SchoolGoverning is on Summer Holidays

The Schoolgoverning blog is taking a summer holiday through the month of August

We will back first week of September in time for the new school year fully refreshed!

If you want to keep up to date with Education & School news from the government we can recommend registering for free email alerts at http://www.info4local.gov.uk/email-alert?type=register Just tick the education and skills box and enter your email address.

Enjoy the Summer Holiday season and whatever the British summer brings ;-)

Regards Sean Whetstone

Making a difference: A guide for SEN governors

As a special educational needs (SEN) governor, you can make an important contribution to the school and the support it provides for pupils with SEN. The booklet linked below can help you to understand what SEN governors do and gives some useful information.The governing body, of which you are a member, has statutory responsibilities for pupils with SEN. Put simply, the governing body must do its best to ensure that the school makes the necessary provision for every pupil with SEN. Your role is to make sure that the governing body, and the school staff, keep in mind the needs of these pupils. 


Whether you are considering the budget, personnel, policies or curriculum, make sure SEN issues are on the agenda.Further on in this booklet, you will find a checklist of actions an SEN governor could take and suggestions of ways you can help your school.It’s important to be aware that every school is different – the needs of pupils vary from school to school, as does the range of SEN, the relationships you build and the amount of involvement you have at governing body meetings. The amount of time you can devote to the role will also vary. Don’t expect to make a big difference straight away. Gathering knowledge and building relationships are the first priorities, and both take time.ring knowledge and building relationships are the first priorities, and both take time.



Suggested reading


the school’s SEN policy
the school’s development plan
the SEN Code of Practice
the Guide for Parents and Carers
a magazine called Special Children – ask your SENCO if the school has back copies
Articles in the education press about SEN, e.g. in the Times Educational Supplement



Keeping in touch with the school


Arrange with the head teacher/SENCO to spend time in school – a day or half a day – observing class/group


Work, to understand how the school organises and delivers SEN provision.


 Set up a regular meeting with the SENCO to discuss current issues.


Have informal chats with the head teacher, teaching staff and learning support staff whenever the opportunity arises.


Be accessible – go to social evenings to meet parents, pupils and staff.




Useful questions
You should know:


How many pupils in your school have SEN
 
How many pupils are at School Action, School Action Plus
or have statements of special educational needs

How many staff have a particular role in relation to SEN
 
How much money the school gets for pupils with SEN and how it is spent.


You could ask:


What is the range of SEN in your school?


Who in the school does the LEA inform when a pupil has SEN and who, in turn, informs the staff? (see 1:19 in the SEN Code)


Who is responsible for telling parents that a pupil has SEN and about the provision made for them?


What special facilities does the school have for particular needs?


What does the Authority provide at School Action Plus?


The full booklet can be downloaded from the link below


http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/s/sen%20booklet%20%20%20making%20a%20difference.pdf

The Role of the Numeracy governor

The Numeracy governor should take a special interest in the National Numeracy Strategy and make sure numeracy issues are high on the school’s agenda.

The Numeracy governor provides a link between the governing body and staff at the school.

The Numeracy governor may try to:

• Attend governor training courses about Numeracy
• Support and assist the governing body in their understanding and knowledge of the Numeracy Strategy and how it works in their school
• Meet with the member of staff responsible for Numeracy to discuss how the Numeracy strategy is progressing
• Find out what is allocated for Numeracy from the schools budget and look at how to get funding for Numeracy
• Help monitor and evaluate the Numeracy Strategy in their school
• Make visits to the school to observe Numeracy lessons
• Support the member of staff responsible for Numeracy to help them achieve literacy targets
• Ensure the governing body are aware of the impact of the Numeracy Strategy in their school
• Have some involvement in the school’s attempt to inform parents and involve them in helping their children learn numeracy skills

The Numeracy governor is not there to teach or inspect but to provide support and to be a critical friend. They should be aware of the pressures that the school may be under by trying to deliver the Numeracy strategy.

http://www.wigan.gov.uk/Services/EducationLearning/Schools/Governors/NumeracyGovernor.htm

The Role of the Literacy Governor

Your role as Literacy Governor means that you should take a special interest in literacy issues and help ensure that they remain high on the school’s agenda.

