Meeting updates from Governors

Meeting Update - 25th November 2024 

Governors met on Monday 25^th November for their first Full Governing Body meeting of the academic year and attendance at the meeting can be viewed here.

In the meeting I was elected as Chair and Stacey Mack (Co-opted Governor) was elected as Vice Chair for the 2024/2025 academic year. We were pleased to welcome Jake Henry, our newly elected Staff Governor, to his first meeting. Governors also agreed their procedures and committee membership for the coming academic year. The allocation of Governor's Areas of Special Responsibility was also discussed - these areas offer Governors with a deeper insight into the running of the school to provide them with the information to fulfil their core statutory duties: financial and strategic oversight and ensuring that the Headteacher performs their responsibilities.

Governors had first met for an additional deep dive meeting on Monday 21st October to consider the Ofsted review process to ensure overall readiness for an inspection. These deep-dive meetings are additional to the termly main / Full Governing Body Meetings and are planned to take place once a term in future to consider issues in more depth. It was proposed in the November meeting that a date would be agreed for the next additional deep dive, which would provide an opportunity to discuss the visions, values and aims of the school in further detail.

In his Headteacher’s report, David Cooper shared that the outcomes for the statutory assessments (for EYFS, the Phonics Screening Check and Key Stage 2 SATs) were above local and national outcomes. The report also highlighted that Telferscot attendance was above the national average. Mr Cooper informed Governors that work on the School Development priorities was underway and gave an overview of progress to date on these areas. Mr Cooper reminded Governors that a new PE provider had been appointed, and work was being undertaken to develop this offering. Governors also heard in the Headteacher’s report that staff were working hard to support the increasing SEND need in school and that interventions were in place to ensure that all children made good progress.  Mr Cooper assured Governors that despite the falling rolls of other schools in the area, Telferscot's number remained stable. Governors also noted that, as communicated to families in a previous newsletter, there had been a range of school amalgamations and closures planned locally.

Governors were stuck by the wealth of enriching opportunities available to Telferscot children in addition to the broad and balanced curriculum and noted that 84 percent of Telferscot children had achieved a distinction in the LAMDA exams. Mr Cooper highlighted that the wrap around care and extended club offer have expanded since the last academic year. Staff and pupil wellbeing remain a focus with support from Lambeth’s Mental Health Support Service expected from January, although more details of this offer were to follow. The school also continues to meet its financial projections from last year, but finances remain closely monitored. Mr Cooper also shared that the catering contract with Nourish has been extended for a further three years.

Governors were assured that safeguarding procedures were robust, which were confirmed by the Governor with administrative oversight responsibility for Safeguarding. It was also confirmed that all staff had received training at the start of the academic year and all Governors were undertaking training to ensure that they could effectively monitor safeguarding arrangements in school. To ensure that safeguarding remains a clear priority, we focus on a particular area to develop Governor understanding and enable oversight: in the meeting, Mr Cooper gave an overview of the procedures for staff vetting. 

Reports were also submitted from the each of the committees; the Inclusion Committee which considers safeguarding, SEND and diversity; the Standards and Curriculum Committee, which analyses pupil attainment and the school’s curriculum, and the Resources Committee, which discusses finances, premises and staffing issues. 

The Governing Body was keen to ensure that the school community was fully informed of its activities and plans were made to provide a table at the Winter Fair on Saturday 7^th December. In the meeting it was also agreed that Governors would consider a review of their individual impact and how their skills had benefited the school to report back at the next Full Governing Body Meeting. 

I wish everyone a safe and happy festive period and might see some of you at the Winter Fair on Saturday.

I look forward to updating you again in the Spring.

Garry Connolly
Chair, Telferscot Governing Body