Governors Dates of Meeting 2023-2024

Pecuniary Interests

A list of all Governor and senior staff pecuniary interest can be found on our Trust website using the link below:

https://www.owlsacademytrust.co.uk/information/register-of-pecuniary-interest-and-business-interest

 

Governors Attendance 2022-2023

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Information 

 

Governors

Governors are volunteers who commit to working alongside the senior leadership team of the college to offer support and challenge. They come with skills and experiences which complement those of the staff in college and bring additional perspectives. They have a strategic, big picture role.

Lubbesthorpe Primary School has academy status, and is a member of the OWLS Academies Trust. Governors form a Local Governing Body within the Trust organisation, with some delegated responsibilities to complement the top level responsibilities held by the OWLS Trust Executive Board. For more information on The OWLS Academies Trust, visit www.owlsacademytrust.co.uk 

 

All school have Governing Bodies. The governors are responsible for the policies and running of the school, with its day to day organisation and administration being delegated to the Head Teacher. There are opportunities for governors to undertake training to support their responsibilities in their role.

The Governing Body works in three main areas:

  • Strategic Planning - Working with the staff,  the Governing Body engages in long term planning that ensures the school maintains its ethos and promotes actions that assist its long term successful development.
  • Acting as a 'Critical Friend' - The Governing Body monitors and evaluates the work of the school and asks challenging questions if it has any concerns. It also celebrates the school's successes and supports the children and staff in the school.
  • Monitoring and Evaluation - Being accountable for ensuring good quality education in the school the Governing Body notes improvements identified through the staff's substantial monitoring and evaluation work and feeds this information into its strategic planning.

Individual governors do not have any power but the Body acts collectively once decisions are made. Governors are elected from different parts of the community and share a common interest in the education and development of children in their school. They are not paid for their work but give up their time because they want to support the children and the school.  Click here for the Governor job description. 

New Lubbesthorpe Primary School’s Register of Pecuniary Interests - See Trust website.

  

Who are school Governors?

The governors are drawn from different parts of the school community which ensures that a sufficient diversity of views and experience is represented:

– Parent governors are selected by election and are drawn from parents and carers of pupils at the school.

– Staff governors are selected by election from teaching and support staff paid to work at the school.

– Co-opted governors are appointed by the governing body to represent community interests.

 

What do the school Governors do?

Governors have a range of duties and powers and a general responsibility for the conduct of the school with a view to promoting high standards of educational achievement. This includes setting targets for pupils achievement, managing the school’s finances, making sure the curriculum is balanced and broadly based, the learning environment is safe, appointing staff and reviewing staff performance and pay and many more. There are three sub-committees of the governing body which facilitate its work and they are:

CURRICULUM COMMITTEE MONITORING AND EVALUATION

The Data, Curriculum Committee comprises ensures that a wide range of experience and viewpoints are taken into consideration when we meet to discuss the following aspects that impact on teaching and learning and the opportunities that are available to pupils. The committee has responsibility for:

Achievement:

– Monitoring & reviewing information on School Performance to include Raise Online & Data Dashboard.

– Monitoring & reviewing school targets

– Monitoring and reviewing in year progress for all year groups and all groups of pupils

– Comparing school performance against national data

– Reporting to parents according to statutory requirements

– Monitoring achievement for all groups of pupils (inc. pupil premium)

– Monitoring pupils work and carry out pupil conversations

– Monitoring school target setting systems and how this is reported to parents.

Teaching & Learning:

– Reviewing Raise Online / Data Dashboard, ensuring the school is meeting standards

– Ensuring targeted support and action plans are in place for all teachers who are not at least good

– Monitoring and reviewing quality of teaching across the school.