You need to provide a link between governors and staff on literacy issues, reporting to the governing body and/or its committees as agreed.

As literacy governor, you might:

•Try to attend some of the in service training courses devoted to literacy. The person delivering the training may like to know that you are coming in advance.

•Meet termly with the literacy co-ordinator to discuss how the strategy is going in the school.

•Use termly visits to view the daily literacy lesson in the classroom. Make the focus for your visit clear to the teacher in advance.

•Ask about resources allocated to literacy from the school budget.

•Talk to the headteacher about school literacy issues.

• If your governing body produces a newsletter, or similar, to parents perhaps you could include an article on the school’s progress with literacy and how the strategy is being delivered.

• Find out about any local activities linked to literacy and ask how governors can help.

•Be involved in the school’s attempt to inform parents and involve them in their children’s learning of the subject.

Important hints for literacy governors

You should always remember that you are not acting as a teacher, nor an inspector, but as a source of support to the school. If you are going to visit a literacy lesson, don’t forget the possible apprehension some teachers feel if someone watches their lesson. Let the teacher know what the purpose of your lesson visit is.

http://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/43-the-role-of-the-literacy-governor.pdf

Government Education Funding Statement

Schools Capital

• The Government will provide £500 million to help local authorities provide extra school places – meeting the extra pressures caused by increased birth rates.
• A new school rebuilding programme has been launched. It will be targeted at those schools in the worst condition. Information will be available shortly from Partnership for Schools. http://www.partnershipsforschools.org.uk/
• School Building regulations will be pared down significantly – cutting red tape and costs.
• The Government is minded not to fund the BSF projects which were the subject of a judicial review earlier this year, subject to further representations from the authorities involved.
• The recommendations of Sebastian James’s review on school building will be broadly accepted subject to a thorough consultation process on details and implementation. This consultation  has been launched here http://www.education.gov.uk/consultations/index.cfm?action=consultationDetails&consultationId=1762&external=no&menu=1
• .The government will carry out a condition survey of all school buildings so that funding can be better targeted. They will revise school building regulations to reduce unnecessary burdens and bureaucracy. They will also improve the design of schools to achieve better buildings and better value.

Schools Funding

• A new consultation has been launched seeking views on proposals for a new, fairer and more transparent school funding system.  http://www.education.gov.uk/consultations/index.cfm?action=consultationDetails&consultationId=1765&external=no&menu=1
• The current funding system for maintained schools will continue in 2012-13.
• A consultation  has been launched with Local Authorities only about LACSEG academy funding, to ensure that the rapid growth in academy numbers is funded fairly and to ensure that local authorities are not double funded for services they no longer provide. http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/financialmanagement/schoolsrevenuefunding/financeofficernews/a00191741/consultation-on-local-authority-central-spend-equivalent-grant-lacseg

Michael Gove's Funding Statement of 19th July 2011

http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/m/michael%20gove%20school%20funding%20statement.pdf

The School Governance (Contracts) (England) (Revocation) Regulations 2011

The School Governance (Contracts) (England) Regulations 2011 came in force on the 20th July 2011


These Regulations revoke the School Governance (Contracts) (England) Regulations 2005 which require the governing bodies of maintained schools to have regard to the Code of Practice on Workforce Matters in Public Sector Service Contracts (commonly referred to as the “Two-Tier Code”) when entering into a contract which involves a transfer of staff . This follows a decision by the Government to withdraw the Code.

The aim of the Code was to ensure that, even where TUPE did not apply to transferring staff, the principles of TUPE would be followed, so that the staff would be treated as if TUPE applied to them.  The Code also provided that new employees hired by the contractor should be employed on terms and conditions “no less favourable overall” than the terms on which former public sector workers were employed.

