Governor Impact Statement 2019/20
Seal Primary Academy
Local Governing Body (LGB)
Annual Report and Accountability Statement
(2019-20)
1. Governance at Seal Primary Academy within TKAT
Seal Primary Academy is part of TKAT, a multi academy trust. The trust is a charity and its board of trustees must ensure that it complies with its charitable objects which relate to the provision of education in its schools. As such it is the trust board which is accountable for the performance of the schools in the trust, and in turn, it is held to account by the Department for Education. The trust can choose to appoint committees for each of its academies and where it does so, these are known as a local governing body or LGB. The LGB’s responsibilities are set out in a document known as the Scheme of Delegation which is available on TKAT’s and Academy’s website.
2. Who we are
The newly constituted Local Governing Body (LGB) has 11 governors:
o Headteacher (ex-officio)
o Two elected staff governors
o Two elected parent governors
o Six TKAT appointed governors
2.1. Local Governing Body Membership
During the 2019-20 school year, the members of the LGB were as follows:
|
Name
|
Type
|
Responsibility
|
Attendance %
2019-20
|
|
Geoff Conway
Current term:
16.10.18 – 15.10.22
Start date: 15.10.18
|
Appointed
|
Chair of Governors
Safeguarding, Pupil Progress and Achievement, Finance and Resources
|
100%
|
|
Declarations of Interest, including transactions to 31.08.19
|
TKAT employee, also Chair of Governors at Bridgemary School, the Havant Academy and Front Lawn Primary Academy
|
|
Andrew Jenkins
Current term:
16.10.18 – 15.10.22
Start date: 15.10.18
|
Appointed
|
Vice Chair of LGB, Responsibilities: Finance and Resources
|
100%
|
|
Declarations of Interest, including transactions to 31.08.19
|
None
|
|
Pamela Baker
Current term:
6.5.20 - 5.5.24
Start date: 6.5.20
|
Elected Staff
Governor
|
To be confirmed
|
100%
|
|
Declarations of Interest, including transactions to 31.08.19
|
None
|
|
Shaun Lee-Hobson
Current term:
22.10.19 – 21.10.23
|
Elected Parent
Governor
|
To be confirmed
|
50%
|
1 | P a g e
|
Name
|
Type
|
Responsibility
|
Attendance %
2019-20
|
|
Start date: 22.10.19
|
|
|
|
|
Declarations of
Interest, including
transactions to
31.08.19
|
None
|
|
Judy Sharpe
Current term:
16.10.18 – 15.10.22
Start date: 15.10.18
|
Appointed
|
Pupil Progress and Achievement
|
100%
|
|
Declarations of
Interest, including
transactions to
31.08.19
|
None
|
|
Neil Sherlock
Current term:
16.10.18 – 15.10.22
Start date: 15.10.18
|
Elected Staff
Governor
(support staff)
|
Health and Safety
|
66.6%
|
|
Declarations of
Interest, including
transactions to
31.08.19
|
Governor at The Academy, Selsey and family influence with TKAT employee
|
|
Mel Strachan
Current term:
Continuous
|
Headteacher ex officio member
|
|
100%
|
|
Declarations of
Interest, including
transactions to
31.08.19
|
Family influence with TKAT employee
|
|
Simon Walsh
Current term:
16.10.18 – 15.10.22
Start date: 15.10.18
|
Appointed
|
Special Educational Needs, Health and Safety
|
83.3%
|
|
Declarations of
Interest, including
transactions to
31.08.19
|
None
|
|
Liz Warren
Current term:
16.10.18 – 15.10.22
Start date: 15.10.18
Resigned: 29.1.20
|
Elected Staff
Governor
(teacher)
|
Special Educational Needs
|
33.3%
|
|
Declarations of
Interest, including
transactions to
31.08.19
|
TKAT employee
|
|
Vacancy
|
Appointed
|
|
|
|
Vacancy
|
Appointed
|
|
|
|
Vacancy
|
Elected Parent
Governor
|
|
|
2 | P a g e
2.2. LGB Leavers
|
Name
|
Type
|
Responsibility
|
Attendance % 2019-20
|
|
Liz Warren
Current term:
16.10.18 – 15.10.22
Resigned: 29.1.20
|
Elected Staff Governor
(teacher)
|
Special Educational Needs
|
33.3% (1 of 3)
|
Details of the current LGB membership can be found here:
http://www.seal-tkat.org/77/governors
3. What we are expected to do – our ‘Core Functions’
The Local Governing Committee is expected to do three things. These are our ‘Core Functions’: o To ensure that there is clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
o To hold the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils;
o To oversee the financial performance of the school and make sure its money is well spent.