– Monitoring teaching for groups of pupils (inc. pupil premium)

– Monitoring intervention groups for all groups of pupils

– Monitoring homework arrangements

Curriculum:

– Ensuring the school is meeting National Curriculum requirements and to review the Curriculum Policy Statement ensuring it meets pupils needs

– Monitoring and reviewing the curriculum with a focus on basic skills – Monitoring skills coverage of curriculum in all subjects

– Parental engagement

– Reviewing & updating SEF (Self Evaluation Form)

– Monitoring & reviewing School Improvement Plan

– Monitoring how school are developing pupils spiritual, cultural, social and moral awareness.

Behaviour & Attendance:

– Review Behaviour Policy and monitor school behaviour. Review and Monitor attendance data against school and national targets

 

Terms of Reference

 

  1. To review all curriculum policies, schemes of work and to receive subject reports on a rolling programme.
  2. To monitor school standards, draft school targets and receive reports based on the data in the school Raise online document and other assessments.
  3. To monitor pupil achievement, progress, attainment and performance quality throughout the school
  4. To receive reports from the Head teacher and staff on the balance, quality and content of the curriculum provision.
  5. To receive reports from the Head teacher and staff on the organisation of classes and deployment of staff, attitudes and the quality of teaching and learning.
  6. To monitor Inclusion, Special Educational Needs and provision for gifted and talented pupils, disability, race issues and exclusions. To advise the Governing Body on curriculum issues, sex and relationships education provision, Religious Education (RE). And Collective Worship
  7. To be involved with the school cycle for Self-evaluation, inspection and School Development Planning.
  8.  

Finance / Staffing /Extended Schools Committee 

The Finance provides guidance to the governing body and Headteacher on all matters relating to finance as outlined in the School’s Financial Regulations & Standing Orders. These will include:

Finance

  1. Drafting proposals for the Governing Body on how the school’s delegated budget should be spent, in accordance with their SDP and the statutory curriculum requirements laid down by government
  2. Monitoring the annual budget and ensuring the budget is managed effectively.
  3. Ensuring the school meets all its statutory obligations, and through the head teacher complies with its financial regulations.
  4. Decide whether to delegate their powers to spend the delegated budget to the executive / head teacher if so, they should establish the financial limits of delegated authority.
  5. Be consulted by the DFE on significant changes to the ESFA’s fair funding.
  6. The best means can be determined for giving governors the financial information they need for decision-making purposes.
  7. Establishing formal procedures and a timetable for budget planning – following academy finance  timeline.
  8. Ensuring that only a balanced sound budget is approved.
  9. Ensuring that financial records are maintained that can provide auditors and inspectors with explanations they consider necessary.
  10. Responding promptly to recommendations made by auditors or inspectors.
  11. Ensuring that the school obtains best value for money when purchasing goods and services.
  12. Establishing a charging policy for the supply of goods and services (lettings).
  13. Establishing and maintaining a register of business interests of governors and staff who influence financial decisions. This should be open to examination by governors, staff, parents and the DFE/EFA.
  14. Ensuring that financial duties of staff are clearly described to avoid potential conflicts.
  15. Ensuring in conjunction with the Strategic Director,  Executive / Head teacher that:
  • salary payments are only made to school employees
  • salary payments made in accordance with appropriate conditions of employment
  • salary payments only made for services provided to the school
  • appropriate deductions are made (Tax and NI)
  • payroll changes are accurately recorded and promptly processed
  • deciding, after careful consideration, whether or not to insure risks not covered by the DFE
  • Authorising the disposal or write off of stock, procedures for taking school equipment off site and its return (Lap tops etc.)
  • Following ESFA DFE Academies financial handbook

 

General

  1. To make minutes of all meetings available to governors.
  2. The Finance/Staffing/Extended schools Committee will consist of a minimum of a minimum of 4 members and will usually meet once every term before the full Governor’s meeting where possible. A majority of Governors to school managers is required to constitute a meeting. A quorate of (50%) voting members is required.
  3. Extent of delegation – The committee has delegated power to act in all matters as set out above, subject to the School Scheme of Financial Delegation.
  4. Review – The committee membership and terms of reference will be reviewed at the first meeting of the Governing Body held during the autumn term.
  5. Training - to see that all Governors and members of staff involved with finance are offered training as appropriate and this is record as appropriate.
  6. To ensure that all documents and routines are in place so that the school can achieve the FMGS.