The Code was withdrawn with immediate effect on 13th December 2010.  This was followed by the withdrawal of the Best Value Code of Practice on Workforce Matters in Local Authority Service Contracts on 23rd March 2011. So the new 2011 Regulations regularise the position for maintained schools by revoking the 2005 Regulations.

The School Governance (Contracts) (England) (Revocation) Regulations 2011 can be viewed and download from the link below:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2011/1500/made

Behaviour and Discipline in Schools - Guidance for Governing Bodies

The Department of Education have replaced more than 600 pages of guidance with 52 pages.
The DfE have published the final, clearer guidance for teachers on how they should deal with bad behaviour. This guidance will be used by schools from the start of the new academic year this coming September.
The DfE claim that as previous behaviour and search guidance was more than 600 pages long. It left teachers confused about their powers under the law. It also made it much harder for schools to have clear and effective discipline policies.
The new guidance is 52 pages longis said to reflect feedback from teachers, teacher unions and local authorities. It clearly sets out the roles and responsibilities for governing bodies, headteachers and teachers regarding behaviour and discipline. It unequivocally restores adult authority to the classroom. It makes clear:
• Schools should not have a ‘no touch’ policy. It is often necessary or desirable for a teacher to touch a child (e.g. dealing with accidents or teaching musical instruments).
• Teachers have a legal power to use reasonable force. They can use force to remove a pupil who is disrupting a lesson or to prevent a child leaving a classroom.
• Heads can search without consent for an extended list of items including alcohol, illegal drugs and stolen property.
• Heads have the power to discipline pupils who misbehave outside the schools premises and outside schools hours.
• Schools must have measures in place to deal with bullying both in and outside of school.
The guidance also protects teachers from malicious allegations:
• Heads can temporarily or permanently exclude pupils who make false allegations. In extreme circumstances, they can involve the police if there are grounds for believing a criminal offence has been committed.
• Schools should not automatically suspend teachers accused of using force unreasonably where other alternatives exist.
• All but the tiny number of the most complex cases should be resolved within three months and the vast majority should be resolved in four weeks.
• Malicious, unsubstantiated or unfounded allegations should not be included in employment references.
The Role of Governors
1. Under Section 88(1) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 (EIA),governing bodies must ensure that policies designed to promote good behaviour and discipline on the part of its pupils are pursued at the school.
2. Section 88(2) of the EIA requires the governing body to: a. make, and from time to time review, a written statement of general principles to guide the head teacher in determining measures to promote good behaviour and discipline amongst pupils; and
b. notify the head teacher and give him or her related guidance if the governing body wants the school’s behaviour policy to include particular measures or address particular issues.
3. When carrying out the functions under Section 88(2), the governing body must have regard to guidance issued by the Secretary of State.
Paragraphs 6-11 below provide this statutory guidance.
4. Before making their statement of principles, the governing body must consult (in whatever manner they think appropriate) the head teacher, school staff, parents and pupils.
5. The Governors’ Guide to the law provides information on governors’other legal duties. See the Associated Resources section below for a link to the Guide.
What must the governing body do?
6. The governing body must provide clear advice and guidance to the head teacher on which he/she can base the school behaviour policy.
7. This is particularly important in respect of teachers’ powers to search,
to use reasonable force and to discipline pupils for misbehaviour outside school. Although these powers may look straightforward in legal terms, they are not always fully understood by staff, pupils and parents, and staff can feel particularly vulnerable to challenge if they use them.
8. Clear advice and guidance from the governing body, which feeds directly into the behaviour policy, will help members of staff better understand the extent of their powers and how to use them. It will also help ensure that staff can be confident of the governing body’s support if they follow that guidance.
9. While it is for each governing body to decide their own principles, we would always expect the governing body to notify the head teacher that the following should be covered in the school behaviour policy:
a. Screening and searching pupils;
2
b. The power to use reasonable force or make other physical contact;
c. The power to discipline beyond the school gate;
d. Pastoral care for school staff accused of misconduct; and
e. When a multi-agency assessment should be considered for pupils who display continuous disruptive behaviour.
10. In providing guidance to the head teacher, the governing body must not seek to hinder teachers’ powers by including ‘no searching’ or ‘no contact’ policies, nor to restrict their power to discipline pupils for misbehaviour outside of school.
11. Governing bodies will also wish to consider their duty under section 175 of the Education Act 2002 requiring them to make arrangements to ensure that their functions are carried out with a view to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and their general duty to eliminate discrimination under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010.Screening and searching and the power to use reasonable force
12. Separate guidance is available on searching and on the use of force and governing bodies should draw on this to inform their guidance to the head teacher. The power to discipline beyond the school gate
13. Disciplining beyond the school gate covers the school’s response to all non-criminal bad behaviour and bullying which occurs anywhere off the school premises and which is witnessed by a member of staff or reported to the school. The governing body must be satisfied that the measures proposed by the head teacher are lawful.
14. The governing body will need to ask the head teacher to consider what the school’s response should be to:
Any bad behaviour when the child is:
 taking part in any school-organised or school-related activity or
 travelling to or from school or
 wearing school uniform or
 in some other way identifiable as a pupil at the school.
Or, misbehaviour at any time, whether or not the conditions above apply, that:
 could have repercussions for the orderly running of the school or
 poses a threat to another pupil or member of the public or
 could adversely affect the reputation of the school.
15. In all of these circumstances the head teacher should also consider whether it is appropriate to notify the police or anti-social behaviour coordinator in their local authority of the actions taken against a pupil.
If the behaviour is criminal or poses a serious threat to a member of the public,the police should always be informed. In addition, school staff should consider whether the misbehaviour may be linked to the child suffering, or being likely to suffer, significant harm. In this case the school staff should follow its safeguarding policy.
Pastoral care for school staff

