North East Hants Governors' Forum
Date Tuesday September 21st 2004
Time 7:30pm
Location Robert May's School, Odiham
Present
Andrew Thomson
| Bentley Primary
|
Eleanor Robertson
| Bordon Junior
|
Mark Sanders
| Bramley Primary
|
Andrew Beardsley
| Crookham Infant
|
Ian May-Miller
| Fairfields Primary
|
Deborah Stephenson
| Fleet Infant
|
Samantha New
| Frogmore Infant
|
Janine Kilroy
| Greenfields Junior
|
Peter Neail
| Heatherside Infant
|
Robert Manning
| Heatherside Junior
|
Valerie Bush
| Liss Infant
|
Sue Brettell
| Marlborough Infant
|
Anne Hood
| Marnel Junior
|
John Fuller
| Mayhill Junior
|
Neil Burchell
| Medstead Primary
|
Gill Raper
| Oakridge Infant
|
Darren Dean B Harrington
| Park View Infant
|
Camilla Bailey
| Potley Hill Primary
|
Jacqueline Keen Elizabeth Anson
| Rowledge Primary
|
Terry Tillman
| Rucstall Primary
|
Rich Benton
| St Bede's Primary
|
Graham Dorey
| St Bernadette's Primary
|
Felicity Milne
| St Mark's Primary, Farnb
|
Lynne O'Neill
| St Patrick's Primary
|
Grace Poulter
| South Farnborough Junior
|
Trevor Prentice
| Westfields Infant
|
John Parker
| Westfields Junior
|
Mary Anne Barber Jennifer Knapp
| Wootey Junior
|
Jim Duckham
| Bohunt
|
David Wimpenny
| Calthorpe Park
|
Richard Sheldrake
| Costello Technology College
|
Kathy May-Miller
| Cranbourne
|
Robin Gray
| Oak Farm Community School
|
Nigel Wilson
| Limington House School
|
Steve Newman
| Samuel Cody
|
Also Present
| |
Mike Hiscock
| Governor Services Co- ordinator
|
Janice Fenner
| Administrative Officer, Governor Services
|
Apologies
Robert Saunders
| Anstey Junior
|
Frank Rust
| Newport Junior, The Connaught
|
Nancy Barker
| Froxfield Infant
|
David Sims
| Oakley Junior
|
Beverley Agass
| N Waltham Primary
|
John Divall
| St Peters, Yateley
|
Don McKeggie
Action | Wootey Infant
|
1 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND WELCOME
Apologies - as listed above. Robin Gray welcomed everyone to the meeting especially people attending for the first time. He introduced John Wilkinson who had come to the Forum to talk about `Every Child Matters'
2 John Wilkinson, Assistant County Education Officer (Lifelong Learning)
John gave governors a handout (attached).
He explained that he sits on the Educational Management Team and had just completed a major piece on corporate strategy for lifelong learning for the County Council (not just the Education Department). He said that the Green Paper gave basis to the Children Bill which will become the Children Act 2004. It was expected to receive Royal Assent some time in November. This all arose from the Victoria Clymbea case, the child who was cruelly treated and then murdered.
John explained that the Education Act 2002 required governing bodies to have arrangements in place to ensure that they exercise their functions with a view to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
It was intended to use Every Child Matters to try to reduce the number of permanent exclusions in Hampshire which were well above the national average. A child costs £12000 a year if permanently excluded, about £9000 more than the school budget allows per child. Early intervention has to be looked at to see how this matter could be helped. Children's Centres and Early Years Centres are being developed. Evidence from the United States' High/scope programme found that for every pound invested in a child in good quality early education £8 was saved by the time a child reached adulthood. Behavioural issues will be the focus. 7 large teams and about 21 small teams will be needed across the county. People will know where the workers are who can support the schools locally. There will be a major element for development over the next few years.
A pilot scheme was set up for out of school clubs for the 9 - 13 age group and the result was that there was a 70% reduction in juvenile crime and petty vandalism.
Hampshire has set up a Children's Services Board. Membership includes the Chief Executive, County Education Officer, Director of Social Services and County Treasurer. There will be three school representatives from primary, special and secondary sectors, two young people representatives, representatives from the Voluntary Organisations and Health. They will make the decisions that will affect the services. In the next ten years the Children Bill will have significant impact on schools.
The following questions were asked:
Q Valerie Bush, Liss Infant. Is your successor as committed as you?
A I do not have a successor but all colleagues are equally committed to this work..
Q Elizabeth Anson, Rowledge Primary. The NSPCC said they had data when a child moved but this didn't include Europe. Presumably Europe doesn't include us?
A We have to get the communication right in our own country first. We have a unique number for each school child. There has been controversy because of the human rights issue elsewhere. If we get it right in this country it is not a massive leap to get it right in the European Union. Information received about Victoria was not acted upon. The police are working in partnership with the rest of us to ensure that the same messages are passing through their organisations. GPs need to be included in this also. They have been reluctant at times to share information.
Q John Parker, Westfields Junior School. While being entirely supportive of all the aims and objectives I am a little disappointed that there is no reference to the able child.
A The Children Act has its focus particularly on the child in need. The response is to get the best for all children. Support for Able and Talented pupils would have come out more strongly in the Lifelong Learning and the County Strategy.
Q Deborah Stephens, Fleet Infant. Is there any money to follow this? We need more support in the classroom area.
A Resources are never sufficient. Are we using resources as effectively as we could and where we can, we will release resources to the front line services.
Robin Gray thanked John Wilkinson and wished him well in his forthcoming retirement.
