Governors’ Role
The role of the Governing Body is an intrinsic part of the leadership of Lord Blyton Primary School. This impact statement is one way in which the Governing Body articulates their role in school leadership and the impact we have had on school improvement. Our Governing Body is made up of a group of dedicated volunteers, who invest a huge amount of goodwill, hard work and time for the sole purpose of improving the education of every child at Lord Blyton School. The Government expects us as your Governing Body to be a dynamic group of highly skilled individuals who focus on supporting the Headteacher and all the staff to shape the strategic direction of school. As Governors, we are accountable for the performance of our school and we are measured by three core strategic functions:
• Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos, and strategic direction
• Holding the Headteacher, Ms Atherton to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils
• Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure the money is spent well
Our Governors work co-operatively with the Headteacher and senior management in the writing and monitoring the School Improvement Plan. The School Improvement Plan (SIP) sets aims for the forthcoming year. The current SIP is based on priorities identified from data, school self-evaluation and Ofsted priorities. The SIP is set out with clear aims, the key tasks that will be completed in order to achieve these aims and the success criteria in order to measure outcomes. The SIP is monitored and reviewed and presented to governors as part of the Headteacher report and more recently due to OFSTED a separate agenda item.
Training
Members of Governing Body have and continue to have training. The impact of this is that the Governing Body are kept abreast of their responsibilities regarding the latest requirements and expectations. Alongside the whole governor body training, governors attend individual courses and training.
Most recent training includes Expectations and Changes to Ofsted delivered by school SIP.
Impact of Full Governing Body Meetings
Governors attend one full governing body (FGB) meetings each term. In addition, some governors meet three times a year as a Finance and Resources Committee. We also meet at least three times a year as a Curriculum Standards Committee. Governors are linked to areas of the curriculum and have regular visits and meetings with staff to monitor progress of the subjects. Governor visit reports, are written and presented at full governing body meetings. The visits and reports impact greatly on the governing body’s ability to effectively ask important questions, support but also hold senior leaders to account.
After each meeting the board discusses and updates the impact that we have had in the meeting for pupils. Governors provide strong support for the Headteacher. We have a strong senior leadership team leading and modelling high quality teaching and learning throughout the school. The wellbeing of staff has been and is a priority and this has resulted in children feeling happy and settled at school and able to focus on their learning.
Impact of Finance and Personnel Committee and Curriculum Standards Committee Meetings
The school budget is scrutinised and reviewed in detail at these meetings. On this committee, we have governors with strong finance skills who review end of year budgets, attend pre-budget meetings and question deficit/surplus balances. Using benchmarking information, the committee scrutinise the effect of pupil numbers on the budget and how this impacts on staffing and resources.
Careful monitoring and planning of the budget by the Finance and Resources Committee has impacted positively on subsequent years where budgets have enable the school to have a strong and effective staffing structure to drive school improvements. Governors truly believe and support the Headteacher in that efficient and effective staff are the best resource.
The Finance Committee ensure ‘best value’ when purchasing items or services. The governors ensure that the school provide three quotes for items or services over a certain limit.
The Curriculum Committee ensures that the curriculum and it’s delivery are the best they can be a Lord Blyton Primary School. The Governors have been rigorously ensuring that the School Improvement Plan which incorporated the post OFSTED priorities is being driven forward by the SLT. The Governors are presented with documents and monitoring evidence. They question and challenge what, when and how the monitoring is going. They also question the impact and the evidence presented. They have and will continue to speak to Subject Leaders.
Pupil Premium Funding
In comparison to other schools, Lord Blyton Primary School receives a considerable amount of Pupil Premium (PP) Funding.
The Finance and Personnel Committee approve the planned spend of PP funding each year and challenge the Headteacher and senior leaders on the impact of the spending. Details of the impact of Pupil Premium spending can be found on the website.
Sports Premium Funding
Alongside the PP funding, the Finance Committee monitors how the schools spends the Sports Premium Funding. The Primary PE and Sport Premium is ring-fenced and must only be spent on physical education and sport provision in schools. The funding aims to achieve improvement in all areas of PE, from the standard of physical education to introducing health focused physical activities and after school sports. Details of the impact of Sports Premium spending can be found on the PE page.
Capital Projects
The governing body and Finance Committee have used capital expenditure to agree the purchase of ICT equipment.
General Data Protection Regulation
Governors are responsible for ensuring the data protection policy is in place and being followed. Governors ensure the school has a Data Protection Officer (DPO Lynn Maughan) and that they attend refresher training.
Safeguarding
The monitoring of safeguarding practices is a key priority for governors and is ongoing throughout the year. We have a named Safeguarding Governor, Ed Malcolm. Along with the Headteacher governors conduct an annual safeguarding audit and monitor the actions identified from the audit. Safeguarding reports presented at FGB meetings provide an opportunity to challenge the safeguarding culture of the school and ensure robust procedures and practices are in place. Safeguarding questions are asked during governor visits and in meetings. The impact of this challenge and monitoring is a confidence in the strong safeguarding ethos at Lord Blyton Primary School.
Recruitment
Members of the governing body have completed “safer recruitment” training and have contributed to the successful recruitment of a strong team.
School Improvement Plan and Governor Visits
Link governors have responsibility for specific curriculum areas . Each governor has or will be conducted monitoring visits to review their area and have produced governor visit reports identifying strengths and next steps. Reports are shared in full governor body meetings and result in greater accountability of staff. Action plans are updated regularly and success criteria is met. This is shared with governors during their visits.
School Policies
Governors review and approve policies annually. This takes place throughout the year in FGB meetings. The Headteacher is asked to give examples of when the policies have been used to ensure the policies are being followed and practiced and to ensure policy review is not just a paper exercise. Policies are updated on the school website.
Performance Management
Governors are responsible for undertaking the Headteacher’s performance management review each year. Governors, supported by the local authority, set annual targets, which are reviewed at points throughout the year.
The Headteacher completes an annual performance management report for the governors, evidencing that performance management has been completed for all staff and that staff have met performance management targets. Governors scrutinise the report and use evidence to approve pay recommendations at the annual Pay Review Committee given by the Headteacher.