16. Employers should not automatically suspend a member of staff who has been accused of misconduct, pending an investigation. The governing body should instruct the head teacher to draw on the advice in the ‘Dealing with Allegations of Abuse against Teachers and Other Staff’ guidance when vetting out the pastoral support school staff can expect to receive if they are accused of misusing their powersFull Reporthttps://www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/publicationDetail/Page1/DFE-00057-2011

Education Bill Update

The Education Bill was introduced into the House of Commons on Wednesday 26 January 2011. It then passed to the House of Lords on Thursday 12 May and passed its second reading there on Tuesday 14 June. It is now in Lords Committee. The Government claim Bill is an important step in implementing education reform programme and helping to create an education system that delivers ever higher standards for all children.

The Bill seeks to implement the legislative proposals in the Department for Education’s schools White Paper, 'The Importance of Teaching' and measures from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills relating to skills and the reform of higher education funding. It is therefore a very wide-ranging Bill.

Key areas

Provides for the introduction of targeted free early years care for children under compulsory school age

Makes changes to provisions on school discipline and places restrictions on the public reporting of allegations made against teachers

Abolishes five quangos: the General Teaching Council for England, the Training and Development Agency for Schools, the School Support Staff Negotiating Body, the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency and the Young Person’s Learning Agency and gives new powers to the Secretary of State as a consequence of some of these changes

Removes certain duties on school governing bodies, local authorities and further education institutions, including the duty on local authorities to appoint school improvement partners

Makes changes to the arrangements for setting up new schools, and amends the Academies Act 2010 to make provision for 16 to 19 academies and alternative provision academies

Includes measures relating to school admissions, school meals, composition of school governing bodies, school inspection, school finance and permitted charges.

School Governance

The Government has reviewed the composition of school governing bodies; this post describes what the Education Bill proposes, the debate in the Commons and a subsequent change of policy.

The Government reviewed the composition of school governing bodies in Autumn 2010 and concluded that the “stakeholder” model of school governance, in use for the last 30 years, should not longer be in primary legislation for all maintained school governing bodies.