To make sure we do these three things well, we also set ourselves the following added task: o To ensure the Governing body is run in an efficient and effective way.
4. Our Mission
Seal Primary Academy fully embraces TKAT’s vision for the trust which is:
‘Inspiring Learners, Changing Lives.’
At Seal we articulate this TKAT vision as follows:
Our aim at Seal is very simple: to provide the community with a high-quality primary school that doesn’t settle for second best. We endeavour for our children to leave school with high-quality skills and an unwavering belief and confidence in their ability. In order to do this, all the work we embark on at Seal follows our school motto: ‘Aspire, Believe and Achieve’.
5. How we were organised
5.1. Official Positions
The Local Governing Body (LGB) has the following official positions:
o Chair of Local Governing Body (Chair)
o Vice Chair of Local Governing Committee (Vice Chair)
o Headteacher (ex officio)
o Clerk to the Governing Body (the Clerk)
o The Chair and Vice Chair of Governors are elected annually by members of the LGB. o The Clerk to the Governing Body is appointed by the LGB.
o Headteacher is appointed in accordance with TKAT’s Scheme of Delegation.
3 | P a g e
5.2. Sub-Committees
There is one standing committee which has delegated responsibilities laid out in their terms of reference:
o Pay Committee - Focus: application of the Pay Policy including review of performance related pay recommendations.
5.3. Other Responsibilities
Members of the LGB had responsibility for supporting and monitoring the following areas of school activity:
o Child Protection & Safeguarding
o Finance & Resources, including financial reporting of Pupil Premium
o Health & Safety
o SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities)
o Pupil Progress Achievement, including impact of Pupil Premium and monitoring of the More Able and other groups.
5.4. Meeting Schedule
To enable the LGB to meet its responsibilities the following schedule of meetings was in place for 2019-20:
|
|
First Half
|
Second Half
|
|
Autumn
Term
|
o LGB Meeting (Autumn 1) o Pay Committee
|
o LGB Meeting (Autumn 2) –
|
|
Spring
Term
|
o LGB Meeting (Spring 1)
|
o LGB Meeting (Spring 2)
|
|
Summer
Term
|
LGB Meeting (Summer 1)
|
o LGB Meeting (Summer 2)
|
5.4.1 Responding to the Covid-19 Lockdown
The timetable of planned governors’ meeting was changed in response to the Covid-19 national lockdown and Government guidance to schools relating to the epidemic. The governors have not been able to hold face-to-face meetings since 16th of March 2020.
The actual organisation of LGB meetings for 2019-20 was:
17th September 2019 - LGB face-to-face meeting held at the school
26th November 2019 - LGB face-to-face meeting held at the school
21stJanuary 2020 - LGB face-to-face meeting held at the school
10th March 2020 - Meeting cancelled following Government guidance on face-to-face meetings
4th May 2020 - Virtual meeting held using email to communicate between senior school staff and governors
14thJuly 2020 - Virtual meeting held using Google Meets, video conferencing facility.
In response to the Covid-19 epidemic, the LGB largely suspended its standing agendas for the meetings from March 2020. The virtual meetings that were held focused on: How the school was supporting the learning of key worker children and vulnerable children
How the school was supporting the home learning of those children who did not attend school, including the provision of learning and pastoral care
4 | P a g e
The impact of the suspension of normal schooling on pupils’ academic progress and on their welfare, personal and social development
How the school was maintaining contact with parents and carers
What actions the school was taking to ensure the physical and psychological welfare of all of its pupils and staff
How the school was supporting staff who were having to work from home Support for changes to policies such as Safeguarding and Behaviour to take account of the Covid-19 epidemic
How the school was preparing for the return of all pupils from September 2020.
