Morley Primary School
Governance Statement July 2016
In accordance with the Government’s requirement for all governing bodies, the 3 core strategic functions of the Governing Body of Morley Primary School 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 Board of Morley Primary School was reconstituted in 2015 and is currently made up of:
Three Parent Governors
One Local Authority Governor
One Staff Governor
Two Community Governors
The Headteacher
There is currently a vacancy for a parent governor
A review of skills has taken place to ensure that the Governing Body comprises of people who have the skills required to contribute to the effective governance and success of the school. The full Governing Body meets once each half term, and we also have two committees to consider different aspects of the school in detail: one which focuses on finance, premises, and health and safety; and one which considers staffing, pupils, school improvement, standards and curriculum matters. We also have committees that meet if required to consider pupil discipline and staffing recruitment. Named governors have specific responsibility for one or more areas of school life. In this capacity they visit school to meet with their school staff link member to monitor the impact of school improvement activities. These roles are directly linked to the key school improvement issues, as well as to those of Early Years, Special Educational Needs, Health and Safety and Child Protection.
Work done by the Governing Board
The Governing Body is delighted to congratulate the school on another fantastic year. There have been very many successes this year – for pupils, staff and the whole school – and governors would like to acknowledge these.
Our focus, as always, remains firmly directed at improving outcomes for all children by delivering high quality teaching and maximising progress and attainment. Y6 results in July 2015 were the best we have ever had. All pupils again achieved L4 across all subjects, and L5 attainment was at least 50% in all subjects, and mostly well above this (more detail is available on the school results page of the website).
In January the school received a letter from the Department of Education which placed it in the top 187 performing schools in the country.
Mrs Rhodes was voted Adult Volunteer of the year in Erewash and Derbyshire’s School Sports Partnership.
Miss Marsland was designated a National Leader of Education and the school a National Support School.
The staff received a national Certificate of Excellence for their hard work and many skills.
Mr Taylor was winner of a silver National Teaching Award in June and goes forward to the national finals of the Golden Plato Awards in October at London’s Guildhall.
And finally we finished the year with a spectacular performance of The Lion King – the school’s most ambitious production so far, and a hugely successful one too. Photographs are available on the website.
Governing Body meetings have been regular and busy. 6 Full Governing Body meetings were held this year, alongside regular committee meetings (3 for TLC and 4 for RMC with an additional budget meeting). Governors also held a Governor support meeting with the school advisor where we developed our understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage in order to support the EYFS teacher more effectively. Governors also attended staff meetings, staff INSET on safeguarding and curriculum planning, and individual governors visited the school in their monitoring capacity. Additional meetings were held to review and continually update the school self evaluation. One of the roles for the governors is reviewing and agreeing school policies. Governors have reviewed and updated many policies this year (see policy guidance and review grid) and have worked with the Headteacher and staff to complete an evidence grid for monitoring British Values. Policies are available on the school website, or from the school office.
Governors were pleased to welcome Mrs Jan Pierce to the Governing Body in November. Mrs Pierce is a serving Derbyshire Headteacher, as well as being Director of Synergy Teaching School Alliance, to which the school belongs. She has been appointed as a Community Governor as she lives in the local area. Mrs Elwell was appointed Chair for a further year, and Ms Jones as Vice Chair.
Governors have undertaken training in PREVENT this year to ensure that we understand the issues pertaining to this, and are well prepared to support the school in this. Governor training continues to be a key priority for 2015/6.
The RMC monitors the maintenance and development of the school premises, and makes decisions about the school budget. We produce an annual statement of financial control as required by the Local Authority. As with all schools, budgets are tight but we are pleased to report that we continue to maintain a balanced budget with a small contingency carry over each year. The budget was set in April 2016 and this will continue to be reviewed throughout the academic year 2016/17 to ensure solvency and probity thereby ensuring our financial resources are being used effectively. The school budget, and Health and Safety practices have been closely monitored, and we thank Mrs Rhodes for her work in these areas. We are happy that the school is able to prioritise funding appropriately, and that everything is done to ensure children’s safety, as well as that of the staff.
Governors have a statutory duty for Safeguarding and Eileen Swan is our designated Child Protection and Safeguarding Governor. She delivers a termly report to the governors about any safeguarding matters. An Annual report on Safeguarding is submitted to the Local authority.
Our attendance target in 2015-16 was 97.5%, and our actual attendance was 96.4% which was a decrease to that of previous years and was mainly due to an outbreak of sickness in the Autumn term.
The TLC has met each term and has spent time reviewing data, and tracking pupil attainment and progress, so that we can be sure that the school is on course to meet its targets for all pupils. Cohorts vary each year and are very small so data can vary from year to year. National targets do not take account of this. Due to the new national assessment requirements, allied to our small cohorts, it would not be appropriate to judge attainment and progress for this current year.
Governors are committed to ensuring that British Values are integral to the school’s ethos. Our TLC monitors and evaluates work in this area.
There is a high level of challenge in our meetings and where potential weaknesses are identified actions are agreed which form the basis of future monitoring. These then form the key issues in the School Improvement Plan.
The Governing Body has a duty to monitor our “vulnerable groups” of children and to focus on how the Pupil Premium Grant is being spent by the school and what impact this has on outcomes. Intervention strategies and their impact on pupil progress are monitored termly. Due to our small cohorts, this information is not published as it could identify individual pupils.
SATs results are discussed in detail and comparison with local and national results reviewed.
Key Issues faced by the Governing body during 2015-16:
1. Reconstituting the governing body to meet the new government regulations
2. Providing more strategic support and challenge to the school
3. Ensuring that the curriculum prepares pupils for life in modern Britain
4. Supporting developments in EYFS
5. Reviewing safeguarding and updating training
We would like to take this opportunity to thank our school staff who work so hard to ensure that all children receive the best experiences they can. As a result, standards are maintained and improved. Pupils are happy and safe, and have a love of learning which is evident in their attitudes to learning, their classrooms, and their books. May we also take this opportunity to thank our school parents for your continued and unstinting support of your children which enables them to maximise their potential. We would like to tell you what our leaving Y6 pupils said about their school – we understand it reduced some of the staff to tears!
‘Morley School is brilliant. We’ve loved our time here.’
‘Even though I’ve only spent 2 years at this school, I still understand, as much as everyone else, how brilliant it is.’
‘I must thank the teachers for making my experience here one of the best in my life. These 7 years have been amazing and I’ve loved every second of it.’
‘I want to thank Mr Taylor, who is the best teacher, Miss Marsland, the rest of the fantastic teachers, and the whole school for giving me the best Primary School experience I could ever have.’
Future Plans
Maintaining the standard of excellence in the school.
Ensuring the school is appropriately resourced and staff have access to a wide range of CPD.
Ensure new governors are appropriately inducted into the role.
Develop governor interaction with parents and the wider community.
How you can contact the Governing Body
Lastly, we would love to hear your views and opinions on our school. The school sends out an annual questionnaire, and you can complete the same questionnaire on line at ParentView through this link, or on the website front page and OfSTED page. If you would like to discuss something in particular, please contact the Chair, or contact the school on Headteacher@morley.derbyshire.sch.uk, or contact the school office marked ‘for the attention of the Chair of Governors’. Also look out for us at school events!
We look forward to another amazing year in 2016-17!