The subsequent Education Bill proposed that only parents and the headteacher be guaranteed a place on school governing bodies along with representation of a foundation if there is one. Following debate in the Commons, the Government has decided that staff should be represented on school governing bodies and the local authority also providing the other governors think that a person nominated by the local authority has the skills required by the governing body.

The Government appears to have accepted that the stakeholder model of school governance, admittedly in a reduced form, will continue. There is strength in having all groups with an interest in a school having access through nominated appointees on the governing body. The regulations though are crucial in ensuring that governors will continue to be of sufficient size to ensure that the local community voice can still have a say on the running of local schools.

This blogpost is based on a Children's Services Network policy briefing by John Fowler linked below

https://member.lgiu.org.uk/csn/briefings/2011/Pages/201100964.aspx

E-safety Audit & Toolkit

An ESafety Audit published by Surrey County Council


The E-safety Coordinator is:

The Child Protection Liaison Officer is:

The responsible member of the Senior Leadership Team is:

The responsible member of the Governing Body is:

Has the school got an E-safety Policy that allies with LA guidance? Y/N

When was the policy updated/reviewed?

The school E-safety policy was agreed by governors on:

The policy is available for staff at:

The policy is available for parents/carers at:

Has E-safety training been provided for both pupils and staff? Y/N

Is there a clear procedure for a response to an incident of concern? Y/N

Do all staff sign a Code of Conduct for ICT on appointment? Y/N

Are staff with responsibility for managing filtering, network access and monitoring adequately supervised by a member of SLT? Y/N

Are all pupils aware of the School’s E-safety Rules? Y/N

Are E-safety rules displayed in all rooms where computers are used and expressed in a form that is accessible to all pupils? Y/N

Do parents/carers sign and return an agreement that their child will comply with the School E-safety Rules? Y/N

Are staff, pupils, parents/carers and visitors aware that network and Internet use is closely monitored and individual usage can be traced? Y/N

Is Internet access provided by an approved educational Internet service provider which complies with DCSF requirements (e.g. EasyNet, Regional Broadband Consortium, NEN Network)? Y/N

Have E-safety materials from CEOP and Becta been obtained? Y/N

Is personal data collected, stored and used according to the principles of the Data Protection Act? Y/N

Have appropriate teaching and/or technical members of staff attended training on the school’s filtering system? Y/N

A full 47 page ESafety Toolkit from Surrey County Council can be found here:

http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/education/sbdb.nsf/83dffc3cec610fad802569a8003c9869/6a893c8832f09123802576b100398779/$FILE/E-safety%20Toolkit%20for%20Schools.pdf

Revised DfE guidance on bullying & Ofsted Inspections

Revised DfE guidance on bullying

Maintained schools – preventing and tackling bullying

The DfE has removed the document Safe to learn: embedding anti-bullying work in schools from their website and replaced it with the policy document Behaviour and discipline in schools: a guide for headteachers and school staff. It can be found on the DfE webpages on preventing and tackling bullying. The new document outlines the government’s approach to bullying, legal obligations and the powers that schools have to tackle bullying, and the principles which underpin the most effective anti-bullying strategies in schools. It also lists further resources through which school staff can access specialist information on the specific issues that they face.

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmselect/cmeduc/516/516i.pdf

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmselect/cmeduc/writev/behaviour/we73.htm

Implications for Ofsted inspectors

All Ofsted inspectors will familiarise themselves with the new DfE document and take account of it when conducting inspections of maintained schools.

Independent schools - s162a inspections and pre-registration visits

Under Part 3 Welfare, health and safety of pupils of the ROIEJ guidance on conducting a s162a inspection, there is a reference on page 26 to the DfE’s guidance on bullying (Safe to Learn: Embedding anti-bullying work in schools). This document is also referred to in the schools’ self-audit check list and in the guidance to schools. As the DfE has removed the Safe to Learn document from their website and replaced it with the policy document ‘Behaviour and Discipline in Schools, inspectors of independent schools are also asked to familiarise themselves with the new DfE document and take account of it when conducting either a pre-registration or a full inspection of an independent school. This change will be reflected in the update to inspection instruments for the autumn term.

