About Govas
GOVAS works closely with the Stockport Children and Young People Directorate, but we are a fully independent association of governors affiliated to the equally independent National Governors Association. Every governor in Stockport is automatically a GOVAS member (as long as your institution pays their subscriptionof £10.00 PA)and our Management Committee is made up exclusively of serving volunteer governors in Stockport’s schools – nursery, primary secondary and special. Our biggest strength is our links with all the school governors in Stockport through our newsletter, special communications, and this website.
Govas - The End of Another Year
GOVAS was represented at the recent NGA Summer Conference, at which the keynote speaker was Rt. Hon. Nicky Morgan, Secretary of State for Education. This was the first time that a SoS had attended such a conference and can be seen as a sign of the increased profile of governance and governors.
There has been much talk recently about having the ‘right people around the table’ and hopefully all maintained schools have now reconstituted their governing boards (and listed their members on the web-site!), so it was a little surprising to hear that the government is continuing to look at the make-up of these boards and in particular,
The stakeholder model
"what makes your contribution so important isn’t the particular group you represent, it’s the skills, expertise and wisdom you bring to the running of a school.”
No one would deny that getting a good mix of skills is crucial to be a good board, but so is enthusiasm and commitment, which the stakeholder model encourages and surely it would make sense to allow the newly reconstituted boards to bed-in first before proposing further changes? Let us know what you think.
She also referred to the move towards
" an increasingly school-led, profession-driven system” and that "a school-led system doesn’t mean schools as islands,
Schools Forum Newsletter 10 - May 2015
Welcome to the 10th edition of the Schools Forum Newsletter........
In this issue, we are including key points from the Schools Forum meeting held on 21 May 2015 particularly; Education Capital update, Audit & Risk Management, 2014/15 School Balances, SFVS and Schools Forum operational matters. A full copy of the minutes will be made available via the Council web-site in due course, see section 12 below.
Schools Forum Meeting 21 May 2015 – Key Points
1. Matters Arising from 19 March 2015 Meeting minutes
No matters arising – Minutes accepted as true and correct record.
2. EDUCATION CAPITAL UPDATE
Report presented as tabled
Discussions: Stephen Bell presented a short Power-point presentation to provide Schools Forum members with an overview and update on all the current schemes ongoing (i.e. Arden, Oak Tree, Warren Wood, etc.) and latest available information on schemes planned for the near future both at LA level (i.e. St Thomas CEP) and those successful in the bidding process for the PBSP both phase 1 (i.e. Abingdon, Werneth, Bridge Hall & St Johns CEP) and Phase 2 (i.e. Hazel Grove PS, Cheadle Primary and Great Moor Junior).
Details relating to any new funding streams available following the General Election are still unknown at this stage.
Stephen then further illustrated the impact of the current increased cohort of pupils in primary sector and the expectation/forecast of "levelling off" over the coming years at approx. 3,600 per year group and how this growth will emerge/transfer into the secondary sector in the next 5-10 years and the need for the LA to duly create extra capacity in readiness for the flow of pupils.
Decisions: N/A
Actions:
1. Schools Forum members to note the report.
3. AUDIT, RISK & INSURANCE UPDATE
Report presented as tabled
Discussions: The report provided detail of the latest audit reviews; including information/analysis of the key findings completed over the past twelve months in schools and outlined the thematic reviews to be undertaken in 2015/16.
Decisions:
1. N/A
Actions:
1. Schools Forum members to note the report.
4. SCHOOL RESERVES 2014/15 FINAL OUT-TURN
Report presented as tabled
Discussions: The report provided an update on the 2014/15 year-end reported position in relation to the three insurance scheme policies administered on behalf of schools by the LA.
Decisions: A short discussion was held in relation to the BoR insurance scheme surplus (£0.139m) that remained within the overall reserve balance for specific projects previously agreed with Schools Forum (see section 3.5 of report) and it was agreed option 3 would be processed (i.e. allocate remaining surplus alongside the current 2014/15 operating surplus reported)
Actions:
1. Schools Finance allocate the 2014/15 operating surplus as per figures provided in Appendix 1 and also allocate the additional £0.139m relating to the BoR scheme on same per pupil basis to the appropriate schools.
