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Governor Induction Handbook 1

Coston Primary School

Governor Induction Handbook

Committee with oversight for this policy – Resources

Policy to be signed off by the Full Governing Body

Policy last reviewed by the Resources Committee 17/11/2015

Policy last ratified and adopted by Full Governing Body 23/11/2015

Policy / Document due for review Nov 2018


Coston Primary School Governor Induction Pack

Contents

Introduction

Mission Statement

Welcome to the Governing Body

Senior Leadership Team

Instrument of Government

Governors Directory

Register of Business Interests

Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS)

Types of Governors

Link Governors

Committee Structure

Terms of Reference for Sub Committees

Governing Body Meetings

School Budget

Resources available

Training

School Visits

Policy Documents

School Website

School Prospectus

Appendix A: Glossary of terms


Introduction The role of the Governing Body is to provide support and guidance to the Head Teacher and Staff. The Governing Body has three main roles:- Strategic

The Headteacher and the leadership team set the strategy for the school in consultation with the Governing Body. This may be for example through planning the SDP (School Development Plan), budget planning or establishing policy which is approved by the Governing Body. It is important for Governors to be quite clear about the direction the school needs to take and how to achieve this.

Strategic thinking is not only linked with the curriculum and it does not just mean responding to weaknesses.

Supportive Friend The Governing Body must work closely with the Headteacher and develop a clear understanding of the challenges faced in managing the school. The Governing Body must feel able to question and challenge.

Accountability A school is a business and its stakeholders are the pupils. The Governing Body must have a professional attitude and use its collective skills to benefit the pupils. It must gather views ask questions and decide what is best for the school.

The governing body is answerable to parents and the wider community. The Governing Body is collectively responsible for setting the strategic direction of the School and for monitoring the Schools performance.

Mission Statement The schools mission “Coston Primary School aims to provide a happy secure environment

where all children can enjoy learning and achieve to their full potential”. Welcome to the Governing Body Welcome to the Governing Body of Coston Primary School. The School is well established in the Greenford Area. You would have been issued with a number of pieces of paper when you received your welcome letter, and these have hopefully all been completed and returned* to the Clerk to the Governing Body.

Instrument of Government

Governors Directory

Register of Business Interests*

A number of these are referenced later in this document.


Senior Leadership Team The Senior Leadership Team is led by Mrs Beverley Joseph, Interim Head Teacher. Beverley has two Deputy Head Teachers:

Kate Moyse

Katherine Flewitt

The School Business Manager is Gladis Bethlehem. The Chair of Governors is Mr Philip Young. The Vice Chair of Governors is Mrs Maggie Pound. Instrument of Government You will have received a copy of the Instrument of Government with your welcome letter, this Legal Document executed by the London Borough of Ealing on 1 January 2014 details key areas for the School including the name, the type of school and the makeup of the Governing Body (see later). Governors Directory You are encouraged to make contact with your fellow Governors who will always be on hand should you need some advice. You were provided with a Directory providing contact details etc for all Coston Primary School Governors with your welcome letter, and this will be updated periodically. Declaration of Pecuniary Interests It is necessary to complete and update annually (Autumn Term) a Declaration of Pecuniary Interests. You will have received this with your welcome letter, and the Clerk to the Governing Body will arrange for these forms to be updated at the first Full Governing Body meeting in the Autumn Term. Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check All Governors at Coston Primary School will be required to undertake a DBS Check when they take up their appointment as Governors. The school office will contact you to make the necessary arrangements. Types of Governors At Coston Primary School we have 12 Governors. These Governors fall into 5 Categories. Each Governor will serve for a 4 year term, and subject to still meeting the relevant criteria can stand for re-election.

2 Parent Governors, both of whom at the time of their election must be parents of

children in the school.

1 Local Authority Governor, Local Authority Governors are appointed by the Political

Parties and again serve for a 4 year period.

7 Co-opted Governors, These are appointed by the other members of the governing body, normally from members of the local Community where it is felt that someone can offer a specific skill.


1 Staff Governor

The Head Teacher

Link Governors Governors will from time to time be asked to take the lead on behalf of the Governing Body in certain key areas.

Committee Structure In addition to the Full Governing Body which all Governors sit on, we have two other Committees. You will be encouraged to join one of the committees, and it would be a good idea for you to attend meetings of both before deciding which committee you would like to join, unless you have specific skills which automatically lend themselves to one of the two committees.

Resources Committee is chaired by Prerna Patel. This committee is responsible for

overseeing the fabric of the building, agreeing the annual budget, reviewing any

Human Resources matters and for monitoring spend to date on a regular basis.

Teaching and Learning Committee is chaired by Jane Sagoo and is responsible for all

Curriculum related matters.