New Ofsted school inspection framework Update

New school inspection framework

Ofsted is at an important stage in the development of a new school inspection framework, planned for implementation in January 2012.

On Friday 20 May, the consultation exercise on the new inspection arrangements closed. There has been a good response to the online consultation. In addition we have held face-to-face meetings with a number of important stakeholders including the main professional associations and faith bodies to enable them to discuss the consultation proposals with us. Responses have been overwhelmingly in favour of the proposals. The least favourable responses relate to our proposals: to use value added data rather than contextualised value added data; to bring forward visits to schools in a category of concern; and to develop a web-based parental questionnaire.
Following a series of seminars and workshops during the spring term and involving over 40 HMI, Ofsted ran a series of consultative, unreported pilot inspections in a small number of schools. During these, the headteachers and senior leadership teams worked with inspectors to consider how some of the consultation proposals might work in practice. This work contributed to the development of a draft Evaluation schedule and a modified version of Conducting school inspections for the forthcoming pilot inspections.

A programme of pilot inspections to test out the proposed framework commenced on 23 May. Over 150 inspections are planned, led by both HMI and additional inspectors from our inspection service providers. Lead inspectors taking part received face-to-face training from senior managers involved in the project. In addition, all headteachers from the schools to be inspected and senior officers from their local authorities (if appropriate) have been briefed on the pilot arrangements.

Working closely with colleagues from the inspection service providers, Ofsted will evaluate the new arrangements, gathering the views of schools and inspectors as the pilot inspection programme rolls out. Ofsted will also be analysing the responses to the consultation exercise and setting out proposals in the light of consultation responses. The outcomes of the pilot inspection evaluations and the consultation exercise will further inform the development of the new inspection framework. In July, the evaluation report on the consultation and the pilots will be published, with recommendations for the new framework.

All HMI attending the school remit conference on 19 July will be informed of the progress of the new framework and will have an opportunity to discuss aspects of those developments.

Arrangements are in place for senior colleagues from the inspection service providers to be in
attendance.

Ofsted plans to publish the new framework and evaluation schedule in September and to provide training for inspectors and briefings for schools and local authorities, starting in October.
We intend to keep all inspectors and other interested parties informed of developments on a regular basis.

Chair of Governors Survey 2 days remaining

Chairs of school governing bodies are increasingly recognised as significant in helping to ensure the proper functioning of schools. The aim of this survey is to gather information from as many chairs as possible to develop a picture of chairs of governing bodies in England.

The survey consists of a number of questions, some of which offer fixed responses whilst other questions ask for your written comments. We ask for your thoughts about the challenges of chairing school governing bodies, the nature of the responsibilities involved, the activities and contributions of chairs, the nature of the head teacher-chair relationship, and chairs’ training and development needs. We will also be asking head teachers to complete a parallel survey.

We would stress that your responses will be treated in the utmost confidence, and all responses will be anonymous in our reporting of survey results. Results of the survey will help expand understanding about the important role that you are undertaking.

Many thanks for your help in completing this questionnaire – your contribution is very much appreciated.

The deadline for completion to 22nd July 2011 because we realise this is a particularly busy time for chairs. If you could complete the survey at your earliest convenience it would be very helpful indeed.

You should be able to complete the questionnaire in about 20 minutes.


