Meeting updates from Governors

Meeting Update - 30th June 2025

It’s always a pleasure to share an update from the Governing Body, especially as we approach the end of another fantastic school year.

As a Governing Body, we meet once a term on a formal basis, and there are 3 sub-committees of the Governing Body:

Inclusion: which considers safeguarding, SEND and diversity;
Standards & Curriculum: which looks at pupil attainment and the school’s curriculum; and
Resources: which looks at finances, procurement and business matters.

Each year, towards the end of the academic year, we combine our termly Governing Body meeting with a "Governors in School Day," which is always a highlight.

At the meeting, we had a deep-dive on school finances, and had a working session to consider the school’s vision and values statements. We also had the annual update from Mr Cooper – and quizzed him on everything from PE providers to safeguarding to SATs. It's our duty to provide a balance of checking, challenging, and assuring the school's leadership, and we take that role very seriously. Oh, and yes, we even got to sample the school lunches during our visit. I thoroughly enjoyed the penne with pesto, though I admit to a touch of food envy for the Cajun bean wedges…

But, as nice as the lunch was, what truly stands out is seeing the incredible learning environment first hand. We (clipboards in hand) broke into smaller groups for lesson-observations, and had the privilege of observing some excellent teaching and witnessing the outstanding work Telferscot children are doing in their classrooms every single day. Their energy and enthusiasm are positively infectious!

This wouldn't be possible without our fantastic staff, who consistently go above and beyond – we are faced with a lot of challenges, but the way the staff keep the show on the road and ensure the learning journey is fun… is an inspiration. Their dedication, passion, and tireless efforts are what make Telferscot such a special place, and we are incredibly grateful for everything they do for your children. As parents and carers, you see this. As Governors, we’ve seen this – and it’s nice to have the external validation from Ofsted! Telferscot is, by every metric, outstanding!

As the school year winds down, we know it's a very busy time for everyone – every child will be moving to a new classroom (and some to new schools – and we will miss you!). The change in gear can be daunting, but these changes are part of what it is to grow and develop. But before the changes September brings, we hope that you all get the opportunity to relax and recharge over the summer break. You've all earned it!

Finally, I'd like to extend our immense thanks to a couple of governors who are stepping down. Matteo Sciberras has served diligently as a Co-opted Governor and his experience as an educator (outside of Telferscot) has been incredibly valuable to the school. Thank you, Matteo. But this now allows us to welcome Khadisha Campbell. Khadisha has been an associate member of the governing body and now becomes a formal Co-opted Governor. Khadisha brings a wealth of experience to the role.

We are also saying a big thank you to Mat Hull, who is stepping down as a Parent Governor after dedicating so much to the school. Mat's contributions have been invaluable. He’s been a really great sounding board to help with business development for the school and has so much enthusiasm for Telferscot. We wish him all the very best.

This means we now have a vacancy for a Parent Governor! This is a truly rewarding opportunity to have a real say, shape the school's vision, and contribute directly to the Telferscot community. If you're a parent or carer and keen to make a difference, we'll be sharing details about the election process soon, but it will be at some point in September. Please do consider putting yourself forward – and if you'd like to chat about what the role involves, I'd be more than happy to speak with you.

Have a truly lovely summer, everyone!

Garry Connolly

Chair of Governors