Western Area - New Forest Local Office Governors' Forum
Notes of meeting
Date Tuesday 25th May 2004
Time 7.30 pm
Venue Lyndhurst Park Hotel
Present |
See attached list
Robin Thomas Phil Hand Jayne Calvert List of delegates attached |
Acting Assistant County Education Officer, Local Governor Services Co-ordinator Minute taker, Governor Services |
|---|---|---|
|
Apologies |
Martina Humber - Ringwood Tony Jarrett -Testwood Bill Durston |
Mary Short -Forest Edge Lesley Sonfield -Holbury Inf |
Action
1 Commencement of Meeting
John Seymour welcomed governors to the meeting and introduced Robin Thomas, Acting County Education Officer
2 The Children's Act - Robin Thomas
Robin had prepared a presentation on Children's Act and the Behaviour Support Strategy with details of the implications for Hampshire County Council together with the proposed strategy for implementation. Copy of the presentation is attached.
Robin Thomas outlined his main concerns surrounding Behaviour Support. This is an area which Hampshire is not doing well in and are anxious to improve. Primary schools now have linked Behaviour Support Teams and support is improving. There is still a long way to go with Secondary Schools.
There are also issues around the provision of full time education for permanently excluded children (since Sept 2002). Difficulties centre around the numbers of children involved, only 83% are being dealt with. Hampshire has 283 permanent exclusions, which is high. Provision is planned for 192, but by Dec 03 there were 53 more children more than the previous year. Other LEAs have substantially lower numbers than this and Hampshire are working with them to look at their methods of tackling the problems.
3 Minutes of last meeting
Agreed
4 Matters Arising
Apology from Governor Services regarding the Healthy Schools speaker proposed at the last meeting. This will be followed up for the Autumn.
Jayne Calvert- Governor Services
5 What's new for Governance -Phil Hand Governor Services
Phil had prepared PowerPoint presentation on current issues. Copy of slides attached.
Summary:
Workforce Reform - Governors need to be aware that this is strategic issue - not about the 24 tasks but about the way a school is staffed for the future.
Ofsted - Unsatisfactory Governance found in 12-14%- governance is being measured against more rigorous investigation. Statutory duties issues around PE, Geography, D &T.
School Profiles - Consultative process happening now- replacing Annual Report. It is likely that it will be requirement to have report available electronically.
Ofsted - new leader David Bell is making significant changes from Sept 05. Hampshire is affected now as we are part of pilot for new shorter inspections.
6 Open Forum
Healthy Schools - There was debate amongst governors regarding the food quality and breadth of provision in schools. - Speaker to be asked to Autumn meeting
Hyde Primary -raised issues regarding the time and location of SAP Training and the impact this was having on the smaller school
Fawley Infant School - school closures issues and County's handling of process.
7. Reports from Representatives-
John Seymour advised that Roger Mead encouraging schools to have 3 year financial plans- schools with deficit budget already have to provide these.
Service level agreements coming to an end.
8. Agenda Items for future meetings
Healthy Schools Speaker -John Seymour, Cathy Cook, Wendy Spittal
Ofsted and Delivery of whole Curriculum- linked with issues for capital funding -John Seymour
9. Next Meeting Tuesday 19th October 7.30 -9.30 pm
Lyndhurst Park Hotel
Meeting closed at 9.35 pm