3 Election of Chairman
It was agreed that Dame Elizabeth Anson, Rowledge Primary School, be elected chairman of the forum until the Autumn Term 2005.
Elizabeth took the chair from that point.
4 Election of Vice Chairmen
Elizabeth thanked Robin Gray for the work he has done as chairman over the past year. It was agreed that Robin Gray, Oak Farm, be elected vice-chairman of the forum until the Autumn Term 2005. No secondary governors were able to take on the role of incoming vice-chairman. It was agreed that Samantha New-Fielding, chairman of Frogmore Infant, be elected vice-chairmen of the forum until the Autumn Term 2005.
5 Minutes
The minutes of the meeting held on 18 May 2004 were confirmed and signed by the chairman.
6 Matters Arising from the Minutes
There were no matters arising.
7 Terms of Reference
No amendments were made to the Terms of Reference. They were agreed.
8 HGRG and County Forum
Jane Pratt is no longer a member of HGRG. It was agreed that ElizabethAnson, Robin Gray, Terry Tillman and Jim Duckham be elected as the four HGRG representatives for the forthcoming year.
Peter Neail, Heatherside Infant School and Jacquie Keen, Rowledge Primary, were elected as substitute representatives.
9 a) County Forum (notes from the County Forum held on 22 June 2004 had been circulated with the agenda)
Update on 6 term year. This would be introduced in 06/07.
SAP Following discussion it emerged that Robin Gray had discussed with Administrative Officers who had taken part in the first phase and they are now singing its praises. One of the problems had been the switch of data from FMS to SAP. SAP is raised at every meeting with County Officers.
Nutritional Values of Hampshire School Meals This was Item 3 on the notes and the LEA will report back in the Autumn. There is a consultation paper on the DfES website and a Nutritional Standards Policy on the Governor Services Website.
b) Items to be taken to HGRG Robin explained to governors the membership and purpose of HGRG. Four governors from each of the areas in the county meet primarily to look at issues raised by local forums and to look at issues that county wished to raise with governors. HGRG members then attend County Forum and talk about those issues. It is chaired by Cllr Don Allen, Executive Member for Education and Andrew Seber, County Education Officer, and other officers usually attend.
c) Schools Forum Brought into existence by the Education Act 2000. It is a statutory body. It has been in existence for two years. Membership consists of 5 secondary heads, five secondary governors and seven primary governors, 2 special school heads and two governors, 2 representatives from Early Years Centres, 2 from the Teachers Liaison Panel and 2 Diocesan representatives. It advises the LEA on all financial matters. HCC does tend to follow the line that Schools Forum puts forward. Annually the leader talks to the forum about priorities for the following year. HGRG will be discussing in November and then taking that to the Schools Forum.
The schools forum had met that morning. The minimum guaranteed for secondary and special schools is 4% for next year. Primary schools will get a bit more to reflect Workforce Remodelling.
Last year the transitional support grant was aimed at eliminating school deficits. It caused enormous ill feeling because the County used some of the money to fund things other than deficits. They would like to fund surpluses in that they would like to see every school in Hampshire having a surplus of 1%. They are looking at ways of trying to achieve this. Hampshire will have a budget reduction again next year therefore they are looking at ways to use the transitional grant to fund some of the things that we would have been able to do had we not been a `floor authority'. Officers return to the Schools Forum in December. They will have refined some of the options they put to the schools forum that day. It is in discussion with DfES to get their agreement on how to work this.
DfES are looking at the possibility of Schools Forum taking over some of the responsibilities of Secretary of State for issues of finance. Some issues that would have been referred to Whitehall would be referred to Schools Forum instead.
10 Fleet Local Office Issues
1. Mike Hiscock, Local Governor Services Co-ordinator, explained that he job shared with Hazel Round and they took it in turns to attend Governors' Forum. He thanked governors for booking their whole governing body training sessions early this year. Last Spring Term we ran about 50% of our training sessions in one term. This year 60% of requests for training sessions are already programmed. It gives Governor Services an opportunity to meet governing bodies' needs at the times and with the tutors they want.
2. Russell Wheeler had sent his apologies to governors because when he attended the forum earlier in the year he had said that the anti-virus software could be used by governors. Unfortunately this was incorrect. Anti-virus software cannot be used by governors at their home addresses because the licence does not permit it.
3. Potential change in the Ofsted framework. There is now a much shorter notification time - just two weeks. Hampshire has been participating in a selective pilot. 48 pilot inspections of schools were judged to be very effective / effective with the exception of 2. One was judged to require special measures and one was judged to be under-achieving. A further 40 inspections are being carried out this term. A number of schools have been through the short inspection in each area. At the moment it is only schools selected for the pilot who will have these inspections and they will now already. Ofsted will contact schools on Thursday for an inspection on Tuesday even if the headteacher or chair is away. The new framework could come in during April or September.
4. Mike mentioned the School Self-Evaluation Form. Headteachers have had access to this since about April. Ask headteachers if they have completed this form and lodged it with Ofsted.
11. Computer Technology
The governor who had raised this was not present so it was removed from the agenda.
12. Any Other Business
There were no items.
13. Future Agenda Items
Recognition to be given to the amount of value added between KS1 and KS2. When KS1 children come in with good results the system doesn't acknowledge the amount of value added between KS1 and KS2 (discussion) - John Clarke, Assistant County Education Officer to be invited to update and lead discussion.
14 Date of Next Meetings
Tuesday 01 February 2005 at Limington House School (Basingstoke) Please note change of date.
Tuesday 17 May 2005 at Wootey Infant School, Alton.
Both at 7.15 pm for 7.30 pm