South Hams Federation Annual Governance Statement
September 2019
Kingsbridge Community Primary School
Loddiswell Primary School
Malborough with South Huish C of E Primary School
Modbury County Primary School
Stokenham Area Primary School
and
Loddiswell Pre-School
In accordance with the Government’s requirement for all governing bodies, the core strategic functions of the South Hams Federation Board of Governors are:
Establishing the strategic direction, by:
Ensuring accountability, by:
Ensuring financial probity, by:
Instrument of Government -
The South Hams Federation Board of Governors comprises:
1 Executive Headteacher
2 Parent Governors
1 Staff Governor
1 Local Authority Governor
5 Co-Opted Governors
2 Foundation Governors who are appointed by either the Diocesan Board of Education or the Parochial Church Council of Malborough. One of the Foundation Governor’s is Ex-Officio.
Total 12
The Full Board of Governors meets five times a year.
Governors hold School Improvement Plan Meetings at least once a term to challenge and hold senior leaders to account and report back to the Full Board of Governors .
The two Standing Committees meet as required.
The Ethos Group meets once a term.
The Executive Committee (comprising Chair, Executive Headteacher, Deputy Executive Headteacher, Business Manager and Clerk) meets monthly or more frequently as required.
All Board meetings are held in school time, allowing Governors the opportunity to meet the children and staff, undertake Monitoring Visits, monitor pupils progress, through book scrutinies and see all five schools operating on a day- to-day basis. The Governors are also welcome to enjoy lunch with the children.
Board of Governors – September 2019
Executive Headteacher Sue Jezard
Chair of Governors/Foundation Jane Greaves
Parent Governors Ed Barker
Parent Governor Vacancy
Co - Opted Governor Vacancy
Co - Opted Governor Anne Rossiter
Co - Opted Governor Tina Graham
Co - Opted Governor Nick Saunders
Co - Opted Governor Vacancy
LA Governor Kirsty Richards
Staff Governor Lucinda Kirkham
Ex-Officio Foundation Governor Vacancy
Clerk Tracey Kidd
Business Manager Penny Amos
Deputy Executive Headteacher Tess Coulthard
Attendance Record of Governors
Governors have excellent attendance at meetings and all meetings are quorate.
Attendance records for individual governors are published on the Federation and Schools’ websites.
Each year Governors are required to complete a Skills Audit to identify the skills, knowledge and experience to identify any additional skills or experience that the Board ideally requires. The outcome of the audit helps formulate opinion as to whether prospective Governors have the skills to contribute to effective governance and the success of the Federation.
The Board has an Improvement Plan and undertakes a Self-Evaluation review.
The Work achieved by the Board of Governors in the Academic Year 2018 - 2019
The Board of Governors has had another busy year:
A number of building works and improvements were carried out at all five schools:
Stokenham
New Forest School Canopy
New fencing around the swimming pool, KS2 Play Area and Foundation Stage Canopy
A new swimming pool cover and roller
Tarmac resurfacing around the side of school to Merry Go Round Pre School
Replacement carpets for Years 5 and 6
New metal urinal in KS2 Boys Toilets
New Whiteboards in Foundation Stage, Years 1, 2 and 3
Malborough with South Huish
Improvements to the Wifi for the new classroom
New whiteboards in Class 1 and Class 2
Replacement windows for the upstairs offices
Replacement carpet in Class 4
Redecorated Class 4, the dining area and cloakroom
Loddiswell
Developed a Forest School off site with access from the school grounds
Modbury
DCC Flood defense works
Repairs to the boiler room
Repairs to all the windows across school with new windows for the pool pump room
New steps to the garden area
New fencing to the back of school and front playground
Painted all the entrance doors and outside railings
Replacement carpets for Class 1 and 2
New whiteboards in Foundation Stage, Years 1, 2 and 3
20 new ipads and cases
Kingsbridge
Demolished old classroom huts and extended the playground area
Started work on a repairs to the roof on the Annex Building
New fencing by Year 1 and the top car park and playgrounds
Repairs to tarmacking around school
Repairs to cracked walls around school
Re landscape Parents’ waiting area
Redecorate Year 2 Cloakroom Area
Repaired the hall windows
Replacement carpet for two Year 2 Classrooms
Loddiswell Preschool
Overhaul of all the health & safety checks including fire detection, TMVs, fire extinguishers and play equipment checks
Church Links: Malborough with South Huish C of E Primary
‘The roots to grow, the wings to fly. All within the love of God’
The Foundation Governors have a particular responsibility towards Malborough with South Huish C of E Primary School to “preserve and develop its religious character in accordance with the ethos of the Church of England and in partnership with the church at parish and diocesan level” as well as to “encourage an understanding of the meaning and significance of faith, and promote Christian values through the experience it offers to all its pupils”. The Ethos Group has worked with the Church and Diocese to implement Christian values throughout the curriculum of the school and the community of Malborough and its surrounding area. The school has weekly assemblies, daily collective worship and once a month the whole school visits the church for their monthly church service, with the children actively taking part and Holy Communion lessons for the Year 6 children in the summer term. Once a week the church organist comes to school to teach the children singing through hymns. The whole school celebrates important dates in the yearly calendar. The school prayer is said before lunch every day. The children are actively working with the church community. The school was awarded In January 2016 the Gold RE Mark. SIAMS Inspection (November 2016) the school was judged Good. The school has a new Vision and Ethos Statement, which is on the Website. The school also has it’s own Self-Evaluation Form – Vision Provision Impact and has updated the new RE syllabus inline with a C of E School. The school is also preparing for the new SIAMS Inspection Framework.
Future Plans for the Governors
The Board of Governors looks forward to the challenges the Autumn Term 2019 will bring. We continue to improve and maintain teaching standards across all five schools, so as to ensure that outcomes for all pupils remain high in all subjects. We are focusing on the wider curriculum and across all foundation subjects ensuring these are given the same priority as Mathematics and English. We will continue to ensure that all children within the South Hams Federation receive a broad, balanced and cohesive curriculum entitlement; that encourages all of our children to become independent, resilient, resourceful learners for life. We acknowledge that as Stokenham is currently rated ‘Outstanding’ (October 2012) and that the school may well have an inspection this academic year. The Governors will continue to monitor and build on the Federation’s strengths and weaknesses as outlined in the School Improvement Plan (SIP 2019 – 2020). The Ethos Group along with the Board of Governors will work on the areas to improve after the last SIAMS Inspection (November 2016) The Governors will continue to develop their skills and update their knowledge, attend governor training courses (internal and external) and through visits to each of the schools, conduct Monitoring Visits, book scrutinise, meeting with the children, sampling the school lunches, ensuring best value and maintaining a balanced budget, alongside being strategic, to challenge and support the Executive Head Teacher, the Senior Leadership Team and the Federation Business Manager. We shall continue to work with the South Devon Primary Partnership and to seek new opportunities to improve and secure the future for our schools.
How You Can Contact the Board of Governors
We always welcome feedback, suggestions and ideas from parents: Please contact the Chair of Governors, Mrs. Jane Greaves, via Loddiswell School.