Click here to take part in the Survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3BNNT97


Professor Chris James, University of Bath
Professor Stephen Brammer, University of Warwick
Dr David Eddy Spicer, University of Bath

Quick Governing Self Review: Managing Governing Body Business

Monitoring

All Governors are:

1 Aware of and support and contribute to the schools’ overall ethos and vision for the
future.

2 Aware of the targets in the School Improvement Plan, what needs to be done to achieve
them, how the school is progressing towards them, and participate in monitoring and
evaluating progress

3 Familiar with the range of policy statements in the school, when these need to be
reviewed, and have measures in place to evaluate effectiveness

All Governors know how:

4 The school’s results compare with those of previous years

5 The school’s results compare with National standards.

6 The school’s results compare with those of similar schools.

7 Results in different subjects compare

All Governors:

8 Focus on the issue of raising standards and regularly review progress.

9 Actively participate in monitoring through focused visits and activities.

10 Have a shared understanding of the strengths of the school

11 Have a shared understanding of the areas of the school which need development and
provide support.

12 Make certain the school’s budget is spent as planned, through participation in
monitoring and review.

13 Know how parents, pupils and staff feel about the school by attending school activities
and actively seeking comments and feedback.

Quick Governing Self Review: Managing Governing Body Business

Managing Governing Body Business

1. Individual Governors attend regularly.

2. There are no long-term vacancies (more than 1 term)

3. Our Governors represent a wide range of experience and expertise, including links with
industry and the community

4. Our new Governors are effectively inducted into their role.

5. Governors attend training courses regularly, sufficient to enable them to carry out
their role

6. All our Governors are fully involved in the work of the Governing Body and with the
Committees

7. Meetings do not overrun

8. Adequate time is given to each item

9. There is a culture of mutual respect within the Governing Body

10. We are loyal to collective decisions and respect confidentiality

11. There is a clear programme of meetings throughout the year, published in advance.

12. All Governors are encouraged to participate and all views are taken into account.

13. As a Governing Body, we regularly celebrate achievement and offer praise and thanks to
those concerned in the school.

14. Governors are encouraged to participate and take part in training.

15. There is an effective partnership between Head, Chair and Clerk.

Closure of SEF and SIEF this Thursday Last Chance to download from Ofsted!

Closure of SEF and SIEF – how maintained and independent schools can save their data and information

The information below has been published on Ofsted’s online forms site reminding schools about the closure of the site and action to be taken before the closing date.

Ofsted’s online SEF/SIEF system will be available to schools until 21 July 2011 and inspectors will continue to use the SEF/SIEF in inspections for the academic year 2010/11, where a school provides one.

Schools will be able to access and enter information into their SEF/SIEF and download PDF versions of their previously submitted SEFs/SIEFs until 21 July 2011. On 22 July, the online forms website will be closed.

How can schools keep a copy of their SIEF or SEF?

To preserve the data and information in their SIEF or SEF, schools should take the following action by 21 July 2011 at the latest.

1.Save their most recent SIEF or SEF on the SEF website.

2.Submit their saved SIEF or SEF, using the SEF website. This will automatically create a PDF version of the SIEF or SEF.

3. Save the PDF of the SIEF or SEF to the school’s own electronic filing system. Guidance on submitting the SIEF or SEF and saving a PDF to the school’s own system will be available on the SEF website.

After 21 July, schools will not be able to access PDF versions of their SIEF or SEF on the SEF website. Please note that Ofsted will not retain or be able to provide a copy of a school’s SEF or SIEF after 21 July 2011.

The use of the online SEF for maintained schools and SIEF for independent schools is to be discontinued from September 2011. For further details please see the announcement on the Ofsted website at www.ofsted.gov.uk.

Implications for inspectors

From the autumn term 2011, schools will still be expected to demonstrate to inspectors that they undertake rigorous and effective self-evaluation. For inspections that take place in autumn term 2011, schools may present their self-evaluation information to inspectors in the format of their choice and will be asked to summarise their self-evaluation in a single document. Schools may provide the PDF of their final submitted SEF/SIEF from the summer term, if they wish. However, schools will not be disadvantaged if they choose not to do so.

We will consider carefully how inspectors will manage school inspections when the SEF/SIEF has been withdrawn as part of work to develop a new inspection framework during the coming year. It will, of course, be important that schools continue to evaluate their performance and can demonstrate that they act on the findings to secure continuous improvement.