6. Our main concerns
During the 2019-20 school year, the main concerns of the Seal LGB were:
o Supporting the school to manage the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic on pupils’ academic achievement and on their personal and social well-being.
o Supporting the school leadership to ensure the school maintained a rigorous approach to Covid-19 by making sure that the school site was safe and secure and supported the physical and psychological safety and welfare of all site users, including pupils, staff, parents and visitors.
o Supporting the school’s progress from Ofsted ‘Good’ to Ofsted ‘Outstanding’, with a particular focus on raising pupil attainment
o Supporting the school leadership to manage a very challenging financial situation in order to deliver a sustainable budget over the next three to five years
o Ensuring that the school has in place a leadership structure to ensure the school’s development from Ofsted ‘Good’ to Ofsted ’Outstanding’
o To improve communications between the LGB and the wider community o To establish a stable, experienced governor team that fully represented the local community in order to support the school’s continued development.
7. What we have done
7.1. Formal Meetings – LGB Attendance
During the 2019-20 school year there were five meetings of the LGB. Attendance was as follows:
|
Governor
|
Attendance in 2019-20
|
|
LGB Meetings
|
|
Number
|
% while in post
|
|
Geoff Conway
|
5 out of 5
|
100%
|
|
Andrew Jenkins
|
5 out of 5
|
100%
|
|
Pamela Baker
|
1 out of 1
|
100%
|
|
Shaun Lee-Hobson
|
2 out of 4
|
50%
|
|
Judy Sharpe
|
5 out of 5
|
100%
|
|
Neil Sherlock
|
3 out of 5
|
60%
|
|
Melanie Strachan
|
5 out of 5
|
100%
|
|
Simon Walsh
|
4 out of 5
|
80%
|
|
Liz Warren
|
1 out of 3
|
33.3%
|
7.2 Formal Meetings – Pay Committee Attendance
During the 2019-20 school year there was one meeting of the Pay Committee. Attendance was as follows:
5 | P a g e
|
Governor
|
Attendance in 2019-20
|
|
Pay Committee Meeting
|
|
Number
|
% while in post
|
|
Melanie Strachan
|
1
|
100%
|
|
Andrew Jenkins
|
1
|
100%
|
|
Judy Sharpe
|
1
|
100%
|
|
Simon Walsh
|
1
|
100%
|
7.3 Other Meetings
During the 2019-20 school year, members of the LGB attended meetings involving or concerning o School budget and finances
o TKAT Regional Directors
o Headteacher performance management
o Senior staff appointments
7.4 Visits
During the 2019-20 school year, members of the LGB made visits to observe and discuss the following:
o School budget and finances
o Child Protection and Safeguarding
o Staffing
o Health and safety
7.5 Governors Mornings
During the 2019-20 school year, the LGB, in conjunction with the Senior Leadership Team, had in place plans to continue termly ‘Governor Mornings’.
The purpose of these ‘Governor Mornings’ is to provide an excellent opportunity for governors to get to see the school at work and discuss key issues in greater depth, with senior staff.
The goal is for the ‘Governor Mornings’ to include:
o A tour of the school to observe teaching and learning
o Meetings with groups of pupils to discuss their views about the school
o Meetings with members of the SLT to discuss their areas of responsibility, to review key school policies and to discuss key areas of school improvement.
o Meetings with key staff to discuss their areas of responsibility
Due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic the governing body was only able to hold one Governors’ Morning during the 2019-20 school year.
The sessions held on the Autumn Term Governors Day were as follows:
Autumn Term
Year 6 Strategy - discussion on the strategies being used by the school to raise pupil achievement in Year 6
Numeracy in KS1 and KS2 - Observation of the teaching of numeracy from Reception to Year 6
Year 2 Wild Beach Curriculum - Observation of the Wild Beach Curriculum in action Junior Leadership Team(JLT) - Meeting with members of the JLT to gain an understanding of their activities and concerns.
