were confirmed as follows;
Training liaison Governor; Andrew Strevens
SEN Governor; Sarah Pease.
7.8 Attendance at Clarendon Forum meetings will be by rota.
The clerk will check with Governor Services re forthcoming dates
ACTION; Clerk
7.9 Governor representation on appointment panels is by arrangement, dependent on availability.
7.10 Governor visits to school will be arranged for the spring term.
7.11 Governors signed a pro-forma to update the register of pecuniary interests.
7.12 Governors noted that Carole Burwell is the Performance Management Advisor
7.13 The grievance and mediation policy was adopted.
8. Numbers on Roll and Appeals
8.1 Number on roll was currently 417.
Some spaces had become available with pupils moving away in YR. This enabled 5 children from out of catchment but with older siblings already at Western to be admitted.
8.2 Two appeals were due to be heard in October. One for a child seeking admission to Yr 5 and one for a child seeking admission to Yr1.
9. Staffing;
Governors had been advised of staff vacancies by e mail.
9.1 The advertised position of Administration officer was close to the advertised deadline with no actual applications. If unfilled the position would be advertised again, with wider circulation.
9.2 Governors approved the interim plan to utilise locum support for financial administration and to use agency staff for other work, after Sept 27th, which will be the final day for Shelley Langrish as Admin Officer.
9.3 Governors wish to express their gratitude for over ten years of committed and efficient service that Shelley has contributed as a key member of staff at Western.
The Chair will write a letter.
ACTION; Chair
9.4 Action is in progress to appoint a teacher in Yr 3 to cover maternity leave in the spring and summer terms.
10. Premises
10.1 Ray West from the Health and Safety Dept of the LEA contacted the Head during the summer break, following letters from 3 parents to Ofsted. The parents had raised concerns over safety and security of pupils on site.
Subsequently the Head received three letters, each from a parent, voicing these concerns. The letters have been acted on and replied to. Letters were copied by the head to the Chair of Governors, and to Gordon Pullinger and the H&S dept of the LA.
10.2 The concerns raised by parents were that fencing around the site did not prevent easy access and that some areas on site contain woods / undergrowth where children, or even strangers, might be unseen.
10.3 The head carried out a full examination of the site with H&S personnel. One portion of perimeter fencing was identified as needing repair and a quote for such repair has been obtained. The cost of repair will be shared with Westgate Sec School. Governors approved this expenditure and agreed to an extension of the fence near the end of the Y6 classroom to stop people from walking past the children in Y5 and 6 as they work. Govs urged the work to go ahead.
10.4 Risk Assessments maintained by the school have been reviewed and found to be up to date and in order.
10.5 The Head has identified parts of the school grounds where undergrowth may be cleared. Some trees have been thinned already.
10.6 A set of proposals regarding premises will be considered fully by the Resources Committee. Proposals include;
To consider whether site fencing needs enhancing,
To examine access at three salient points (front gate, rear gate and roadway from Westgate),
To consider installing an inner gate to separate pupil flow from cars,
To consider installation of CCTV.
It was agreed by the WGB that a response to these proposals should be balanced and cost effective. It was noted that the environs of the school are a feature giving attraction and enhancement which provide learning and daily interest for pupils.
10.7 In discussion , governors noted that;
Either the Head or Deputy Head spends at least 30 minutes in the playground each lunchtime.
At the start of term areas which are out of bounds to pupils were again made clear.
Playtime supervision has been enhanced.
Parents will be kept fully advised of practicalities.
Safety and security advice to parents will continue to be featured within the school prospectus.
10.8 Governors commented on the care and commitment shown by the Head and staff and that the Head freely discusses concerns with governors and parents.
10.9 Tim Woodland noted that discussions with Westgate are continuing with regards to the school Travel Plan and that these premises issues will cross refer to that discussion and that of Disability Access.
11. Strategic Plan;
11.1 Governors had been issued with a review of the Strategic Plan. This sets out the vision of outcomes the school wishes to achieve over the next three years, progress to date and next steps. Governors appreciated the clarity and breadth of this report as well as the effort used to produce it. There was a view that some achievements already in place were not featured, such as implementation of white boards and the healthy eating plans.
11.2 Governors highlighted the target outcome for the maintenance of an appropriate work/life balance for staff. This is a feature which governors will monitor and seek to influence.
12. School Improvement Plan.
12.1 Governors had been issued with the draft Plan for 2007 /08. The plan is built around the five key Outcomes of the Every Child Matters report.
12.2 The Plan was complete but still open to minor amendment. SATs Targets for 2008 were included.
12.3 Governors observed that the Plan builds on progress already made and is progressive, seeking improvement in specified areas. The SIP will be monitored, as specified, by both staff curriculum teams and by governor committees. Jo Grimes is scheduled to make a report in the spring to governors on Early Years learning.
12.4 Further SATs analysis comparing Western’s results with national results for 2007 was presented to governors. This will be discussed in full at Curriculum committee and at the next WGB meeting.
13. Policies
13.1 Revised Policy statements were adopted as follows;
Data Protection
Health and safety
Security
Educational Visits
Admissions
13.2 Under Data Protection, governors were informed that the Fair Processing Notice will be issued to parents with one slight amendment.
13.3 Governors raised practical points with reference to Health and Safety / Security. A note covering class registers will be added to the policy. Governors were informed that all absent pupils are followed up. Matters pertinent to the closure of the school gate and out of bounds areas will be communicated at least annually to parents in a Practicalities Booklet.
13.4 The Educational Visits policy was discussed at length by staff on an Inset Day. Governors took note of the clause covering the matter of legal charges .
13.5 The Admissions Policy is that laid down by the LA.
13.6 SEN Policy see item 18.
14. Reports from Committees
Curriculum Committee met on Sept 12th 2007. The meeting considered in depth the SEN policy (see item 18)
Personnel Committee met on June 28th 2007, minutes had been circulated by e mail.
Resources Committee next meets on October 10th 2007.
15. Training;
15.1 WGB training will be arranged for late January / early February. It was agreed for a topic covering Ofsted Inspection.
ACTION; Andrew Strevens
16. Annual Cycle of WGB Meetings;
16.1 It was agreed that the Document from 10/05/07 should be considered as an aide-memoire to agenda setting rather than formal policy.
17 PTA Meetings
17.1 The rota, covering governor representation at PTA meetings, which had been circulated by e mail, was approved.
18 SEN Policy;
18.1 The revised Policy document was issued to governors. It has been drawn up by Anne Burrell, with discussions with Head and Sarah Pease. Sarah presented a summary of featured revisions to governors.
18.2 Curriculum Committee had advised some amendments in a full discussion at the meeting on Wed 12th Sept.
18.3 Governors particularly noted the requirement for “a report to be made to parents” of SEN policy. There was a view that this requirement had hung over from the need to annually hold a meeting for governors to report to parents. This requirement for a meeting is no longer statutory, but this specification regarding SEN policy remains.
Governors agreed to report information concerning SEN policy to parents using the Governors newsletters; further, the School Profile will contain information.
Governors noted that parents of children with special educational needs will have full discussion with staff concerning their children.
18.4 Governors adopted the revised SEN Policy.
19. Next Meeting;
Monday 26th November 2007. At 19.30
Ajm 28092007