Terms of Reference for Sub Committees Each Sub Committee will have its own Terms of Reference (ToR) which are reviewed and agreed annually by the committees (Autumn Term) and approved by the Full Governing Body at the first meeting of the academic year. Copies are available from Alan O’Neill. Governing Body Meetings The Clerk to the Governing Body will publish the meeting dates for the next academic year during the summer term. All Governors are requested to try and ensure that they attend all Full Governing Body Meetings and the meetings of the Committee(s) that they are allocated to. Each Committee typically meets once a term, although there do tend to be additional meetings in the spring and summer terms to agree the budget for the next academic year. School Budget The School Financial Year runs from 1 April to 31 March. Each year around late February or early March the Local Authority allocate a budget to each school based on the number of pupils, special needs etc. It is then the responsibility of the school in consultation with the Governing Body to set a balanced budget ideally by using the funds provided by the LA, but occasionally by drawing on historic reserves. Final sign off for the budget rests with the Full Governing Body; this cannot be delegated to a Sub Committee. Resources available There are a number of resources available to you as a Governor, including:


Governance Handbook is available in PDF form and will be e-mailed to you by the

Clerk to the Governing Body. This is updated periodically, typically every 2 years. This

document is also available on line via the following link.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/48

0355/Governance_Handbook_-.pdf

Children’s Services Directors’ Report to Governors Is produced by the LA in the

Autumn and Summer terms and highlight both strategic and operational changes. It

will be sent to your home address directly by the LA. It is also available on line via the

following link.

https://www.egfl.org.uk/school-effectiveness/school-governance/directors-reports

Training Coston Primary School is committed to making available all necessary training for Teachers, Staff and Governors. You will initially be asked to complete a Governor Skills Profile, following which we will help you to book the necessary training courses. School Visits It is important that all Governors have a good understanding of the workings of the school and this can only be achieved by regular visits to the school perhaps to observe an assembly, have lunch with students a general walk around the school or to sit in on a lesson. It is important that following a visit the appropriate Governor Visit Proforma is completed and forwarded to the Clerk to the Governing Body for circulation to other Governors.

A copy of the Governor Visit Protocol is attached as Appendix B.

Policy Documents The School maintain a large number of policies covering topics such as Health and Safety, Equality, Child Protection, Financial Administration etc. These policies are reviewed regularly by the committees, and are then presented where appropriate to the Full Governing Body for adoption. The majority of policies are available on the school website and additionally the policy review schedule is available from the clerk. School website There is an excellent school website accessed via the following link. A Governors Section has recently been added recently to demonstrate to Parents, Potential Parents and prospective Governors the work of the Governing Body. http://www.coston.ealing.sch.uk/ School Prospectus A copy of the school prospectus can be obtained from the school office.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/480355/Governance_Handbook_-.pdf

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/480355/Governance_Handbook_-.pdf

https://www.egfl.org.uk/school-effectiveness/school-governance/directors-reports

http://www.coston.ealing.sch.uk/


Appendix A – Glossary of Terms

AHT Assistant Head Teacher

AWPU Age-Weighted Pupil Unit

CPD Continuing Professional Development DfE Department for Education

DHT Deputy Head Teacher EAL English as an Additional Language

EWO Education Welfare Officer FS Foundation Stage (Before statutory school age)

FS1 Nursery (3 / 4 year olds)

FS2 Reception (4 / 5 year olds) FSM Free School Meals

GB Governing Body GCSE General Certificate of Secondary Education

G&T Gifted and Talented

HIU Hearing Impaired Unit HMI Her Majesty’s Inspector

HT Head Teacher ICT Information and Communications Technology

IEP Individual Education Plan (for pupils with Special Educational Needs) INSET In-Service Education and Training

KS1 Key Stage 1 – Pupils in Years 1 and 2 (5-7 year olds)

KS2 Key Stage 2 – Pupils in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 (7-11 year olds) KS3 Key Stage 3 – Pupils in Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 (11-14 year olds)

KS4 Key Stage 4 – Pupils in Years 11 and 12 (14-16 year olds) LEA Local Education Authority

NQT Newly Qualified Teacher

OFSTED Office For Standards in Education PFI Private Finance Initiative

PPA Planning, Preparation and Assessment time PRU Pupil Referral Unit

SATs Standard Assessment Tasks SDP School Development Plan

SEN Special Educational Needs

SENCO Special Educational Needs Co-Coordinator SIMS Schools Information and Management System

SMSA School Meals Supervisory Assistant TA Teaching Assistant

TLR Teaching and Learning responsibility (enhanced pay)


Appendix B

Coston Primary School Governor School Visit Protocol

Introduction

The governing body has a duty to oversee the direction and policies of the school, to monitor its standards and be held to account for its conduct and performance. Visiting the school is the best way to learn how it functions, and to keep under review how it operates so that you can increase the governing body’s first hand knowledge, informing strategic decision making.

