Annual Statement

Annual Governance Statement for the Governing Body 2021 - 2022:

The governing body of Drighlington Primary School acts in accordance with the three core functions of a governing body as set out by the Government. These are;

· Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction

· Holding the Headteacher to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils, and the effective and efficient performance management of staff

· Overseeing financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent

The governing body is currently made up of 9 members and we have 4 co-opted vacancies to fill. Membership details and a brief pen portrait of each governor can be found on our website.

Our governors are committed volunteers who bring a range of skills and experience to the role. We are passionate about providing support to the school so that they can ensure every pupil attending Drighlington Primary School achieves the best start in education; achieves their full potential, and is given the skills and encouragement to pursue learning opportunities.

The governing body works alongside a professional clerk who is responsible for arranging meetings, taking minutes and providing advice on procedural matters. Minutes of meetings are approved and are available for viewing upon request.

The full governing body meets 3 times per year. We also have the following committees/ sub groups

· Resources – focussing on finance and premises

· Children, Teaching and Learning – focussing on quality of teaching, the curriculum, attitudes and behaviour and personal development of our pupils.

· Headteacher performance management

The governing body and the committees all have clear terms of reference and all Governors are required to abide by a Code of Conduct.

School Improvement Priorities in 2021-2022

During 2021-2022 our school improvement priorities were;

· To ensure all staff have high ambitions for all children, delivering a broad and balanced curriculum that builds hoping long term memory with clear end points.

· To further develop positive attitudes so that children have the greatest possible opportunities to reach their potential.

· To continue to promote a wide range of opportunities through a rich and personalised curriculum so that all children develop skills, knowledge and cultural capital.

· To ensure that leadership and management work is highly effective because it is shared by different individuals and distributed across the school.

· To ensure children are safe, happy and healthy, have self belief and cultural capital, and provision is challenging for all children, so that the % GLD is increased.

Governors visited school during the year to monitor key priority areas identified in the School Improvement Plan. Governor monitoring visits allow governors the opportunity to observe and communicate with staff and pupils and ensure that actions agreed in the School Improvement Plan are being actively undertaken by the school. Governors met with SLT and key staff members to discuss pupil progress and actively monitor the impact of new initiatives on pupil outcomes. Key governors have responsibilities for monitoring and overseeing key roles, such as SEND, Pupil Premium and Child Protection, they meet with school staff responsible for these areas and report back to the full Governing Body. A list of key roles and responsibilities can be found on our website. Due to Covid some of our monitoring work has take place by email, phone call or over teams this year.

The governing body are acutely aware of the challenges that were faced over the past two years due to the impact of Covid-19 and missed educational opportunities. The governing body have been working with the school leaders to ensure the impact of this on children is minimised.

The governing body is focussed on continuous school improvement and utilisation of school budget to ensure that all children are given the best possible opportunity to meet their full potential. We constantly review the maintenance and development of the school premises, and make decisions about how the school should use its budget. We will continue to focus on “vulnerable groups” of children and how the Pupil Premium Grant is being spent by the school to promote and improve learning outcomes. The governing body monitor staff performance and assess the staffing needs of the school. They also ensure that legally required polices are in place to support staff management.

Safeguarding is of paramount importance. The governing body meets all statutory requirements in terms of training and policy approval. We have a safeguarding governor who acts as a link between the Designated Safeguarding Lead and the governing body.

The governing body were also responsible for the recruitment of a new Headteacher following the retirement of Sue Jackson in August 2022.

Governor Focus for 2022-2023

In September 2022 we welcomed our new Headteacher, Mrs Helen Addinall to the school and we look forward to working with her and further developing the school.

During 2022-2023 the governing body will:

· continue to work with all stakeholders and strive to develop and work towards the long-term strategy of the school

· continue to act as a critical friend to the SLT, challenging and holding them to account whilst providing the required strategic support.

· continue to self- evaluate our skills and knowledge and to take advice from all stakeholders to ensure that governance remains a strength.

The governing body will, this year, also look to recruit new members to broaden and extend the strength of the governing body. If you would like further information on joining the governing body at Drighlington Primary, please email info@drighlingtonprimary.og.uk