GLOUCESTERSHIRE GOVERNORS' ASSOCIATION

JULY 2009 NEWSLETTER

Gloucestershire Governors Association Newsletter
Issue 25 July 2009

There are TWO new initiatives from the DCSF which are important for all governors. You will be hearing more about them over the coming year(s).

The White Paper ‘YOUR CHILD, YOUR SCHOOLS, OUR FUTURE: building a 21st century schools system’ has been published http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/21stcenturyschoolssystem

In an accompanying letter to governors, Ed Balls, the Secretary of State, firstly thanks us for our ‘dedication and hard work’. That must be a good start! He outlines his proposals which include pupil and parent guarantees to:
-expect Local Authorities to make better use of local authority-appointed governors in securing improvement in schools:
- require governing bodies to consider formal partnership arrangements in specified situations e.g. before appointing a new Head;
- improve Governor training and support
- ensure School Improvement Partners provide information and advice to the governing body about the school’s performance;
- increase Governors’ powers to challenge performance and promote new developments and partnerships that will improve the achievement and wellbeing of children and young people;
- enshrine in law governing bodies’ fundamental duties to children, young people and the wider community.

A SCHOOLS REPORT CARD: PROSPECTUS (click under ‘Hot Topics’ on the DCSF Home Page http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/ )
The Card will report on ‘outcomes across the breadth of school performance: pupil attainment, progress, and wellbeing; a school’s success in reducing the impact of disadvantage; and parents’ and pupils’ views of the school and the support they are receiving’. It will be introduced from 2011 and will replace the School Profile.

End of Term
Another academic year is ending and so much has happened in our schools. Some of you will have had an Ofsted inspection, others may have gained an Arts Mark or Healthy Schools and so on. You’ll all be able to reflect on some good things you have helped to achieve for your children this year. Well done! The hard work and co-operation between governors, staff, pupils, parents and the community underpins everything we do. Enjoy the break. It goes so quickly.

GGA June Meeting
Our last meeting of the year welcomed Mick Waters, until recently Director of Curriculum at the QCA talking about ‘Whose Curriculum is it anyway?’ His presentation was informative, very entertaining and yet at the same time thought provoking and provided useful references for governors who wished to follow up further any of the issues raised.

One governor commented afterwards, “I could have listened to him for hours”. While some of you may have missed an excellent evening, you can catch up with his slides on the GGA website.

AGM
The AGM took about the last 10 minutes of the evening following Mick Waters (so if the thought of an AGM put you off attending the recent meeting, remember for next year how short it is!).

Gillian Hayward and Jacqui Phillips, those stalwarts of the GGA over the past few years, had decided to retire to concentrate on other things. GGA is indebted to them for all they have achieved in taking us forward. Their enthusiasm, common sense, insight and expertise will be greatly missed. The Executive Committee has a new look although we are happy that Sue remains as our efficient Treasurer. GGA Officers are as follows:

Ian Marshall, Chair
Pat Palmer, Vice-Chair
Sue Padfield, Treasurer

Des Harding was re-elected as a Member of the Executive Committee and there are two new members (in addition to several who are only part way through their Term of Office):

Michael Fesemeyer ( Northway Infant)
Bernadette Hughes (Picklenash Junior School)

You will find a full list and contact details on our website which is under review.

A year is a long time! Last year the prospect of clawback was causing a stir in many of our schools and newspapers. Happily, the revised system and a greater awareness of losing some valuable resource has resulted in no Gloucestershire school being recommended for clawback for the financial year 2008-09. Phew!

Ofsted – new inspection arrangements September 2009
A set of recent meetings around the County gave governors the chance to learn about the new Ofsted inspections and to hear feedback from the 2008-09 Pilot Inspections.
Following on from these there will be continuing information next year as the topic is so important to us all. The first GGA meeting after the summer will cover this area with particular reference to what it means for governors and what they need to do in advance and when being inspected. More details in the next newsletter (Ofsted details http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Forms-and-guidance/Browse-all-by/Other/General/Framework-for-the-inspection-of-maintained-schools-in-England-from-September-2009

Self Evaluation Form (SEF)
As part of the new Ofsted arrangements the SEF is being changed, particularly Part A. The changes are designed to ‘help schools provide a short, strongly evaluative summary of the quality of their work’.

The new form should be available from Ofsted on Monday, 13th July. However, schools are not expected to complete the new form ready for September (!). During the autumn term 2009, inspectors will use the most recently submitted version of your ‘old’ SEF as well as the new SEF. Inspectors will be steered by the school about the relevance of different sections in each of the SEFs.

Teachers rarely cover for absent colleagues
This is a statement of intent from the Workforce Agreement Monitoring Group. Governing Bodies will soon be accountable (could be removed from office) if the school is not implementing the workforce agreement which includes PPA time. However, also included is leadership time, work-life balance and from 1st September, teachers should ‘rarely cover’ for absent colleagues. It is not clear exactly what this means and will differ between schools. It is suggested that it will be inappropriate for Teaching Assistants to cover full day teacher absence in future and that education unions might challenge the practice.

Each school needs to review or develop a Policy for cover. Rarely Cover Process Implementation guidance from the LA is available
http://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/schoolsnet/
utilities/action/act_download.cfm?mediaid=31518

Human Influenza Pandemic
Information to schools about swine flu seems to
change with great frequency. Here are two links
to information, national
and local (Gloucestershire).

Useful sources of information and help

DCSF helpline on www.governorline.info or 08000 722181 and www.governornet.co.uk.
www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/schoolsnet or ring Gov. Services on 01452 425113 or email governor.services@gloucestershire.gov.uk.
National Governors Association site on www.nga.org.uk

This newsletter was produced by Ian Marshall on behalf of GGA. He can be contacted on 01452 831507 or email. All constructive comments welcome!