Governing Body Information 2023/24

SCHOOL GOVERNING BODY

Dates for 2023/24

Full Governing Board

Autumn term:

Tuesday, 5th December at 4:00pm.

Spring term

Tuesday 9th March at 4:00pm.

Summer term

Tuesday 16th July at 4.00pm

Committee Meetings

Autumn term:

School Improvement Committee- 20th September at 1.15PM

Finance Committee- 12th October at 1.30pm

Spring term

School Improvement Committee-17th January 2024 at 1:30 pm

Finance Committee- Thursday 8th February 2024 at 1:30 pm

Summer term

School Improvement Committee- Wednesday 24th April 2024 at 1:30pm

Finance Committee-  Thursday 9th May 2024 at 1:30pm.

Annual

Remit:

1. To ensure that the school meets the statutory requirements to publish online information
2. Review policies on a regular basis and ensure staff are aware of the policies
3. Oversee the budget plan and recommend budget plan and make recommendations to FGB meeting.
4. To discuss the budget in accordance with school priorities (in line with SDP) and the longer term priorities of the school
5. To ensure that financial deadlines are met (i.e. approval of budget plan)
6. To undertake an annual review of all expenditure with a view to achieving `Best Value’ with regard to the delegated budget and to ensure that the school’s financial performance is in line with the budget and to approve a Statement of Internal Control annually
7. To discuss options available to the school prior to the approval of continuation/cessation of contracts including LA Buy Back agreements
8. To recommend the level of delegation afforded to the Headteacher, Chairperson and Resources committee
9. To ensure that there is an annual audit of the school fund and to monitor the expenditure of school funds
10. To review the staffing structure/pay and review procedures for recruitment and selection ensuring that procedures are in place for managing staff levels (including re-deployment, early retirement, redundancy)
11. To ensure that the principles of safer recruitment are adhered to
12. To review the salaries of main scale teachers annually and to make recommendations relating to the award of discretionary payments for temporary additional responsibility for the approval of the governing body
13. To ensure that the budget set reflects salary increases through meeting objectives from the performance management process
14. To ensure any budget carry-overs are accounted for in terms of projected expenditure
15. To ensure CPD (Continuous Professional Development) remains a focus for staff training
16. To monitor the condition of the school premises and consider options for building improvements (review Asset Management Plan)
17. To ensure an annual safety check of the school premises is undertaken and recommendations acted on.
18. To approve applications for school lettings.
19. To ensure that the governors’ responsibilities regarding litter are discharged under the Environmental Protection Act 1990
20. To ensure that the school complies with health & safety regulations and ensure risk assessments are carried out regularly.
21. To review insurance arrangements.
22. To ensure that the school is properly accountable for the financial aspects of its performance (i.e. it deploys resources in line with priorities, achieves planned levels of financial performance, avoids incurring financial loss and waste, receives favourable assessments from internal audit and Ofsted).
23. To ensure meetings are conducted in an open manner, enabling governors to contribute to the discussions.
24. To complete a self-evaluation of financial management competencies (for SFVS).
25. To ensure that all teaching staff & support staff are valued and receive proper recognition for their work and contribution to the school life.
26. Any other matters as directed by the governing body.

School Improvement Committee

(Curriculum / Pupils/ Standards)

How often meetings will be held:

Termly

Quorum:

3 governors (not including Associate members)

Minute taker:

Staff member

Review:

annual

Remit:

• Remit:
  1. To monitor the SIP (school improvement plan)
  2. Ensure a broad and balanced curriculum is provided and ensure governors have a knowledge of how the curriculum is taught, evaluated and resourced
  3. To receive reports on school innovations and how the school is responding to legislative requirements in the curriculum
  4. To monitor that relevant policies are in place and processes are in place to ensure staff are aware of the policies and act upon them.
  5. To receive reports on the provision for collective worship and RE and PSHE
  6. To monitor policies on welfare, health & safety of pupils and the dress and appearance of pupils with due regard to their spiritual, moral, cultural & social well-being whilst encouraging opportunities for their personal development.
  7. To consider school improvement targets and monitor the standards and progress of pupils and standards by different groups, e.g. by gender, ethnicity, postcode, and for those taking free school meals, children in care, young carers and children with special educational needs
  8. To monitor extra-curricular activities
  9. To monitor patterns of attendance and exclusions and to receive statistical information on any (un-named) pupil exclusions
  10. To ensure that the school promotes an ethos of high expectations for levels of achievement and behaviour for all including SEN, LAC and other groups of learners and that this is communicated to pupils, parents and staff
  11. To ensure that all staff have the appropriate skills, support and access to training to deliver a high quality learning environment
  12. Be familiar with the school’s data
  13. Monitor trends in the quality of teaching and learning through review of the outcomes of lesson observations
  14. Any other matters as directed by the governing body
  15. Report to the full governing body

Pay Committee

Meetings will be held in:

September to consider pay decisions and in July to consider Schools Pay Policy

Quorum: 3 governors

Minute taker: Staff Member

Review: annual

Delegation of Function

The Governing Body has established a Pay Committee to set the Pay Policy for the school and to implement the approved Pay Policy in respect of the pay for all staff

Membership

Appeals will be heard by the Pay Appeals Committee; members cannot take part in both committees. The Governing body has agreed to support another governing body with the appeals process, if enough governors cannot attend the appeals panel. This has been agreed  at a full governing body meeting of each school.