6 | P a g e
7.6 Training
During the 2019-20 school year members of the LGB completed the following formal training: o Safeguarding and Child Protection
o Introduction to Effective Governance
o Health and Safety Briefing
o Cyber-Security Awareness
o GDPR Essentials
8. Our accountability statement:
o What we were asked to do and when we did it (in brackets)
o the impact we have had
o what we would like to improve
With respect to our four ‘Core Functions’, the Seal Local Governing Body has carried out the following actions over the 2019-20 school year.
The ability of the LGB to carry out its responsibilities has been severely curtailed during the 2019-20 school year. Since March 2020 there has been a strong focus on supporting the school to manage the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic.
|
Core Function 1: To ensure that there is clarity of
vision, ethos and strategic direction
|
|
Area of Activity
|
What we are asked to do and when we did it (in brackets)
|
The impact we have had
|
|
1.1
Vision and
Improvement
Planning
|
o Evaluate what was achieved last year: overview of public examination/national test results (17-9-19)
o Review the aims/vision statement (26-11- 19)
o Review the School Improvement Plan (SIP) (26-11-19)
o Agree key priorities for the year (26-11-19) o Approve the SIP (26-11-19)
o Review progress of the SIP
o Review the school’s Self Evaluation Form (26-11-19)
o Review curriculum plan for following year o Start reviewing the SIP for the next academic year
|
o We have made sure that the school has a clear vision and strategic direction for the next 3-5 years.
o We have confirmed that the school has in place an appropriately focused and
detailed improvement plan for its
development over the next 2-3 years. o We have strongly supported the priority given to improving pupil performance in national tests.
|
|
1.2
Monitoring and Evaluation
|
o Receive and review Governor’s monitoring reports (Every meeting)
|
o We continue to develop a more systematicand structured programme to monitor the school. This isus to develop strong
relationships between the LGB and school staff, so that governors are able to make informed decisions and ensure that staff are both supported and held accountable for their actions.
|
7 | P a g e
|
Core Function 2: To hold the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils
|
|
Area of Activity
|
What we are asked to do and when we did it (in brackets)
|
The impact we have had
|
|
2.1
Staff
Performance
Review
|
o Appoint governors to contribute to the headteacher’s performance review (17-9- 19)
o Contribute to headteacher performance and pay review (October 2019)
o Ensure every teacher has an appraisal and salary review (26-11-19)
o Approve teaching staff performance reviews (26-11-19)
o Review appraisal policy
o Check teacher performance management process is on track (26-11-19)
|
o We have made sure that the TKAT policies for staff performance
management and pay have been
implemented appropriately and
successfully.
|
|
2.2
Target Setting,
Monitoring and Evaluation
including impact of Covid-19
epidemic
|
o Receive annual report on attendance /absence, pupil exclusion, racist incidents etc. (17-9-19)
o Agree school performance targets including attendance (17-9-19)
o Review performance data, including results and TKAT, Ofsted and FFT
dashboards (Several meetings)
o Receive report on safeguarding (Several meetings)
o Review:
o i. Admissions and destinations of
school leavers (17-7#9-19)
o ii. Attendance of pupils (Several
meetings) and staff
o iii. Pupil exclusions for the year
(Several meetings)
o iv. Child protection policy and
procedure (Several meetings)
|
o We have strongly supported the priority given to improving pupil performance in national tests.
o We have continually monitored the data on pupil progress and achievement and held detailed discussions with senior leaders on actions to raise standards.
o We have monitored the school data on pupil behaviour to help make sure that the school maintains its positive, learning ethos, characterised by high standards of pupil behaviour.
o We have helped to make sure that the school has robust systems and
procedures for child protection and
safeguarding.
o As there were no end of key-stage national assessments for KS1 and KS2 the
governors have not been able to assess pupil progress and achievement for 2019- 20.
|
|
2.3
Report to
Parents/Carers
|
o Report to parents on the policy for children with SEN (not special schools – advisory for academies)
|
o n/a
|
|
Core Function 3: To oversee the financial performance of the school and make sure its money is well spent.