5. 2014/15 DSG OUT-TURN POSITION
No report tabled for this agenda item.
Discussions: Peter Hughes provided a brief verbal update on the 2014/15 final out-turn position reported
(i.e. £0.9m net surplus, adjusted for
Govas - Half Term Update
After the spike in correspondence leading up to the Conference, we felt it was only fair to give you a break from GOVAS for a few weeks, but we have not been idle and are already well underway with our plans for next year’s conference and for GOVAS sponsored workshops. This year’s conference was once again full and the feedback overwhelmingly positive. It is an unparalleled opportunity to not only get free training on topical issues, but the chance to network with other Stockport governors. Alternatively, you could just come for the brunch! One of the issues we will be looking to address in advance of next year’s conference will be how to attract the 20% of our schools that do not attend. We will be writing to the Chairs of these schools in due course, but we would welcome comments from governors where no-one from their governing boards attended, as to the reasons why and what we could do to make it more likely that they will attend in future.
Keeping on the percentages theme, Stockport currently has a 10% vacancy level across all governing boards. GOVAS is working on initiatives, both on its own and in partnership with the LA, to try to increase the pool of potential governors, but part of the solution could lie within the current membership. An appeal therefore to any governors who are able, and willing, to serve on an additional governing board, to please consider doing so. If you think that this may be for you, contact us through the GOVAS website or speak to your clerk.
Teachers Pay - this time last year, there was a great deal of concern that governors were facing a never-ending series of appeals over pay awards to teachers. The reality, thankfully, has been the opposite, with just two appeals across all the schools supported by the LA HR team. Initial analysis has shown pay progression roughly in line with expectation (performance), with a few schools where there has been no pay progression, linked to the schools’ performances. Early days, but it seems to be working.
Stockport Family - we brought you news at the end of last year on Stockport’s successful ‘Innovation Bid’, and Andrew Webb provided an update at the Conference. Whilst there is a social work emphasis, the focus is very much on shared outcomes, so social workers will consider Teaching & Learning outcomes, with teachers thinking about the social care aspects. The consequences of the planned changes are:
- Fewer family breakdowns
- Better health outcomes for children
- Better educational outcomes for children
- Reduced crime and anti-social behaviour
- Better value for money for taxpayers
Three additional social work teams have been set-up and there is a focus on better supporting early intervention. The first phase is taking place in the Heaton and Tame valley locality; the integration of services for Stepping Hill/Victoria will take place from October; and in Cheadle/Bramhall and Marple/Werneth from April 2016.
The programme will be independently evaluated and we have asked specifically for evidence on the impact on schools and will continue to provide updates as we get them.
The GOVAS Family - we are a happy and contented bunch, but we could do with a few more friends. We meet three, or four, times a year, usually at the Town Hall. Our main visible event is the conference, but we also meet with council officers once a term and represent governors on a number of committees and we are looking to establish workshops/seminars to complement the LA training programme. To join the management committee, you do not need to have been a governor for over ten years, have a beard, or wear sandals. You do not need to be a Chair of governors, or even aspire to be. We just want governors who are prepared to give up a bit more of their time; to provide a fresh outlook; and to be able to speak up for governors within and outside of Stockport. Please contact us through This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Enjoy half-term!
Many thanks!
Stu Foster
Chair, GOVAS
Governors Conference 2015
Stockport LA with the help of Govas held their yearly conference on Saturday 7th March 2015
Stu Foster (Govas) Phil Beswick (Director of Education)
At the start - Introduction presentation from Andrew Webb (corporate Director of Services)
Keynotes from the presentation
Slides from the workshops, click on the relevant highlighted links (make sure you have powerpoint installed alternativly try Openoffice or Libreoffice (both free))
1. Governor recruitment, training and development.
recruiting effective governors & developing and embedding a training and development culture
Andy Kent
2. ICT.
Innovative use of IT in schools
Alex Findlay
3. Effective collaboration and evaluation.
how schools can collaborate, the benefits that would follow, and how we, as governors, can measure this.
