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Minutes of Meeting

Francis Baily Primary School School Governing Body


Date of Meeting: 4 December 2013 7.00pm Present:
Chris Davis (HT) Hazel Inman Rashida Samsudin Steve Ardagh-Walter Tina Skipworth

Location: Francis Baily School


Asa Parker Chris Burnell Pauline Ford (clerk) Sharon Briggs Helen Sayers

Apologies:
Reference No.

Ken Franklin

Steve West

Gary Collins

Neil Pilsworth

Toni Monks

Also Attending: Minute APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE


1.1 Apologies were received and accepted from Steve West, Ken Franklin, Gary Collins, Neil Pilsworth and Toni Monks
Action

01.12/13

02.12/13 03.12/13 04.12/13

NOTIFICATION OF ANY OTHER FURTHER BUSINESS


2.1 The OOHCC Terms of reference needed to be approved.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
3.1 None received

MINUTES OF LAST MEETING


4.1 The Minutes of the meeting held 16 October 2013 (previously distributed) were approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record with the following amendments - 8.4 Committee and Link Governor structure the words looked at but postponed were added. 8.6 New Constitution resisted should read revisited

05.12/13

MATTERS ARISING (NON AGENDA ITEMS)


5.1 HT to check the LIP re Ofsted recommendations

06.12/13

FINANCE
6.1 Chris Burnell, Chair of the Finance Committee, informed the GB that the FC had met. The Finance Committee Terms of Reference were amended removing the requirement that the Chairman of Governors must be a member of the Finance Committee; the Finance Committee will consist of three Governors and the Headteacher. The review of the Personnel and Pay Policy was delegated to the Finance Committee and its control extended to cover a review of the staffing structure, the Pay Policy and pay-related awards. The requirement for governors to present a Best Value Statement annually has been abolished so the Financial Management Policy was accordingly updated to remove this obligation. AP asked what replaced the Best Value Statement; school was expected to be aware of best value and look at life cycle costing value rather than just cost. RESOLVED: That, having been recommended by the Finance Committee, proposed and seconded, the amendments to the Terms of Reference for the Finance Committee be accepted. The Financial Procedures Manual was updated to reflect current practice and guidelines. RESOLVED: That, having been recommended by the Finance Committee, proposed and seconded the amendments to the Financial Procedures Manual and the Financial Management Policy be accepted. The OOHC Policy was reviewed with an amendment stating: The main school budget should not subsidise the OOHC fund. In the event of an operating loss the school will be liable to find funds out of its revenue budget to subsidise any shortfall. RESOLVED: That, having been recommended by the Finance Committee, proposed and seconded the amendments to the Out of Hours Clubs Policy be accepted. HS asked what is the difference between the Learning Improvement Plan (LIP) and the School Development Plan (SDP). The Head advised that they are essentially the same; the LIP has a sharper focus whilst the SDP is an all encompassing document. CB presented the Private Fund Accounts for the year 1 Sept 2012-31 Aug 2013. The reserve account is shown to be reducing year on year but it was agreed that this was money to be spent on pupils during the year.

Pauline Ford, Clerk to Governors 4 December 2013

Minutes: 4 December 2013

It was decided that the surplus of 4 per pupil for the Tregoyd 13 trip would be held in a surplus account on the accounts system and a letter sent to parents informing them of the over-charge. The money would then be offset against future trips for these pupils. CB informed the Governors that two debts from OOHC pupils for the year 2012/13, 300 in total, had been agreed by the FC that they may be written off. One parent had been made redundant; the other family was suffering financial hardship. SB asked if the children were still attending the ASC the SBM confirmed that neither pupil currently attends any of the clubs. A Sports coach had been appointed as of 1 December 2013 for ten hours per week, payment from the new Sports Premium fund. Budget virements and correcting journals had been presented to the FC. Of significance to note was a journal to move the budgeted 20k from revenue budget into DFC Capital (for the Year 2 BLIP Project) reducing the Fund 01 contingency by 20k. RESOLVED: That, having been approved by the Finance Committee, proposed and seconded, the virement of 20,000 be accepted. The Chair of the FC informed governors that it had been agreed that the school will buy into SIMS Agora, Capitas online payment solution for parents. Period 6 Reports There is a 117k balance in the Main school budget (Fund 01) indicating that the school is currently under budget and expects to have a 2-3 %( 70k) surplus at year end. However this will be needed for the next year when the budget is tight. The SBM explained that schools can carry forward up to 8%, any amounts over this limit will be clawed back. She also informed the GB that FB buys into the WB services for maternity cover so that the imminent maternity pay will be covered by the WBC parental insurance. Fund 76 (Capital) has a balance of 3,854 following the front entrance works. Fund 13 is the new Sports Funding. Fund 99 (OOHC) The OOHC shows an overspend as there are no funding allocations and salary commitments are included whilst income is received in arrears. Expenditure is shown to be well controlled midway through the financial year. Staffing costs were shown to be just under 50% of the staffing expenditure budget spent. Contingency will be reduced when the transfer of 20k to Capital has been undertaken. The transfer has been ear- marked for any classroom enhancements required as part of the Year 2 Blip project. The SBM reminded the Governors that the OOHC have to maintain a contingency to cover any redundancies and maintain the ratio of staff to children. The Governors agreed that because of the social aspect; providing support for parents, the expenses had to be accepted.