|
|
Area of Activity
|
What we are asked to do and when we did it (in brackets)
|
The impact we have had
|
|
3.1
Finance Policies and Budget
Setting
|
o Review Academy draft year end accounts (26-11-19)
o Receive financial benchmarking report o Review charging and letting policies o Approve and publish School Pay policy (based on TKAT template) (17-9-19)
o Review staff structure
o Review insurance
o Approve draft 3-year budget (21-1-20) o Approve the final 3-year budget (21-1- 20)
|
o We have worked very closely with senior leaders, other senior staff and staff from TKAT to make sure that the school
finances are managed efficiently and effectively and in accord with TKAT
policies.
o We have worked very closely with senior leaders, other senior staff and staff from TKAT to make sure that the school
finances meet with the TKAT policies on budget contingencies and protect the
|
8 | P a g e
|
Core Function 3: To oversee the financial performance of the school and make sure its money is well spent.
|
|
Area of Activity
|
What we are asked to do and when we did it (in brackets)
|
The impact we have had
|
|
|
o Complete and return budget template and Best Value statement
o Review capital requirements for the following year
o Audit school fund
|
school’s financial security into the
foreseeable future.
o We have worked closely with senior members of staff to ensure that there is an appropriate staffing structure in place to deliver a high-quality curriculum.
o The budget for the school has been particularly challenging due to a fall in school-age pupils in Selsey. The LGB has worked closely with the Senior
Leadership Team to create a budget
plans to systematically address these issues and create a balanced budget.
|
|
3.2
Budget
Monitoring
|
o Receive budget monitoring reports (Several meetings)
o Receive Pupil Premium/Sports funding (primary only) and Catch-up funding
(Secondary only) reports (Several
meetings)
o Approve income and expenditure returns (Several meetings)
o Approve internal audit reports and sign the summary of recommendations (26- 11-19)
o Approve purchasing decisions for goods or services from external providers
where appropriate (n/a)
o Consider proposals for writing off bad debts
o Receive asset management plan and school capacity review
|
o We have worked closely with senior leaders and other senior staff to try and make sure that the school finances are managed efficiently and effectively and in accord with TKAT policies.
o We have reviewed the use of Pupil Premium funding to make sure that it has the highest impact on the achievements of those pupil entitled to be supported by it.
|
|
3.3
Safeguarding
|
o Review Single Central Record and Safer Recruitment practices.(21-1-20)
|
o Through visits and reviews at LGB meetings, we have helped to ensure that the school has robust systems and
procedures for child protection and
safeguarding.
|
|
3.4
Health and
Safety including response to the Covid-19
epidemic
|
o Monitor and receive reports on Health and Safety (Several meetings)
o Review risk register
|
o We have worked closely with senior staff in the school to carry out Health and Safety monitoring visits and reviews at LGB meetings, which have contributed to the school having an outstanding record with respect to health and safety.
o Governors and senior staff maintained a continual dialogue about the Covid-19 epidemic and its impact on the school
throughout 2020. We have paid particular attention to ensuring the health and safety and welfare of all site users. We believe that the extensive actions taken by the school have minimised the impact of the epidemic on pupils’ academic progress and welfare. We believe that the detailed and extensive actions taken by the school have ensured that a safe and secure
environment has been created for all
|
9 | P a g e
|
Core Function 3: To oversee the financial performance of the school and make sure its money is well spent.
|
|
Area of Activity
|
What we are asked to do and when we did it (in brackets)
|
The impact we have had
|
|
|
|
pupils and staff to attend when the school reopened for normal schooling in
September.
|
|
3.5
Admissions
|
o Review and consult (if necessary) and publish admissions arrangements for autumn of the next year (26-11-19)
o Review new admissions numbers (26-11- 19)
o Publish admissions policy for following year (following review of any feedback arising from consultation as necessary) (26-11-19)
o Publish admissions appeals timetable (26-11-19)
|
o The school continues to face challenges from the potential drop in pupil roll over the next few years. The LGB has
reviewed the school’s admissions
numbers and their impact on the
curriculum, staffing and school finances, now and into the future. To secure
financial stability and sustainability, we have modelled the school’s future
finances on a conservative judgment of pupil numbers.
|
|
Core Function 4: To ensure the Governing body is organisationally efficient and effective.