Chris O'Shaughnessy
4. Life without levels – PRIMARY
How do you judge progress? - the questions we should be asking and evidence we should be looking for in the post-levels era
School improvement
5. Life without levels – SECONDARY
How do you judge progress? - the questions we should be asking and evidence we should be looking for in the post-levels era
School improvement
6. Closing the gap.
Get the latest advice from a current HMI on strategies for closing the performance gap and how to measure and evaluate them
HMI Allan Torr
Schools Forum Newsletter 9 – March 2015
For information on who the "schools Forum" is and what they do -click this link -
Welcome to the 9th edition of the Schools Forum Newsletter........
In this issue, we are including key points from the Schools Forum meeting held on 19 March 2015 particularly; 2015/16 Schools Budget, LA Schools Formula APT Return, Schools Budget Landscape/Review and DfE SEN Consultation. A full copy of the minutes will be made available via the Council web-site in due course, see section 9 below.
Schools Forum Meeting 19 March 2015 – Key Points
1. Matters Arising from 22 January 2015 Meeting minutes
Item 6 – Resolution (ii) – Jon Roper Headteacher All Saints CE School is the new Schools Forum representative for primary schools
Item 9 – section a) – Amendment required as below:
The Corporate Director for Services to People would recommend to the Council Executive that the Primary schools local funding formula to be updated as follows:
Item 9 – Resolution (vii) – Peter Hughes informed Schools Forum members that three primary phase schools had received LA financial support from the central reserve relating to infant class size initiative, they were Greave, Great Moor Infants and St Mary's RC.
2. 2015/16 FINAL SCHOOLS BUDGET
Report presented as tabled
Discussions: Peter Hughes presented paper which provided the detail of the final construction of the 2015/16 Schools Budget further to previous reports presented and discussions with
Schools Forum Newsletter 8 - January 2015
For information on who the "schools Forum" is and what they do -click this link -
Welcome to the 8th edition of the Schools Forum Newsletter........
In this issue, we are including key points from the Schools Forum meeting held on 22 January 2015 particularly; Schools Forum Elections / Membership, 2015/16 Schools Funding Settlement, Schools Financial Consultation 2014, 2015/16 Schools Budget update and DfE SEN Consultation. A full copy of the minutes will be made available via the Council web-site in due course, see section 9 below.
Schools Forum Meeting 22 January 2015 – Key Points
1. Matters Arising from 4 December 2014 Meeting minutes
No matters arising
2. Schools Forum Elections / Membership Update
Report presented as tabled
Discussions: Peter Hughes presented paper which provided update on the election process completed to recruit a new VA Governor Representative to the Schools Forum (Tony Martin from St Ambrose Catholic Primary School). A primary head teacher vacancy still exists and will hopefully be recruited this term.
Decisions: N/A
Actions:
1. Primary Head teacher Consortia (PHC) to update LA when new Schools Forum representative identified.
3. SCHOOLS FINANCIAL CONSULTATION 2014
Report presented as tabled
Discussions: The report provided detail of the responses and subsequent proposals and/or decisions made by the LA relating to the matters outlined in the Schools Financial Consultation 2014 document.
Decisions:
Reconstituting your governing board
New requirements mean that all LA maintained schools must reconstitute their governing body by September 2015 if they have not done so since September 2012. It's good practice though for all governing boards (including academies and free schools) to review their constitution and membership periodically.
You need to think whether your structure enables you to carry out the board's role effectively. The three core functions are outlined by the Department for Education:
- Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction of the school
- Holding the headteacher to account for the performance of the school
- Ensuring the sound, proper and effective use of the school's financial resources
The agreed constitution then needs to be populated with skilled and committed people. A skills audit should be conducted so that the strengths and weaknesses of the board are identified to allow any current or future vacancies to be targeted at creating a diverse and skilled board. The NGA skills audit was recently updated, and includes a matrix (available at www.nga.org.uk/skillsmatrix.aspx) to allow boards to collate the information.
If the board is reducing its size, there may well be a role for the chair in talking to the governors that have played less of a role. Where there are more governors in one category than there are positions, the governors in the other categories will decide who remains in post based on their contribution to effective governance.
The NGA Constitution Q&A (available at www.nga.org.uk/constitution.aspx) contains much more detail on reconstitution. The next version (coming soon) will be open to non-members, along with a one page document on the process of reconstitution. GOLD members of NGA can email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if they have a question on this or anything else.
More details on the NGA website -here -
David Gosling
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