Clerks Briefing – January 2015 Welcome Leadership Update Example agenda items term 3/4 National Perspective of Governance 2014/15 Clerks Ofsted Checklist Information –Dates –Consultation – September 2015 – REMINDER –New clerks training –LSCB Safeguarding Check List – return

Leadership Update leadershipupdate.rbwm.org.uk Leadership and Management Quality of Teaching Behaviour and Safety Achievement Ofsted Safeguarding New - Clerks resources - best practice Schools Bulletin

Example Agenda Term APOLOGIES To receive apologies. 2. NOTIFICATION OF ANY OTHER BUSINESS To note any late item of business, not on the agenda, which any governor wishes to raise and to decide whether the urgency of the matter is such as to warrant consideration at this meeting. 3. DECLARATION OF BUSINESS INTERESTS/CONFLICT OF INTEREST To give governors the opportunity to declare any new business interest or potential conflict of interest arising from the agenda for the meeting. 5. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING To confirm the minutes of the previous meeting. 6. MATTERS ARISING To consider any matters arising from the previous meeting not covered elsewhere in the agenda. 7. REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES To receive the minutes of the following meetings of the Standing Committees:

Example Agenda Term 3-4 /Continued HEADTEACHER’S REPORT To receive the report from the Headteacher.- to include: exclusions for the year attendance Review school improvement plan progress SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT PLAN/SEF To receive a report on the School Development Plan and the Self Evaluation summary. Any current priorities should be reviewed CHAIR’S ACTION To report any urgent action taken by the Chair (Vice Chair) in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph 8 of The School Governance (Roles, Procedures and Allowances)(England) Regulations OTHER CONSIDERATIONS Review of governing body’s performance/procedures Review governors’ visits Review careers advice – secondary Schedule the headteachers Performance Appraisal DATES/TIMES OF FUTURE MEETINGS To note the dates/times of future meetings of Committees and the Governing Body ANY OTHER URGENT BUSINESS (Items to be raised under ’Any Other Urgent Business’ must be notified to the Chair and/or Clerk to the Governors in advance of the meeting)

Also For Consideration Spring Term Key tasks Agree curriculum plans for 2014/15 Review school improvement plan progress Review equal opportunities policy Statutory tasks Review pay policy Agree budget and staffing structure Agree school prospectus Review special educational needs policy The 5 minute GB Agenda Plan

National Perspective of Governance All maintained schools are constituted under the recently amended 2012 Constitution Regulations by 1 September (DfE Road Map) NCTL – Support in 2014 from the DfE and NCTL Chairs National Development Programme Clerks National Development Programme Data Training Performance Appraisal Training Efficiency Training (7.3 Gov Handbook)

National Perspective of Governance Lord Nash – Ofsted ‘And we can’t shy away from these shortcomings, given the evidence from Ofsted that, in too many cases, governing bodies are still failing to hold headteachers to account for school performance’. Which means focusing governance far more on skills – on what people have to offer and not who they are – to be properly equipped to deliver on the three core functions with the greatest impact: the vision and ethos of the school holding the headteacher to account for student progress and staff performance ensuring money is well spent. Governors must have the relevant skills. Is it all about the skills what other facts should we consider?

National Perspective of Governance Lord Nash: Governance in 2015 is about ‘ ensuring that when people stand for re-election they state their prospectus, what they’ve done to help the school over the previous few years and what they would plan to do in the future. ensuring that chairs of governing bodies are tough enough to drive effective decisions and to weed out weak governors. insisting that those governors with the right potential go for appropriate training when needed. reaching out to local employers though your wider relationships and promoting the considerable career development benefits that governance offers when they support their staff to volunteer. building local partnerships that promote governance.

National Perspective of Governance Lord Nash – The future It also makes sense to encourage our best governors to govern groups of schools, either in federations of maintained schools or in multi- academy trusts. This more strategic approach to governance allows us to compare and contrast across schools – strengthening accountability for the benefit of all concerned and building the experience of governors. Our future: To join governance in RBWM and Slough further than just training – What could this look like?

National Perspective of Governance Lord Nash: Transparency Transparency is one of the biggest safeguards against failings going uncovered and unchecked. Hence our expectation that both maintained and academy schools should publish the names and responsibilities of every governor on their website and produce an annual statement about their governance arrangements and evidence of the impact that governors are making. And our insistence that whistleblowing arrangements should be transparent and accessible, with every effort made to ensure that school staff, parents and others know how to raise concerns.

Current National Topics The coming year: priorities for practice Reconstitution, recruitment practice & succession planning Monitoring HR processes, HTPM, PRP & staff CPD Clerking Matters: pay, appraisal, CPD & confidentiality Governing groups of schools – New ways Impact of pupil premium – Pupil Premium Reviews Encouraging local associations of governors – Have we made a start Safety of pupils: the GB role – New framework Relationships with headteachers & CPD for leaders Staying strategic & not becoming operational Plus convincing Ofsted that governance is strategic, and not just about compliance & monitoring – How can we do this?

Governance Reviews – Rights and Wrongs When Ofsted recommend an external review of governance schools must commission a good one, not one from a cosy ineffective relationship, and follow its conclusions. Ofsted will come down hard on schools that don’t do this. Important: Quality assure your National Leader of Governance or other Education Support Ofsted will be checking that the report identifies and has action on how to support weaknesses Other evidence sort in the external review process: Governor training and how the GB recruiting and deploying experienced governors. How GB monitor progress over time Links with performance appraisal and progress Impact of pupil premium Best value Safeguarding Process – Desktop of process NCTL are reviewing the Internal Framework for Reviews in early 2015

Ofsted Ready – Clerks Guidance

Information  Do you need to constituted under the recently amended 2012 Constitution Regulations? by 1 September Is there a need for a new clerks induction this term? Please ensure that your school/Academy has return the LSCB Safeguarding Check List/ - AGENDA ITEM

Dates – Recognising & Dealing with Child Sexual Exploitation 9th February 2015 Time: pm - No charge The session is aimed at head teachers, schools’ designated person for safeguarding and lead Governors for safeguarding from all schools. Venue: Moor Hall, Cookham Safer Recruitment 9th June Part 1 & 16th June Part 2 Time: 7.00 pm pm – Charge £60 Schools, private & voluntary childcare settings, management & governing bodies Venue: Jubilee Suite, Dedworth Middle School 4 th March – Modern Governor 11 th March – Exclusion