Academy converter schools: access to predecessor online SEF data Following the introduction of legislation which allows the Secretary of State to approve applications by schools to become academies, we have provided the following information on how new academies can access their SEF.
Where a school has converted to become an academy under the Academies Act 2010, the school’s governing body is dissolved. The school closes and reopens with a new URN although the establishment number remains the same. These changes are reflected in Edubase, which feeds into Ofsted’s systems. As a result, the predecessor school’s previous details entered into sections A and beyond, under the old URN, will have been erased from the online SEF site.

We can provide historical SEF data to new academies in the following ways.

1. Where the headteacher of the new academy is the same headteacher from the predecessor school, we can arrange for previous SEF data to be made available. An email should be forwarded to enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk from the headteacher’s school email address confirming that they were the headteacher from the predecessor school and requesting access to the previous data.

2. Where the headteacher of the new academy is not the same headteacher from the Page 2
predecessor school, the previous headteacher at the school must email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk giving permission for the SEF to be shared with the new headteacher. This is because an SEF is not provided to Ofsted on the basis that we could share it with another party, and it will contain personal data.

3. Where a new academy is an amalgamation of two predecessor schools, a combination of the above two options may be required.
Ofsted’s online SEF system will be available until 21 July 2011, and inspectors will continue to use the SEF in inspections for the academic year 2010/11, where one is provided.
Academies will be able to access and enter information into their SEF, and download a PDF version of their submitted SEF until 21 July 2011. On 22 July, the online forms website will be closed.

After 21 July, academies will not be able to access PDF versions of their SEF on the SEF website. Please note that Ofsted will not retain or be able to provide a copy of the SEF after 21 July 2011.

From Ofsted June Newsletter

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/content/download/12355/142903/file/Schools%20and%20Inspection%20June%202011.pdf

School Governance Self Review Tool: Policies and Procedures

Policies and Procedures

1 Do you have all the legally required policies and procedures? (See list below)

2 Do you have all the appropriate policies and procedures to help the school achieve its goals and vision?

3 Do you have a proactive review regime to keep your policies and procedures up to date and to ensure their effectiveness?


All policies should be reviewed regularly (at least annually for those legally required) and could be included in a managed review cycle, spreading the review load across the Governing Body membership over an appropriate period.

The following documents are legally required:

• Accessibility Plan
• Admissions Policy
• Allegation of Abuse Against Staff Policy
• Attendance Targets (not nursery)
• Central Record of Recruitment and Vetting Checks (Single Staffing Record)
• Central record of recruitment and vetting checks
• Charging Policy
• Child Protection Policy
• Collective Worship Policy (not nursery)
• Community Cohesion Policy
• Complaints Procedures
• Curriculum Policy
• Disability Equality Policy
• Designated Teachers (for LAC)
• EYFS Policy
• Exclusions of Pupils Policy
• Freedom of Information Publication Scheme
• Gender Equality Policy (can be a join policy with Race)
• Governors’ Allowances (scheme for paying – if school has agreed to pay expenses)
• Governors Annual Report to Parents (only maintained Nurseries)
• Health and Safety Policy
• Home/School Agreements (not nursery)
• Instrument of Governance
• Minutes and Papers of GB meetings (non confidential)
• Performance Management Policy
• Prospectus (not nursery)
• Race Equality Policy
• Register of Business Interest of Head teachers and Governors
• Register of Pupils
• Review of Staffing Structure Document
• Risk Assessments
• School companies (all schools where a company is established)
• School Discipline and Pupil Behaviour Policy
• Sex Education Policy (not nursery)
• Special Educational Needs Policy
• Staff Discipline, Conduct and Grievance (procedures)
• Target Setting (not nursery)
• Teachers’ Pay Policy


Each question in the Self-Review Tool should be answered using a simple traffic light status indication by writing in the status column one of three letters:

G – green We fully meet the requirements in this area

A – Amber We partially meet requirement – see notes for outline action plan

R – red We do not meet significant elements in this area – see notes for outline action plan


The full Self Review Tool from Ealing

http://www.egfl.org.uk/categories/governance/support/selfreview.html