THE WESTBOROUGH SCHOOL
Meeting:
Resources Committee
Date:
Tuesday 9th February 2016
Time:
6:00 p.m.
The Meetings Room, The Westborough School
Please use the Gainsborough Drive entrance.
Penny Down
Jenny Davies, Michael Hosking, Alec Jose, Gordon Ladd, Marion Roberts-Smith,
Christian Short,
Staff: Tonya Brook, Katy Doucy, Nigel Milner
Place:
Clerk:
Present:
MINUTES
1. Welcome and Apologies for Absence
The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. Apologies for absence were received and accepted
from Mario Rogers.
2. Minutes of the last Resources Committee
The minutes of the meeting of the Resources Committee held on the 17th November 2015 were
confirmed and signed as a true record.
3. Updates
To receive reports/updates on the following items:
a) Visit of Mr Rob Briscoe of the Regional Schools Commissioner team. Governors were advised
that Mr Briscoe’s visit was a positive experience and that he liked the school. After a tour of
classrooms and meeting with the Senior Leadership Team he met with governors in order to
confirm that they are aware of what is happening in classrooms, quality of teaching and levels
of attainment. Three points were made at the meeting.
 Mr Briscoe would like to see the school give more attention to detail, eg a format for laying
out a page that goes throughout the school.
 Handwriting, especially in speed tests could be improved.
 Standardisation of teaching across the year band should be addressed.
A suggestion put forward at the meeting was the formation of a Standards Committee.
Governors discussed this and the possibility of it meeting monthly initially and it could be a day
time meeting, possibly Thursdays.
Action Point: The Clerk will research Terms of Reference for the Standards Committee and forward
them to the Chair and Headteacher.
b) Intervention Cabins and Outdoor Classroom. The SBM advised that the cabins are now installed
and fully operational and that they are operating effectively as intervention spaces. He
reported that they have been well received.
c) The bid for redesigning the kitchen – The SBM advised that a further bid has been submitted to
the government focussing on the profile of the school population and the need to provide Halal
menus, as well as the known Health and Safety issues in the current small kitchen space.
Receipt of the bid has been confirmed and the outcome will be announced in March.
d) ICT support and upgrade of the school’s broadband facility. The SBM has established an ICT
workshop open to members of staff which has focussed on the infrastructure and what would
be desired in an ideal world. The SBM has spoken to SBC who are not able to provide any
guidelines. A meeting has taken place with BT who also provide broadband facilities to schools.
A demonstration will be set up to show what is available. The SBM emphasised that it is
important to have a system that will allow the school to use the devices it has available and
that it must improve teaching and learning opportunities.
Action Point: The SBM will update governors further at the next meeting.
e) School’s Asset Register – AHT KD advised that the school’s RO will be visiting on 1st March and
will look at the Asset Register system on FMS and advise whether or not it is robust enough.
f) 4 Year Plan – The SBM advised that the proposed staff restructure will have an impact on the 4
year plan. This together with reducing school numbers will necessitate the plan being
recalculated.
Action Point: This item will be carried forward to the next meeting.
g) The Trust’s delegated limit – The SBM is clarifying the delegated purchasing limits.
Action Point: The Clerk will check back on historic policies for any useful information, e.g. FMSiS.
h) To note the application of the Pupil Premium and Sports Premium 2014-15 – Governors
received details of the Sports Premium Funding showing how funding was allocated. (On file.)
The SBM advised that MR-S has been into school to see how the Pupil Premium and Sports
Premium have been allocated. The SBM confirmed that the information has now been
published on the school website. MR-S gave governors a brief outline of her findings. Her full
report of the visit is attached.
AHT TB advised governors that the school has recently won a Gold Award for KS1 PE and a
Silver Medal for Handball.
4. Personnel
a) To receive and discuss the staff restructuring proposal (School Development Plan)
The Headteacher spoke to governors about the progress of the succession
planning/restructuring plan received at the Full Governing Body meeting in January. Governors
received a copy of the plan (on file) and the HT outlined the three main Objectives listed on the
plan. This includes the reduction of classes in the school as agreed 8 years ago. She went on to
explain that current job descriptions needed updating to recognise the work now being carried
out by teaching assistants, some of whom have been with the school for many years. The
school is working with Southend HR to ensure that job descriptions and contracts comply with
current employment law and that responsibility and accountability are recognised.