Staffing

Main Functions

  1. Receive reports and monitor all staffing issues - determine the staff complement and a pay policy for the school (in accordance with School Teachers Pay and Conditions and advice from the Local Authority and DFE / ESFA).
  2. Ensure that all essential duties are carried out and all requisite controls are exercised without unnecessary duplication of effort by staff and governors, respectively – monitoring work/life balance.
  3. In turn, ensure that staff fully understand their roles and responsibilities, especially in respect of financial management, agree with the record of them in their job descriptions, and can be held accountable for how they carry them out.
  4. Review and recommend the school staffing structure to the governing body.
  5. Review on a regular basis all staffing policies, taking advice from the Local Authority, ESFA after their local consultation with unions and associations.
  6. Review Performance Management policy and codes of practice in the school - establish a written performance management policy to govern staff appraisal, after making sure that all staff have been consulted.
  7. Be responsible for the Performance Management of the Strategic Director, Executive / Head teacher.
  8. Receive reports on Pupils numbers and staff projections – financial implications for budget.
  9. Receive the Executive / Head teacher’s staffing review.
  10. Manage all Staff Appointments – meetings as necessary in line with policy and delegations.
  11.  

Safe Guarding / Health and Safety Committee

Main functions

  1. To assist the Governing Body in matters relating to premises, materials, equipment, health and safety and safe guarding issues for all those at the school and employed at the school.
  2. To monitor all Risk Assessments and oversee the site, buildings and facilities for development and maintenance, monitor the asset register and security.
  3. Premises:
  • To take reasonable steps to ensure that the school’s premises (including grounds), materials and equipment are not a risk to health or safety.
  • To review and monitor a health & safety, Attendance and Behaviour routines and policy for the schools.
  • To contribute to and monitor and evaluate the school’s Asset Management Plan (AMP). BCP Business Continuity Plan.
  • To ensure that risk assessments are carried out, as required according to safeguarding legislation.
  • To ensure that the school complies with all appropriate health and safety legislation.
  • To ensure that the school complies with fire regulations and that evacuation procedures are in place and operating effectively.
  • To ensure that appropriate first-aid arrangements are in place.
  • To ensure that appropriate procedures are in place for the day-to-day repair and maintenance of the premises and to authorise expenditure (revenue and capital) within budgets set by the governing body.
  • To receive reports from the Executive / Head teacher and / or staff on LAC/child protection and safeguarding.
  • To consider the state of the premises and consider recommendations repairs/renovations/improvements.
  • To ensure value for money in relation to premises related contracts and services. To implement the principles of ‘Best Value’.
  • To ensure that security measures are effective and recommend improvements where necessary.
  • To consider the detailed design, costs and implementation of major works to the school and/or its grounds, including refurbishment and rebuilding, and to make recommendations to the governing body (The Governing Body may appoint a Working Party, with a clear, timed remit, from this committee for specific projects).
  • To monitor attendance, racist, hate and behaviour incidents across the schools.

 

Scheme of Delegation

The Trust operates under a Scheme of Delegation agreed by the Trust Board.

See Scheme of delegation and Governance Structures, below: https://www.owlsacademytrust.co.uk/information/scheme-of-delegation

See Governing Body Profiles below:

 Annual Financial statements and Benefits over 100K

https://www.owlsacademytrust.co.uk/information/annual-financial-statements

Memorandum and Articles of Association

https://www.owlsacademytrust.co.uk/information/memorandum-and-articles-of-association

 

Funding Agreement

https://www.owlsacademytrust.co.uk/information/funding-agreement

 

Trustees and Members 

https://www.owlsacademytrust.co.uk/owls-trust/governance-and-conversion

 

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https://newlubbesthorpe2019.skanbridge.co.uk/