The headteacher may attend all proceedings of the Pay Committee for the purposes of providing information and advice, but must withdraw when their own salary is being discussed.

Quorum

Three Governors

Terms of Reference

• To determine the Pay Policy for the school;
• To advise the Governing Body/Finance Committee on current and future pay level;
• To ratify appropriate salary ranges and starting salaries for Lead Practitioners, and member of the leadership group;
• To ratify annual pay progress for teachers (by 31 October at the latest) as set out in the Pay Policy, taking account of any recommendations made on the Performance Management review statement, in accordance with the approved pay policy.
• To approve applications to be paid on the Upper Pay Range
• To approve annual pay progress for the headteacher (by 31 December at the latest), taking account of the recommendation made by the Headteacher’s Performance Review Panel, following the annual review.
• To determine the application of national inflationary increases as required;
• To monitor and report to the full Governing Body on the annual pattern of performance pay progression at each level and the correlation between pay progression, quality of teaching and outcomes for pupils.

Code of Conduct

CODE OF CONDUCT FOR THE GOVERNING BODY

The following is not a definitive statement of responsibilities but is concerned with the common understanding of broad principles by which the Governing Body and individual Governors will operate.

The Governing Body of Bridge Hall Primary School accept the following principles:-

Role & Responsibilities

• We understand the purpose of the governing body and the role of the headteacher.
• We accept that we have no legal authority to act individually, except when the governing body has given us delegated authority to do so, and therefore we will only speak on behalf of the governing board when we have been specifically authorised to do so.
• We accept collective responsibility for all decisions made by the governing body or its delegated agents. This means that we will not speak against majority decisions outside the governing body meeting.
• We have a duty to act fairly and without prejudice, and in so far as we have responsibility for staff, we will fulfil all that is expected of a good employer.
• We will encourage open government and will act appropriately.
• We will consider carefully how our decisions may affect the community and other schools.
• We will always be mindful of our responsibility to maintain and develop the ethos and reputation of our school. Our actions within the school and the local community will reflect this.
• In making or responding to criticism or complaints affecting the school we will follow the procedures established by the governing body.
• We will actively support and challenge the headteacher.

Commitment

• We acknowledge that accepting office as a governor involves the commitment of significant amounts of time and energy.
• We will each involve ourselves actively in the work of the governing body, and accept our fair share of responsibilities, including service on committees or working groups.
• We will make full efforts to attend all meetings and where we cannot attend explain in advance why we are unable to.
• We will get to know the school well and respond to opportunities to involve ourselves in school activities.
• We will visit the school, with all visits to school arranged in advance with the staff and undertaken within the framework established by the governing body and agreed with the headteacher.
• We will consider seriously our individual and collective needs for training and development, and will undertake relevant training.
• We accept that in the interests of open government, our names, terms of office, roles on the governing body, category of governor and the body responsible for appointing us will be published on the school’s website.

Relationships

• We will strive to work as a team in which constructive working relationships are actively promoted.
• We will express views openly, courteously and respectfully in all our communications with other governors.
• We will support the chair in their role of ensuring appropriate conduct both at meetings and at all times.
• We are prepared to answer queries from other governors in relation to delegated functions and take into account any concerns expressed, and we will acknowledge the time, effort and skills that have been committed to the delegated function by those involved.
• We will seek to develop effective working relationships with the headteacher, staff and parents, the local authority and other relevant agencies and the community.

Confidentiality

• We will observe complete confidentiality when matters are deemed confidential or where they concern specific members of staff or pupils, both inside or outside school.
• We will exercise the greatest prudence at all times when discussions regarding school business arise outside a governing board meeting.
• We will not reveal the details of any governing board vote.

Conflicts of interest

• We will record any pecuniary or other business interest (including those related to people we are connected with) that we have in connection with the governing body’s business in the Register of Business Interests, and if any such conflicted matter arises in a meeting we will offer to leave the meeting for the appropriate length of time. We accept that the Register of Business Interests will be published on the school’s website.
• We will also declare any conflict of loyalty at the start of any meeting should the situation arise.
• We will act in the best interests of the school as a whole and not as a representative of any group, even if elected to the governing body.

Breach of this code of conduct

• If we believe this code has been breached, we will raise this issue with the chair and the chair will investigate; the governing body will only use suspension or removal as a last resort after seeking to resolve any difficulties or disputes in more constructive ways.
• Should it be the chair that we believe has breached this code, another governor, such as the vice chair will investigate.

The Code of Conduct is based on the NGA Code of Conduct and can be found in full at https://www.nga.org.uk/Knowledge-Centre/Good-governance/Ethical-governance/Model-Code-of-Conduct-2018.aspx

Governing Body Information 2016/17

Check out the Manchester Evening News Report on school performance

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/local-news/bridge-hall-primary-school-6487591