Action Point: New job descriptions will be brought to governors when they have been assessed
by Southend HR to ensure they are in line with Single Status and Union advice. This may
necessitate an additional meeting before Easter.
Governors also received details of an outstanding school in Liverpool (on file) that has
remodelled its staff structure in a way that ensures accountability.
The Headteacher confirmed that there will be training for staff to enable them to work with the
new job descriptions.
b) To receive a progress report on the current Appraisal/CPD cycle – AHT TB advised that this is in
the “Peer Observation” phase. Teachers are observing each other and feeding back.
c) To receive the staff absence report - AHT KD provided governors with the Staff Absence
Monitoring report. (On file) The Chair noted that the SLT handle staff absence problems well
and with sensitivity.
d) The HT confirmed that the school’s Safer Recruitment procedures are in place. Governor MR
has been into school and checked procedures are being followed.
5. Finance
a) To receive and discuss the latest Management Accounts for January. Governors have received
the January Management Accounts in the new format. The Chair suggested a meeting with the
SBM to discuss the new format to ensure that governors are able to fully understand the
accounts and extract relevant information.
Governors suggested a simplified breakdown of figures alongside the set of accounts produced
directly from the system software.
Action Point: The Chair will contact the SBM to arrange a meeting to discuss this.
b) To review the application of the Non Public Fund following the recent audit of this account. The
SBM advised that he received the audited accounts yesterday.
Action Point: This item will be carried forward to the next meeting so that the SBM will have
opportunity to read the auditors comments and prepare a report for governors.
c) To note/discuss the RO’s comments in his Autumn Term report and the date of the Spring Term
visit.
Governors previously received the RO’s Autumn Report and the SBM confirmed that the points
raised have been acknowledged and recommendations implemented. The SBM advised that
the RO’s next visit will be on March 1st 2016 when he will focus on income and the Asset
Register.
d) To note any areas of curriculum activity which are prejudiced by budgetary constraints
The SLT reported that no curriculum areas are being prejudiced by budgetary constraints at
present.
e) To note any in-year developments or changes which have budgetary implications – This was
discussed in item 4, Succession Planning and Staff restructuring.
6. Admissions
a) To receive information about the current number on role.
AHT KD advised that the current number on role is 633. Governors received the class by class
and year by year breakdown figures. (On file)
b) To receive information about the current level of transience. Governors received the Transience
Figures prepared by AHT KD. (On file)
c) To receive a report on the effect reducing the number to admit has had and what this may be in the
future. Governors discussed this point under Item 4A – Staff Restructuring.
7. Premises
a) Health & Safety
Governors noted that the updated Health & Safety Policy has been published on the website.
b) Governors received a general maintenance report, (On file.) Governors noted that the
Biomass Boiler and flue were serviced and that other general maintenance tasks have been
carried out.
8. The school website
The Clerk advised that the school website has been audited and the points raised will be addressed in
the next week or two.
Governors agreed that contact with them should be through the school and this information will be
added to the “Our Governors” page.
9. Holiday Dates
To receive proposed new holiday dates for 2017.
The HT explained to governors that the Easter Holiday (two Weeks) in 2017 falls immediately before
SATS. She proposed that the school should close for Easter for just one week and that an additional
week should be added to the June Half Term Holiday. Governors discussed this proposal and noted
that it would enable the children to be better prepared for SATs and would also allow families to
consider taking a holiday in June, taking advantage of cheaper offers.
Governors agreed the new holiday dates –
Easter: Monday 10th April, up to and including Monday 17 April 2017.
Half Term: Monday 29th May – return to school on Monday 12th June, 2017.
10. Any Other Business
The Headteacher advised that Gerri Bennett has donated a painting to the school by a student
supported by KOFUP, Erick.
11. Future Meetings
The Clerk will liaise with the HT and Chair of Governors to set dates for future meetings.
COPIES of these minutes to: All governors, KD, TB and NM.