Hello and welcome, 

Many people may have read about, and be familiar with, the idea of school governors, but may not be familiar with what they do, how they work, and who they are.

This is a short introduction specifically about the governing body of Langley Mill Church of England Infant School and Nursery and how it works with the staff to ensure the best possible educational environment for our children.

Annual Governance Statement for the Governing Body of

Langley Mill Church of England Infant School and Nursery (September 2018 to July 2019)

Core functions of the Governing Body
In accordance with the government’s requirement for all governing bodies, the three core strategic functions of Langley Mill Church of England Infant School and Nursery Governing Body are:

1. Establishing the strategic direction, by:
• Setting the vision, values, and objectives for the school
• Agreeing the school improvement strategy with priorities and targets
• Meeting statutory duties

2. Ensuring accountability, by:
• Appointing the Headteacher
• Monitoring progress towards targets
• Performance managing the Headteacher
• Engaging with stakeholders
• Contributing to school self-evaluation

3. Ensuring financial probity, by:
• Setting the budget
• Monitoring spending against the budget
• Ensuring value for money is obtained
• Ensuring risks to the organisation are managed

Governance arrangements
The Governing Body of Langley Mill Church of England Infant School and Nursery was reconstituted in September 2018 and now consists of up to ten governors, each with a four-year term of office:

• 2 parent governors
• 1 Local Authority governor
• 1 staff governor
• 1 headteacher
• 2 foundation governors
• 3 co-opted governors

There is a two-committee structure in place that focuses on specific areas of governance:

Resource Management Committee (RMC)

• Considers matters relating to: Finance; Personnel; Health and Safety and Premises.
• Serve on the groups below as required:
• Admissions
• Exclusions
• Extended Services
• Pay & Performance Management
• Publicity and Marketing

Teaching and Learning Committee (TLC)

• Considers matters relating to: Curriculum; SEN, Disabilities and Medical Conditions; Home/School and Community Links; Exclusions and Attendance.
• Serve on the groups below as required:
• Complaints
• Performance Management Review & Threshold
• Staff & Parent Appeals

Skills, Knowledge and Experience
In order to contribute to effective governance and the success of the school, governors hold a range of skills, knowledge and experience within the following areas:

• Leading the development of strategic plans
• Identifying viable options most likely to achieve the school’s goals and objectives
• Having a clear understanding of best financial management practices and school performance
• Understanding the school’s statutory financial management requirements
• Understanding budget setting and budget monitoring
• Understanding the importance of communicating the school’s performance to stakeholders
• A commitment to the school and the work of the governing body
• Presenting information and views clearly and influentially to others

Attendance record of governors
The Governing Body has a programme of meetings throughout the school year.  A record is kept by the clerk to the Governing Body, of governors’ attendance at meetings, details of which can be found on the information given for each individual governor below.

Meetings need to be ‘quorate’ to ensure that decisions can be made (Quorum = half of the whole governing body for full meetings and half of each committee for committee meetings).

Work carried out in committees and in the Governing Body meetings over the 2018-19 academic year

• Continued to monitor, challenge and sustain attendance and punctuality levels across school.
• Ensured safeguarding and child protection remained paramount and embedded in all school policies, procedures and day-to-day practices.
• Undertook regular monitoring and evaluation visits to review the impact of actions on the School Improvement Plan related to developing good learning behaviours, attaining attachment aware status and the impact of a new Reading Champion role.
• Ensured performance management procedures are effective in raising standards.
• Attended whole school events to view polices and procedures in action (e.g. collective worship sessions, trips, fundraising events, concerts).
• Ensured that the allocated budget supported priorities and targets in the School Improvement Plan and monitored spending against agreed plans.
• Monitored and evaluated how Pupil Premium and School Sports funding was spent to ensure best practice and impact on standards.
• Developed the governor recruitment process and successfully recruited new members to ensure a full complement, with adequate skills to fulfil roles and functions effectively.
• Developed a new school mission statement and aims that reflect the school’s purpose and Christian foundations and a whole school collective worship cycle to meet the new mission and aims.

Strategic planning for the future

• Implement and embed the new mission and values, in line with the SIAMS framework. Ensure the SIAMS self-evaluation is up-to-date, reflecting current practice.
• Update the SES and SIP documents to align to the latest Ofsted framework.
• Regularly review progress towards achieving targets in the School Improvement Plan related to implementation of a new phonics scheme and curriculum changes resulting from the 2018-19 review.
• Systematically seek the views of pupils on a range of issues including behaviour and safety.
• Continue to monitor and evaluate Ofsted identified priorities of accelerating progress in key stage one, especially for boys, and improving handwriting and presentational skills across the school.

NB – work carried out in committees and full Governing Body meetings is captured in approved minutes which are available to view on written request to the Business Manager and Clerk to Governors, Mrs Rivington.

Regards,

Mr A. Whysall – Chair of Governor

Meet the Governors