Governance Review 2022-2023

Governance Review for 2022-2023

Autumn Term

• Chair of Governors and Vice Chair were appointed
• Link Governors and Committee Members were agreed.
• Terms of Reference for Committees agreed
• The Headteacher presented their summer term report
• An Assistant Headteacher presented an initial report on the standards achieved by the pupils in the 2021-2022 academic year.
• Link Governor met virtually with the Lead and Deputy Lead for Pupil Premium.
• The Governors agreed the School’s Improvement Plan for the coming year. SLT regularly discussed SIP and plans and impact with the LGB – Curriculum, Teaching and learning, Behaviour and Personal Development, Christian Vision.
• Governors were updated on the Behaviour Hub work with other schools and its impact there and within our own school.
• The Christian Distinctiveness Governors reviewed and discussed the school’s self-evaluation for SIAMS. This was then presented to Governors for further discussion and review.
• The Lead for computing discussed the Computing Curriculum with Governors and the progress towards the Computing Award.
• The Admissions Committee met to discuss and agree the admissions arrangements including the oversubscription criteria for 2024-2025. This was formally agreed at the October LGB meeting.
• The Admissions Committee met five times to discuss and agree in year applications. The decisions were reported to the LGB.
• Governors were regularly updated on the improvements to the playground.
• Pupil Leadership Teams for Science and Ethos gave excellent presentations to the Governors.
• Governors continued to move away from paper to electronic communications within meetings– using Governorhub, a GDPR compliant platform.
• Resources Committee regularly reviewed financial performance against the agreed 2022-2023 budget.
• Governors were involved in the recruitment and appointment of a Trust Business Manager.
• The lead for Safeguarding presented a revised policy, this was agreed by Governors
• Pupil Premium Governor met with the Premium Pupil Lead and shadow lead to discuss the annual review of the Pupil Premium Strategy and Recovery Funding 2022-2025. The revised document was presented to Resources Governors in December. This was agreed and uploaded to website.
• The Christian Distinctiveness Committee discussed and agreed the School’s Vision Statement, strengthening our Christian Vision and Values. This was agreed by the Full LGB.
• Pay Governors met to monitor the school’s performance management and appraisal of all SLT and teachers. These pay decisions were reported to the November LGB meeting as required in the LDST Scheme of Delegation.
• Governors reviewed the IDSR for 2022
• The Headteacher annual appraisal was completed with support from a Trust Education Officer.
• A review of Website compliance was completed.

Spring Term

• SLT updated governors on progress on the School Improvement Plan, Curriculum, Teaching and Learning, Behaviour and Personal Development, Christian Vision.
• Governors were updated on the Behaviour Hub work with other schools and its impact there and within our own school.
• Resources Committee regularly reviewed financial performance against the agreed 2022-2023 budget. Governors were regularly updated on the bid for a Carbon Neutral heating grant.
• The lead for music gave a full report, curriculum overview and knowledge organisers for music.
• Children from the Computing PLT gave Governors a presentation on Internet Safety and the work they had been doing with the pupils in school.
• The Year 3 teacher and a group of year 3 children, discussed with Governors their recent residential to Cardiff, everyone was extremely positive and it was obvious this trip had added to the children’s Geographic knowledge.
• The Headteacher presented their autumn term report
• An Assistant Headteacher shared the results of the Parent/Carer survey, which were overwhelmingly positive.
• SEND Governor reported on her meeting with the SENco.
• The Admissions Committee met to discuss and agree in year applications. The decisions were reported to the LGB.
• The Governors were informed of the final numbers for Reception 2023.
• Governors agreed the school’s Attendance and Punctuality Policy which was recommended to be read alongside the LDST Policy.
• Term dates for 2023-2024 were agreed.
• Governors reviewed the Trust’s Education Officer School Improvement Report.
• Governors were regularly updated on issues raised and discussed at the Trust Directors meetings and at the Liverpool Governance Forum.
• The Link Governor for PE and Sports premium presented a report on her meeting with the PE leads and the draft PE and Sports Premium Report for 2022-2023.

Summer Term

The meeting of 15/05/23 was cancelled due to this clashing with an Ofsted inspection of the whole Trust.

• Governors and SLT were involved in the Inspection of the LDST Trust.
• SLT updated governors on progress on the School Improvement Plan 2022-2023.
• The CofG as a LDST Director, the Headteacher and the Vice Chair attended the LDST Governance Conference at Edge Hill University.
• The Link Governor for Safeguarding presented a full report on her recent visit with the school’s lead and which also involved pupil voice.
• Chair and Vice Chair were interviewed by Ofsted Inspectors as part of a MATSE inspection of the LDST.
• A termly report on Safeguarding was presented and agreed.
• 175 Safeguarding Audit was reviewed and approved by CofG and Safeguarding Governor.
• In Year Admission Minutes were presented and discussed.
• The Lead Teacher for the Rainbow Award gave a presentation and update on the progress and work already completed in school.
• Governors were presented with the School Budget for 2023-2024. They were informed of the changes to their responsibilities under the revised SOD for the upcoming academic year.
• Headteacher presented their spring 2023 report.
• CofG and Safeguarding governor were interviewed as part of an independent Safeguarding audit of the school.
• Governors agreed the LGB meeting dates for 2023 -2024.
• Governors were informed on the changes to SIAMS Framework from September 2023. A number of Governors met with David Thorpe (SIAMS) to discuss the school’s work on this.
• Pupil Premium Governor attended Trust training with the Premium Pupil Lead.
• PE and Sports Leads reported to Resource Committee Governors on the impact of the funding received. A meeting had previously been held between the Link Governor and the PE Lead to discuss this funding and the actions. This was agreed and uploaded to the Website.
• Governors agreed the proposed School Improvement priorities for 2023/2024

Policies

As Governors we have adopted all LDST Policies, school specific Statutory Policies and those related to the school’s School Improvement Plan. The Headteacher, the Website audit and Governor Committees ensured that Policies were reviewed and updated as per legislation.

The responsibility for the review and adoption of some policies have been delegated to the Headteacher and may be found on the school’s website.

Training

Individual governors have attended training on

• Safeguarding
• Health and Safety in schools
• Safer Recruitment
• LDST GDPR for Governors
• LDST Finance
• Attendance
• LDST Staff Attendance Policy
• Introduction to School Governance
• SIAMS 2023 Inspection Process Training for MAT Directors
• Developing the Diversity of Governing Bodies
• Pupil Exclusions
• Ethical Leadership in Education
• Strategic Governance for High Quality MATS
• LDST School Admission’s Training
• Liverpool Governors Forum – Conferences and Training

Governors were invited to attend the school’s Safeguarding training in November 2023