Visits should generally relate to the priorities determined by the School Development Plan (SDP). The governing body should plan visits to cover a wide range of school work and each visit should be agreed and have a clear purpose. Governors should arrange their visits with the Headteacher who has the responsibility of the day-to-day management of the school.

Potential benefits to governors:

To recognise and celebrate success

To support

To develop relationships with the staff

To get to know the children

To recognise different teaching styles

To understand the environment in which teachers teach

To be informed about your key area in order to feedback to the full GB

To monitor policies in action

To inform decision making

To find out what resources are needed and prioritise them

Potential benefits to teachers:

To ensure governors understand the reality of the classroom

To get to know governors

To understand better the governors’ roles and responsibilities

To have an opportunity to reflect on practice through discussion

To highlight the need for particular resources

What a visit is NOT about:

A form of inspection to make judgements about professional expertise of the teacher, to comment on their teaching or classroom management

Checking on progress of own children or that of any other

Pursuing personal agenda

Monopolising school/teacher time

Protocols or ground rules for visits

Governors should at all times observe protocol and be sensitive to the surroundings

Consider what should happen and what should not

Ensure that visits are no longer than 1 hour


How to feed back after the visit

Consider

Governors should feed back to the Headteacher in the first instance and then also to the member of staff, in writing. A written report for the governing body must be available for the next full meeting

Positive comments, Areas of concern, Questions and Suggestions should all be reported

Where possible, all governors should use the agreed proforma which is available from the Headteacher

Annual programme of visits

A programme of visits should be planned and spread evenly across the school year in consultation with the Headteacher and member of staff responsible for the area being monitored/visited

Ideally every area should be visited once a year in order to see and report back on developments

Preparing for a visit

Check the agreed policy for governors’ visits

Clarify the purpose of the visit. Is it linked to the School Development Plan? What are the relevant school policies? How does this determine the activities I am interested in?

Discuss an agenda with the Headteacher and or subject co coordinator, well in advance. Make sure that the date chosen is suitable. Try to keep to the date agreed. Teachers will have planned for your visit.

Use the proforma

Send the proposed agenda to the staff involved. Ask how they want governors to integrate into the learning walk? It might be possible for you to see a copy of any documents beforehand. Discuss with the co ordinator if any supporting information is available – Ofsted report, improvement plan, performance data.

Be clear beforehand exactly what you are looking for. Try to prepare questions and submit to staff in advance.

During the visit

Remember you are making the visit on behalf of the governing body. It is not appropriate to make judgements or promises on behalf of the governing body or the Headteacher.

Be punctual.

Keep to the agreed timetable but be flexible.

Decide with the teacher how you will be introduced and what your role in the classroom will be.

Get involved with the children

Ask to speak with children, discretely, in a lesson – some questions would be ‘what did you like about this lesson’, what helps you in your learning? Is there anything you dislike about this subject’, ‘what would make you like it more’?

Remember it is a visit not an inspection.

Observe discretely.

Don’t distract the teacher during the lesson from his/her work but be prepared to talk and show interest.

Be courteous, friendly not critical.


Interact, don’t interrupt.

Remember why you are there. Don’t lose sight of the purpose of your visit.

Listen to staff and pupils.

After

Discuss what you have observed with the teacher. Use the opportunity to clarify any issue you are unclear about. For example, did your presence have any impact on the atmosphere in the classroom? If so, how?

Refer to the purpose of the visit. Consider together whether it has been achieved.

Thank the teacher for supporting you in your role as a governor. Be open, honest, and positive.

Make notes as soon as possible after your observation while it is still fresh in your mind.

Submit your report to the Headteacher for approval

Reflect: How did that go? Has the visit enhanced relationships? Have I learned more about the school? Have I helped the governing body fulfil its duties?

Reporting your visit

Write a short summary ‘as a lay governor’ of what you learned during the visit and the overall impression that was made. This will be easier if the visit had a focus.

You must circulate a draft to the Head and any staff involved for them to check the accuracy and clarity. Be prepared to amend it. Aim to achieve a report that is agreed by those involved.

The clerk will circulate this at the next appropriate committee/governing body meeting.

Visit Focus

Although not an exhaustive list visits may focus on:-

Particular subjects, key stages or classes

The use made of the buildings or the site

The condition and maintenance of the premises

Special educational needs

Literacy and numeracy

The use of ICT equipment

The impact on the school of any changes e.g. reduced classes in a key stage

Relative numbers of questions and responses to the teacher from boys to girls

Informal Visits

Visits may also take place in an informal capacity. It is vital that everyone is clear about the capacity in which they are visiting and not to confuse the role.