07.12/13

REPORT FROM HEADTEACHER


Before the HT gave his report HI requested a translation of various acronyms for better understanding. IPCInternational Primary curriculum, SEAL Social and Emotional Aspects to Learning, PPM Pupil Progress Meeting, MMS Maths makes Sense, SLT Senior Leadership Team, SEF Self Evaluation Form, Incerts software programme for assessment data. The HT gave examples of Performance Management for teachers and explained that MPS2 is someone in their second year of teaching, in the example shown it was a Year 1 teacher. UPS3 is the most experienced teacher and therefore has more challenging criteria. The general theme for Performance Management this year is writing. Objectives are set for the HT at his Performance Management which was attended by HS, AP, SW and Elaine Ricks. Teacher targets have to be set by 31 October which is before the Raise Online report is published. HI asked if the school has writing competitions yes. Do boys need more incentive for writing? AP commented that if school was to equal or better LA and national rates the children needed to be engaged. The Governors asked how teachers progress to a new pay scale; do they have to fulfil the criteria of the next scale? Yes, they have to demonstrate a highly competent and sustained standard; their contribution is substantial to the whole school, not just class based. HS asked about the forthcoming maternity leaves and how it will affect the SLT. There is no succession plan as yet, the Foundation teacher interviews are taking place on 13 December and the HT hopes to appoint. 7.1 Pupil Premium. The HT felt that the report in its current form did not highlight the positive aspects of the results eg L4 English and maths showed poor figures but more explanation was needed. It was difficult to quantify the impact of PPG. A sharper focus on the learning of the children within the PPG group was needed. It was easy to justify the expenses school trip costs, breakfast club but these were not linked to learning. A governor asked about the impact of 1 to 1 tuition; individual children are not making the expected progress. The link between the 1 to 1 teacher and class teacher is not yet good enough. The Inclusion Teacher (RE) and CD are to work together on the PPG report to present at the January meeting. CB asked it could be proved that a child has improved more, because of intervention funding, than they would have anyway. The HT commented that the requirement was to close the gap. Teachers were now well aware of children on FSM in their classes. 7.3 The new Homework diary was shown; the key purpose was as a communication tool between home and school

Pauline Ford, Clerk to Governors 4 December 2013

Minutes: 4 December 2013

and to tell parents everything they needed to know about school. The current diary would run January 2014 until July 2015; future copies would be for the academic year. Children would be charged for replacements. The governors liked the diary. Home School Partnership pages to be added 7.2 BLIP Project. Beards had won the contract, having given an under budget quote. The intention was to start work at Easter, building the new classroom and then completing the modest alterations to the current classrooms during the Summer holidays. The work has to be completed by September 2014. The original plan was to start in October and work through, this new plan will be much less disruptive to staff and children.

08.12/13

POLICIES
8.1 The Homework policy had been amended to show the days that homework is set. RESOLVED: That, having been proposed and seconded, the Homework policy be approved. 8.2 The Financial Management policy and Procedures was presented to the Governors and approved in Section 6 Finance. 8.3 The Out of Hours Clubs policy was amended and approved in Section 6 Finance 8.4 The Attendance policy had been updated following the legislation relating to authorised/unauthorised Planned Leave of Absence and the instigation of fines at the Headteachers discretion. RESOLVED: That, having been proposed and seconded, the Attendance policy be approved.

09.12/13

GOVERNING BODY MATTERS


9.1 The Finance Committee Terms of Reference had been updated and agreed under the Finance section. 9.2 The Governors discussed the possibility of a Governor newsletter, maybe termly, for parents with each Governor providing a report on their area of expertise. After discussion It was decided that the back page of the school newsletter could be used on occasion. The first action would be to create a Governor profile to be published on the school website with a photograph and a brief introduction from each Governor. Clerk to draw up draft document. Sharon Briggs left the meeting at 8.45pm 9.3 Governor visits feedback- there had been good representation at the Christmas fayre. 9.4 Governor presence at future vents Carol Concert 16 and 17 December AP and HS were planning to attend

10.12/13
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2) 3)

ANY OTHER URGENT BUSINESS 10.1 The OOHCC had met prior to this meeting and amended the Terms of Reference, removing the requirement of Chair or Vice Chair of the Full Governing Body to sit on the committee plus the election of the Chair and Vice Chair does not need to be solely from the voting members of the committee. RESOLVED: That, having been recommended by the OOHCC, proposed and seconded, the amended OOHC Terms of Reference be accepted. 10.2 The Chair had noted that in the December issue of the Governor Newsletter it listed statutory tasks for Finance: agree the Budget, submit the completed SFVS and the good practice of the Financial Health Check. The SBM informed him that the Health check is done annually with WB; the SFVS is due 31 March 2014. The budget had to be agreed in January 2014. New model policies for Finance and Children Protection were mentioned. Clerk to investigate we have the up to date model policies. DATE OF FUTURE MEETINGS
Wednesday 15 January 2014 Wednesday 12 February Wednesday 12 March Wednesday 21 May Wednesday 25 June Wednesday 16 July CLOSE OF MEETING There being no further business, the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 9.00pm

11.12/13

12.12.13 Appendix

DOCUMENTS EMAILED PRIOR TO THE MEETING


Agenda 4 December 2013 Minutes 16 October 2013 Record of Actions October 2013 HT Report Policies: Homework, OOHC, Financial Management Policy and Procedure, Attendance FC Terms of Reference FC Minutes May 2013 and Part II Minutes May 2013 Budget Monitoring Report Minutes: 4 December 2013

Pauline Ford, Clerk to Governors 4 December 2013

DOCUMENTS PRESENTED AT THE MEETING

Minutes Taken By:

Pauline Ford, Clerk to the Governors 4 December 2013

Pauline Ford, Clerk to Governors 4 December 2013

Minutes: 4 December 2013

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