Pam and Steve Langmead
The Governance Statement Annual Governance Statement for the Governing Body of St Joseph the Worker Primary School July 2016 In accordance with the Government’s requirement for all governing bodies, the 3 core strategic functions of St Joseph the Worker Catholic Primary School Governing Body are: 1.
Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
2.
Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils;
3.
Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.
Governance arrangements
The Governing Body of St Joseph the Worker Primary School was reconstituted in 2015 and is now made up of 2 staff governors (including the Headteacher), 2 elected Parent Governors, 1 Local Authority Governor, 1 Ex-officio Foundation governor and 7 Foundation governors. Foundation governors are appointed by the Governing Body and are people who, in the opinion of the governing body, have the skills required to contribute to the effective governance and success of the school: on our Governing Body two of the Foundation governors are parents, one is a staff member and the remaining two are members of the local community , including a solicitor. We have one co-opted Governor who works in Human Resources. In addition we have three Associate governors: consisting the Deputy Head, the School Office Manager and a Non Teaching member of staff. There are currently three foundation governors vacancies which the Governing Body are seeking to fill to complement the skills of the existing team. The full Governing Body meets once each term, and we also have a number of committees to consider different aspects of the school in detail. At St Joseph the Worker Primary school we have several Committees which focus on finance, premises, personnel and pay and curriculum matters. 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 and we have never cancelled a meeting because it was not “quorate” (the number of governors needed to ensure that legal decisions can be made). See p4 for details of individual governors’ attendance at meetings.
The work that we have done on our committees and in the governing body
The Governing Body has had a particularly busy year, continuing to focus on school improvement. The Curriculum Committee has spent time considering the introduction of a new curriculum and assessment procedures this year. The governors also discuss key data reflecting on pupil achievement and progress, so that we can be sure that the school is on track to fulfil its ambitious targets for all pupils. We are also concerned about our “vulnerable groups” of children and focus on how the Pupil Premium Grant is being spent by the school and what impact this has on their
Future plans for the governors
How you can contact the governing body
outcomes. The Finance & Premises Committee looks at the maintenance and development of the school premises, and makes decisions about how the school should use the budget. Mr Kent is our Health and Safety Governor and he makes termly visits and carries out an annual check of the premises. Governors are also particularly concerned about safeguarding and we have a Nominated Governor for Safeguarding (Mrs Bullock) who along with the Headteacher makes a termly report to the governors about any safeguarding matters. Early in the summer term, the Finance Committee approved the Budget Plan for the school: we are pleased to report that the school is in a very healthy position financially and can afford to run seven classes in the next academic year as well as funding hours for our SENCO (Special Educational Needs and Disability Co-ordinator). One of the roles for the governors is reviewing and agreeing school policies, and this year we have considered a number of key policies, including Behaviour Management and Safeguarding. The Governing Body recognises the problem that this may cause for some parents, but we are very pleased that attendance figures at the school have improved. Teaching Staff and Governors met to discuss the new tests and assessment criteria in place for children at the end of Key Stage 1 and 2. Minutes of Governing Body and Committee meetings are public documents – you can ask at the school office if you would like to see any of the minutes of our meetings. The school is continuing to embed the new National Curriculum and assessment criteria over the coming year. The Governing Body is looking to work with other Catholic Schools, within our deanery, to investigate ways we can share resources and expertise. We always welcome suggestions, feedback and ideas from parents – please contact the Chair of Governors, Mr Goldsmith King, via the school office.
St Joseph the Worker Catholic Primary School Governing Body Governor
Category
Term of office expiry date
Adam Goldsmith King (Chair) Heike Schmiedefeldt (Vice Chair) Clare Barton Paulette McAllister Anthony Kent Vacancy Vacancy Vacancy Fr Leslie Knight (Parish priest) Louise Bullock (Link) Vacancy Bernadette Rossiter (Head Teacher) Julie Gilligan (Teaching Staff) Bernadette Ward (deputy Head) Shelagh Facchini Lesley Willats (Office Business Manager) Cathy Shipp (Non Teaching Staff) Ewa Kania Jenny Grimes
Foundation Governor LA Governor Foundation Governor Foundation Governor Foundation Governor Foundation Governor Foundation Governor Foundation Governor Ex-Officio Foundation Governor Parent Governor Parent Governor Staff Governor Staff Governor Associate Governor Associate Governor Associate Governor Associate Governor Associate Governor Retired 13th September 2016
02/9/2017 n/a 29/1/2017 25/02/2019 21/09/2020
n/a 13/2/2019 Ex officio 23/9/2017 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
St Joseph the Worker primary School Governors’ Attendance Record for 2015 – 2016 Governor
Full Governing Body
Finance, Premises
Curriculum & Pupil
Pay & Performance
& Personnel Committee Related Matters Adam Goldsmith King
50%
33%
0%
100%
Heike Schmiedefeldt
100%
100%
67%
100%
Clare Barton
100%
100%
100%
100%
Paulette McAllister
75%
67%
33%
n/a
Fr Leslie Knight
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Anthony Kent
100%
100%
100%
n/a
Louise Bullock
75%
n/a
100%
n/a
Bernadette Rossiter
100%
100%
100%
n/a
Julie Gilligan
25%
n/a
100%
n/a
Bernadette Ward
100%
100%
100%
n/a
Shelagh Facchini
75%
100%
100%
100%
Lesley Willats
n/a
100%
n/a
n/a
Cathy Shipp
n/a
n/a
100%
n/a
Ewa Kania
75%
n/a
100%
n/a
Jenny Grimes
75%
n/a
100%
n/a
Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
2.
Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils;
3.
Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.
Governance arrangements
The Governing Body of St Joseph the Worker Primary School was reconstituted in 2015 and is now made up of 2 staff governors (including the Headteacher), 2 elected Parent Governors, 1 Local Authority Governor, 1 Ex-officio Foundation governor and 7 Foundation governors. Foundation governors are appointed by the Governing Body and are people who, in the opinion of the governing body, have the skills required to contribute to the effective governance and success of the school: on our Governing Body two of the Foundation governors are parents, one is a staff member and the remaining two are members of the local community , including a solicitor. We have one co-opted Governor who works in Human Resources. In addition we have three Associate governors: consisting the Deputy Head, the School Office Manager and a Non Teaching member of staff. There are currently three foundation governors vacancies which the Governing Body are seeking to fill to complement the skills of the existing team. The full Governing Body meets once each term, and we also have a number of committees to consider different aspects of the school in detail. At St Joseph the Worker Primary school we have several Committees which focus on finance, premises, personnel and pay and curriculum matters. 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 and we have never cancelled a meeting because it was not “quorate” (the number of governors needed to ensure that legal decisions can be made). See p4 for details of individual governors’ attendance at meetings.
The work that we have done on our committees and in the governing body
The Governing Body has had a particularly busy year, continuing to focus on school improvement. The Curriculum Committee has spent time considering the introduction of a new curriculum and assessment procedures this year. The governors also discuss key data reflecting on pupil achievement and progress, so that we can be sure that the school is on track to fulfil its ambitious targets for all pupils. We are also concerned about our “vulnerable groups” of children and focus on how the Pupil Premium Grant is being spent by the school and what impact this has on their
Future plans for the governors
How you can contact the governing body
outcomes. The Finance & Premises Committee looks at the maintenance and development of the school premises, and makes decisions about how the school should use the budget. Mr Kent is our Health and Safety Governor and he makes termly visits and carries out an annual check of the premises. Governors are also particularly concerned about safeguarding and we have a Nominated Governor for Safeguarding (Mrs Bullock) who along with the Headteacher makes a termly report to the governors about any safeguarding matters. Early in the summer term, the Finance Committee approved the Budget Plan for the school: we are pleased to report that the school is in a very healthy position financially and can afford to run seven classes in the next academic year as well as funding hours for our SENCO (Special Educational Needs and Disability Co-ordinator). One of the roles for the governors is reviewing and agreeing school policies, and this year we have considered a number of key policies, including Behaviour Management and Safeguarding. The Governing Body recognises the problem that this may cause for some parents, but we are very pleased that attendance figures at the school have improved. Teaching Staff and Governors met to discuss the new tests and assessment criteria in place for children at the end of Key Stage 1 and 2. Minutes of Governing Body and Committee meetings are public documents – you can ask at the school office if you would like to see any of the minutes of our meetings. The school is continuing to embed the new National Curriculum and assessment criteria over the coming year. The Governing Body is looking to work with other Catholic Schools, within our deanery, to investigate ways we can share resources and expertise. We always welcome suggestions, feedback and ideas from parents – please contact the Chair of Governors, Mr Goldsmith King, via the school office.
St Joseph the Worker Catholic Primary School Governing Body Governor
Category
Term of office expiry date
Adam Goldsmith King (Chair) Heike Schmiedefeldt (Vice Chair) Clare Barton Paulette McAllister Anthony Kent Vacancy Vacancy Vacancy Fr Leslie Knight (Parish priest) Louise Bullock (Link) Vacancy Bernadette Rossiter (Head Teacher) Julie Gilligan (Teaching Staff) Bernadette Ward (deputy Head) Shelagh Facchini Lesley Willats (Office Business Manager) Cathy Shipp (Non Teaching Staff) Ewa Kania Jenny Grimes
Foundation Governor LA Governor Foundation Governor Foundation Governor Foundation Governor Foundation Governor Foundation Governor Foundation Governor Ex-Officio Foundation Governor Parent Governor Parent Governor Staff Governor Staff Governor Associate Governor Associate Governor Associate Governor Associate Governor Associate Governor Retired 13th September 2016
02/9/2017 n/a 29/1/2017 25/02/2019 21/09/2020
n/a 13/2/2019 Ex officio 23/9/2017 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
St Joseph the Worker primary School Governors’ Attendance Record for 2015 – 2016 Governor
Full Governing Body
Finance, Premises
Curriculum & Pupil
Pay & Performance
& Personnel Committee Related Matters Adam Goldsmith King
50%
33%
0%
100%
Heike Schmiedefeldt
100%
100%
67%
100%
Clare Barton
100%
100%
100%
100%
Paulette McAllister
75%
67%
33%
n/a
Fr Leslie Knight
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Anthony Kent
100%
100%
100%
n/a
Louise Bullock
75%
n/a
100%
n/a
Bernadette Rossiter
100%
100%
100%
n/a
Julie Gilligan
25%
n/a
100%
n/a
Bernadette Ward
100%
100%
100%
n/a
Shelagh Facchini
75%
100%
100%
100%
Lesley Willats
n/a
100%
n/a
n/a
Cathy Shipp
n/a
n/a
100%
n/a
Ewa Kania
75%
n/a
100%
n/a
Jenny Grimes
75%
n/a
100%
n/a