|
|
Area of Activity
|
What we are asked to do and when we did it (in brackets)
|
The impact we have had
|
|
4.1
Governance
Structure and
Appointments
|
o Elect chair and vice chair (committee chairs can be elected at the LGB meeting or at individual committees) (17-9-19)
o Appoint clerk (review arrangements for clerking)(17-9-19)
o Review committee structure (including terms of reference) and membership (17- 9-19)
o Appoint clerks to committees or agree to delegate this to each committee(17-9-19) o Review roles and responsibilities of individual governors (17-9-19)
o Review composition of the LGB for coming academic year and publish details of governance arrangements on the
website (17-9-19)
|
o We have striven to make sure that Seal has an appropriately constituted, well organised and well-run governing body that has been able to successfully carry out all its responsibilities.
|
|
4.2
Governor
Compliance
|
o Update register of pecuniary interests (must be published on the school website (Every meeting)
o Review GB Code of Conduct(17-9-19) o Review the Scheme of Delegation o Receive Academy website compliance report (17-6-19)
|
o We made sure that the Seal LGB meets statutory requirements and is compliant with TKAT policies relating to governance.
|
|
4.3
Governor
Training
|
o Plan the induction of new governors (n/a) o Review and plan to meet governors’ training needs (17-9-19)
|
o We have further developed the
knowledge and expertise of governing body members, so we are better able to carry out our responsibilities as
governors.
|
|
4.4
Governance
Operation
|
o Agree calendar of meetings against school calendar events (unless done in summer term) (17-09-19)
o Agree programme of governors’ visits (17-09-19)
o Ensure schedule in place to review all relevant policies through the year
o Agree minutes from meetings and committees (Every meeting)
|
o We have made sure that the Seal LGB is a well-organised and well-run
representative body that is able to meet its statutory and other responsibilities. o We have made sure that all TKAT and school policies have been appropriately reviewed and scrutinised before
implementation.
o We have helped to ensure that all school
|
10 | P a g e
|
Core Function 4: To ensure the Governing body is organisationally efficient and effective.
|
|
Area of Activity
|
What we are asked to do and when we did it (in brackets)
|
The impact we have had
|
|
|
o Review Governor Impact Statement to conduct self-review of the LGB
effectiveness and monitor LGB
performance
o Complete annual Governor Impact action planning linked to SDP/SIP
o Approve residential, overseas or
hazardous trips (Every meeting)
o Review impact of Equality Objectives and update equality information
o Clerk’s Performance Management (n/a) o Approve term dates (if applicable) and INSET/non-pupil days (n/a)
o Prepare and publish an annual Governor Impact Statement, taking account of the outcomes of the self-review and
including:
o i. The governance arrangements that are in place, including the remit of any committees;
o ii. The attendance record of individual governors at LGB and committee
meetings;
o iii. An assessment of the effectiveness and impact of the LGB and any
committees with details of any
particular challenges that have arisen; (31-10-19)
|
residential visits meet statutory, local authority and TKAT guidance.
o We have systematically reviewed our activities, produced a report to outline what we have done and identified a
number of areas where we believe we could improve.
|
8.1 Areas for Development
The Local Governing Body has reviewed its actions for the 2019-20 school year and we believe we can enhance our actions and their impact in the following areas:
Continue to support the school as it manages the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic. Improve communication between governors, staff, parent/carers and the wider community.
Recruit additional governors to ensure that we have a Local Governing Body that is fully representative of the local community.
9. How can I find out more about the Seal Local Governing Body? There is more information about the LGB on the school website at:
http://www.seal-tkat.org/77/governors
10. How can I contact the Seal Local Governing Body?
You can contact members of the Seal Academy Local Governing Body as follows:
By phone: Phone the school Reception on 01243 602746 and leave a message. Your message will be forwarded to Geoff Conway, the Chair of Governors.
By e-mail: Send your e-mail to: office@seal-tkat.org
11 | P a g e
Your e-mail will be forwarded to Geoff Conway, the Chair of Governors.
By post: Send correspondence, for the attention of the ‘Chair of Governors’, to the school address at:
Seal Primary Academy
East Street,
Selsey,
West Sussex,
PO20 0BN
12 | P a g e