Moorfield Primary School

All schools have a Governing Body, which is responsible for overseeing many of the strategic decisions of the school. They work in close partnership with the Headteacher, staff and the Local Authority. They bring a range of interests, knowledge and skills to the school and they all work in a voluntary capacity. Governors give their service voluntarily and no formal qualifications are necessary although there are eligibility criteria.  

Whilst the Headteacher is responsible for the day to day running of the school, the governors are frequently involved with such things as: ensuring pupil premium funding is allocated effectively to close the gaps leading to accelerated progress and raised attainment; staffing; curriculum; health and safety; safeguarding; school buildings and finance. It ensures the school functions well and maintains the proper range of academic and social objectives. The Governing Body works as a team with shared responsibilities.

MOORFIELD PRIMARY SCHOOL GOVERNING BODY INFORMATION ACADEMIC YEAR 2024-2025

Governing Body

• Claire Lindsay - Chair of the Governing Body  Re Elected Oct 2024
• Andy Hutchinson - Vice Chair of the Governing Body - Re -Elected Oct 2024 (Partnership Governor from 08/03/2023)
• Ian Bussey - Headteacher Governor
• Mike Tranter - LA Appointed Governor - Term of Office extended to 15/07/2027 approved 08/03/2023
• Mr O J Stokes - Co-opted Governor . 11/10/2023 (changed from Parent Governor)
• Mrs C Hill - Staff Governor - Term of Office End date 31/08/2020 - extended to Dec 2020 due to COVID - re-elected from 1st Jan 2021
• Mrs M Taylor-Mason - Parent Governor - 11/10/2023  
• Mr C Clulow - appointed Parent Governor 04/10/2024 

Governors resigned during 2023-2024

Not applicable

MOORFIELD PRIMARY SCHOOL GOVERNING BODY – REGISTER OF BUSINESS INTERESTS

Business interests were updated on 4th October 2024 - one Governor was absent and these will be signed at the next meeting and then uploaded to the website.

One Governor was absent from the meeting and will sign at the next meeting. 

Signed Declarations of Pecuniary and Personal Interest are held in the Governors file in the school office. These are reviewed at each Full Governor's meeting.

GOVERNOR’S ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS – ACADEMIC YEAR 2024-2025

AUTUMN TERM MEETING 4th October 2024

• CLAIRE LINDSAY - CHAIR
• ANDY HUTCHINSON - VICE CHAIR
• Clerk to Governors - Sue Hedges in attendance
• OLIVER STOKES
• IAN BUSSEY
• MIKE TRANTER
• CLAIRE HILL
• Dawn Smith, Assistant Head (observer)

Apologies

Michelle Taylor -work committment

SPRING TERM MEETING 25TH JANUARY 2024

In attendance

Claire Lindsay - Chair of Governors

Clerk to Governors Sue Hedges

Oliver Stokes

Mike Tranter

Michelle Taylor

Oliver Stokes

Ian Bussey

Claire Hill

Dawn Smith - (observer)

Apologies - Andy Hutchinson (Vice Chair)

COMMITTEES 2024-2025

Business Management Working Group

• Mike Tranter - Chair
• Claire Lindsay
• Ian Bussey
• Claire Hill
• Clerk - Sue Hedges

Curriculum Working Group

• Andy Hutchinson - Chair
• Oliver Stokes
• Ian Bussey
• Michelle Taylor
• Chris Clulow
• Dawn Smith - observer
• Clerk Sue Hedges

Staff of the school are invited to this meeting to talk about curriculum items on the Agenda

Clerk to Governors and Committees - Sue Hedges

email sue.hedges@taw.org.uk with any Governance Queries

Annual Governance Statement 

Moorfield Governing Body Sept 2023 Annual Governance Statement (2022-2023).

This annual statement from Governors to parents is organised around the three core objectives of the Governing Body, these being the focus of the Governing Body.

1. Setting the strategic direction of the school.
2. Holding the school to account.
3. Over seeing Financial Performance

As the school year progressed, targets and priorities changed to the reflect the needs of our pupils.

This year the governing board have continued with the use of two key working groups - the Business Management Working Group and the Curriculum Working Group. These groups work closely with the Senior Leadership Team, the Head Teacher and subject lead teachers, to monitor the priorities of the School Improvement Program.  Each group occurs once a term and feed into the main governing body meeting, which also meet termly. The governors have reviewed this way of working and wish to continue to do so; it works well and enables the board to carry out its duties effectively.

This year the chair has continued to meet regularly with the Head Teacher  and our link governors have met with appropriate leads. Training has been completed as appropriate.

2022/2023 has seen the return of all school trips since the pandemic.  These trips enable the children to develop their social skills and give the children wider experiences that the classroom can’t give, underpinning our ethos and values. As the school year progressed, targets and priorities changed to the reflect the needs of our pupils.  The children and staff have remained at the forefront of our decisions as we endeavour to provide the best educational environment we can.  

We have also seen the reintroduction of the child safeguarding board.

Strategic direction

The school leadership team is working hard to prioritise the direction for the school.  The SLT continue to meet regularly, not only with each other, but also with other staff members.  This helps to identify pupils who need extra support and provide the necessary invention to facilitate their learning.  Staff have completed Raising Attainment of Disadvantage Youngsters training, which ensures there is equality for disadvantage pupils and helps improve provision for these children.

Read Write Inc is now well embedded with the staff, children and parents within the infants feedback has been positive and we are seeing improvement in the reading from an early age.

As we move forward in 2023/24 the school will continue to build on the progress and develop how foundation subjects (art, history, IT etc) are taught. There have had several ‘deep dives’ to facilitate further progressing these subjects.

Governors have continued to visit school and undertaken some learning walks and discussion with the children and staff.  We have attended the local residential trip to Edgmond and have attended parents evening to engaged with our families to consult and seek their views. 

Holding the school to account

We have continued to review and update school policies to ensure the school remains compliant with statutory requirements.  The head has continued to monitor the health and wellbeing of all staff.  We have continued to challenge the school leaders; regularly reviewing pupil performance data (at full governors’ meetings), monitoring progress on the school development plan (from the termly headteacher report) and asking relevant and challenging questions of all key decisions. 

Financial wellbeing

As a governing body we approved the finance budget which agreed to a range of spending on both staff training and purchases aimed at further improving school environment and overall educational provision.  Whilst expenses have risen this year the financial well-being of the school continues to be strong.  Working with the senior leadership team and business manager we ensure the finances of the school are regularly reviewed and challenged. The governing board are confident that resources are effectively used, and funding efficiently spent. We continued to monitor and review the way Pupil Premium money is spent, focusing on the needs of individual children.