Governance Statement

1. Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction

2. Holding the head teacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils

3. Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent

Governance arrangements

The governing Body of Kingsway Primary School was reconstituted in

March 2021 and consists of:

·        Parent Governors

·        LA Governor

·        Staff Governors

·        Co-opted Governors

The governing body has a programme of meetings throughout the school year, and the agenda for each meeting focuses on specific areas of governance.

Full Governing Body Meetings

Autumn Term Time - Key Focus - P6 Report

Spring Term Time - Key Focus - P9 Report / SDP Update / Autumn Data

Summer Term Time - Key Focus - Final Budget / Annual report / Review of year data

To note:

Each meeting will cover:

* Procedural issues

* School Improvement (Lead Governor will prepare agenda)*

* Resources (Lead Governor will prepare agenda)*

* Other Business

Agendas will be designed and agreed in partnership with the Headteacher and Chair of Governors and Clerk.

The expectation is that the key focus will be the dominant area for discussion and decision-making.

Attendance record of governors

The clerk keeps a record on behalf of the governing body, of governors’ attendance at meetings.

Meetings need to be ‘quorate’ to ensure that decisions can be made.

The work we have done on our committees and in the governing body meetings.

Governor visits

The governors visit the school as part of their monitoring of the SDP and specific issues.

These visits are considered a valuable opportunity for governors to work closely with staff members. In addition, subject governors both monitor and review activities undertaken by subject/phase leaders who follow an agreed code of practice.

The development of a governor monitoring timetable has ensured that governors have an accurate picture about the performance of the school and can support and drive forward school improvement as well as evaluate both current school policies and practice.

Governors regularly attend school open evenings, assemblies, presentations and information evenings including sports and musical events in order to engage with parents and seek their feedback. They also instruct senior leaders to undertake a formal consultation with parents annually to gather their feedback regarding the effectiveness of the school. Furthermore, they actively seek opportunities for our children to be ambassadors for the school both within our community and further afield.

Data analysis

Governors have received training in ‘Monitoring and Evaluation’, ‘Safeguarding’ ‘Safer Recruitment’, ‘Pupil Premium’, ‘Understanding School Data’ and the ‘Ofsted Data Dashboard’, ‘Understanding Finance’ and the Role of the Finance Committee via the Local Authority.

Data is made available to governors through regular meetings with verbal and written presentations followed by question and answer sessions with the head teacher and members of the senior leadership team. In addition to this process, special interest governors meet with subject leaders termly to scrutinise data from all year groups in order to heighten their awareness of focus groups and vulnerable areas, whilst maintaining governor knowledge.

Further to the reports provided by the LA, the governors seek to gain external verification of data through independently commissioned OFSTED inspections and consultants in areas of specialism specific to our needs such as evaluating the use of Pupil Premium.

Policies

Governors review all relevant policies on a scheduled basis to ensure that all guidance is current, relevant and up to date. Specific attention is paid to ensure that the school complies with the Department of Education mandatory policy list.

Staff recruitment

The head teacher and a number of governors are trained in ‘Safer Recruitment’.

Governors are involved in the recruitment and selection of all teaching staff and use the appointment process to ensure that high quality staff, who share the schools’ vision statement and aims, are appointed.

Governors work hard to recruit quality teachers and leaders. They have considered a wide range of strategies to ensure that the right staff are appointed to drive forward the actions that are necessary to improve the school.

Financial management

The governing body has been trained in ‘School Finance management’.

The governors work with school staff to achieve 'The Schools Financial Value Standard and Assurance' (SFVS) on an annual basis.

The impact of the governors’ role in the school ensures that the budget is well managed and improvements are effective and continuous.

External audits confirm that finances are well managed.

Safeguarding

Governors take responsibility for ensuring that safeguarding arrangements meet current statutory requirements.

They evaluate and review the annual safeguarding audit.

Strategic Planning for the future

Governors work co-operatively with the head teacher and senior leaders in the writing and monitoring of the School Development Plan (SDP). The SDP details aims for the forthcoming year and is based on priorities identified from data, school self-evaluation and Ofsted priorities. The SDP lays out clear strategies and tasks, details who is responsible for carrying these out and the resources required. Monitoring procedures and tasks for the governing body are also included.

How to contact your governing body

The Chair of Governors can be contact via the Clerk to the Governors as follows:

by email to : [email protected]

by mail to: Kingsway Primary School, Ashville Road, Wallasey Ch44 9EF

The Kingsway Primary School Governing Body – membership

Governor

Parent Governors

LA Governor

Staff Governors

Co-opted Governors