The chair making a regular visit to see the Headteacher

To lend a helping hand with a school event

To get information from the office relating to a committee meeting

To help in a class

To speak to a teacher in relation to your own child

Attend a school function or educational visit


Appendix A Governor Monitoring

Governor monitoring can take several forms:

Pupil interviews

Meeting with subject leader

Snapshot of a lesson

Walk around the school

AIMS:

To know and understand the level of enjoyment pupils have for the subject

To understand what pupils like best/least in the subject

To know the standards achieved in the subject

To know what steps are being taken to improve the subject area

To report main findings back to the full Governing Body.

We would like to invite governors who are visiting subject leaders to participate in a Learning Walk. This should take up to 30 minutes.

During the Learning Walk you can expect the subject leader to speak with you about areas listed below. Please raise questions if you need clarification or more information. Ideally the Learning Walk should take place while the children are in class. Make use of the learning walk to understand what happens in school and lessons

Pupil Interviews: (suggested questions to ask a small group of children when walking around the classrooms)

These questions will help you gain an understanding of pupil attitudes toward the subject.

Tell me about what you are learning today.

Do you like (select curriculum area being monitored)

Tell me what you most like doing in (select curriculum area being monitored)

Is there anything you don’t like in (select curriculum area being monitored)? Subject Leader: (Key questions for discussion with subject leader)

What is your vision for the subject?

Do you have a set of minimum expectations?

What were the OFSTED findings about the subject? (This question is mainly for literacy, maths, science and ICT. Other subjects may have been the focus of a curriculum inspection.)

What are the strengths of the subject? How do you know?

How do you keep a track of standards and progress in the subject?

How do you use assessment to further children’s learning?

What improvements have you made/planned for this year in the subject? How will you evaluate the impact?

What resources does the school have for the subject and how are these organised?

Are there any additional resource needs? How do you help develop other teachers’ skills in teaching the subject?


Governor’s Visit Report Form Date: Name of Governor: Area of responsibility: Staff seen during visit: Focus of previous visits (if applicable): Reason for Visit (ie routine monitoring, specific focus): Preparation/background to visit (e.g. reading policy, discussion with Head, LEA focus etc): Information gathered during visit: Things I liked: Things I need clarified: Any identified area/s for governor training: Date for next visit: Any other information:


Appendix B Things to look for when visiting a classroom Relationship between staff and pupils Relationships between pupils Variety of teaching styles Availability and role of support staff Behaviour and attitude of pupils - are they attentive, motivated, listening, questioning, responding? Enjoyment and enthusiasm of both staff and pupils How the pupils are grouped How different abilities are catered for Children’s work Displays Ethos — the atmosphere and values that are evident (are high expectations, encouragement, praise, equality of opportunity apparent?) Use of space and working conditions Quality and quantity of equipment and resources


Appendix C Questions for governors to ask - (Primary English and Mathematics) The full governing body retains the responsibility for raising standards of literacy and numeracy. A nominated governor who takes a special interest in literacy or numeracy can help to ensure that these issues remain on the governing body’s agenda. The following questions will help you in your role as literacy/numeracy governor, as you find out about the teaching of English/Math’s across the school Use them as a guide in a meeting or on school visits — it is not intended you work systematically through the list. Achievements and attitudes What are the broad trends in the school’s achievement in English/Maths?

• Compared to similar schools?

• In relation to the national rates of increase?

• In relation to the national picture in terms of gender? Where have we improved? Do we know why? Are there differences between the achievement of different year groups, and if so, why? How do our results in English / Math’s compare with those in other subjects? What aspects of the subject do pupils find easy and which do they find hard? Are there significant differences in reading and writing between?

• Girls and boys

• Pupils with special educational needs

• Very able pupils

• Pupils with English as an additional language and the others

• The majority and any other minority groups, such as Pupil Premium pupils, travelers?

In meetings with the English/math’s coordinator can you tell how much progress pupils are making? For example, you could look at:

• Key Stage 1 and 2 test results

• The work of a range of pupils — average, below average and above average

• Other evidence e.g. Special Needs How are pupils with special educational needs integrated into the daily literacy/math’s lessons? How have Individual Education Plans (IEPs) been adapted to support children in their daily literacy / Maths lessons? Management of the subject How is the role of the English/Maths coordinator developing? Does the school improvement plan match the identified needs? How has the budget for this area been spent?


Is there a need for additional resources for any aspect of the work? How much additional adult support does each class have? (Literacy only) Does the school offer a range of reading books catering for all abilities, cultural backgrounds and tastes, especially boys? Are pupils using the library? What links does the school have with the local library? How does the school use all its resources (books, materials and displays, as well as electronic media) to promote reading and writing/numeracy? Communication How are parents kept informed of progress? What steps are being taken to encourage parents to support their children in reading and writing at home?