Garland Junior School

Governor perspective on 2020 - 2021

As this new school year starts it’s a good time to reflect on the previous couple of years. The last 18 months have made society do things in different ways in order to adapt, and whilst some of those ways will be gladly stopped, there will be some that continue. 

As a board we will certainly be looking to improve our use of technology and retain some of the practices we have brought in, for example sometimes continuing to meet via Teams to support a better work life balance and retaining our better use of IT. We will certainly be challenging the school to develop any best practices that have emerged during lockdown rather than simply going back to the way that things were always done.

The governing board have continued to meet remotely over Microsoft Teams throughout this time to support and monitor decisions being made by the Senior Leadership Team (SLT).

As a governing board, we have been incredibly impressed with the way the school has responded to the changing circumstances and how staff have embraced and become competent at using tools such as Microsoft Teams to conduct lessons remotely. It’s a huge testament to all the staff that during the lockdowns all pupils had access to live lessons and the same timetable they would have had if they had been in school. Garlandl also supported other schools in helping them to build their skills in this area.

This has been made possible by the dedication of all staff and leadership within the school.

As the governors form part of the leadership of the school, we work together with the leadership team to strategize, plan, monitor and support every aspect of the school's work. This happens through regular meetings of the governing board, liaison with the Headteacher and other leaders, and governor visits during the school day.  Full details of attendance at governing board meetings are given on the 'meet the governors' page.

Effectiveness and Impact

An important part of being a governor is the continual assessment of how effective the board is and what impact it is having on the school's performance. We have undertaken detailed reviews of the board and use this feedback to change things where needed.

Over the last school year we have reviewed our skills and structure to ensure we have the correct capability to govern successfully in the future. This has led to all governors undertaking additional training on how best to challenge strategic issues. This is vital as the governing board membership continues to evolve with new governors joining us as old hands move on. We have recently welcomed a new governor who has quickly become a valued team member. All governors are expected to attend regular training relevant to their specific role and to attend at least two of our termly governor open days to see the school in action and understand how the school works in practice. For obvious reasons our sessions did not take place this year but now that COVID restrictions are easing, we hope that governors can be in school more often.

The Finance, Personnel and Resources committee meets separately to overview the financial picture in detail. In addition, we have three committees that meet as required, covering Pay, Complaints, Grievances and Appeals and Headteachers Performance. Minutes from our Full Governing Board meetings and Finance meetings are available on request from the school office.

Garland maintains a plan of action to to ensure delivery of the vision which is shared with the governors on a regular basis. It is our responsibility to question the school on its priorities, targets and plans and to set objectives for the Headteacher to ensure that these are delivered. At each meeting of the governors, progress against the plan is discussed, including the impact of actions and how any shortfalls in progress will be addressed.

Governors have also continued to be  involved in the project to convert the former caretaker's bungalow into a dedicated space suitable for small group working and other interventions, together with providing a dedicated space for the breakfast and after school club, Fun Zone. Involvement here will continue during the final phases and we will closely monitor the impact the new facilitles have.

Governors closely monitor safeguarding to ensure the school is a safe environment for all. We have a dedicated governor specialising in this vital area who provides us with regular up-dates and completes an annual safeguarding audit to ensure that the school remains a safe environment for the children.

We also take a keen interest in provision for Service children and Pupil Premium children and keep a close eye on how the Pupil Premium and Sports Premium budgets are spent. Over the year, governors have challenged firmly on these areas and will continue to closely monitor the outcomes that such spend delivers.

Governor Recruitment

We are currently recruiting governors to ensure we can cover all areas as proficiently as possible. As mentioned above, an active training programme is in place which will further enhance our individual skills and the effectiveness of the governing board as a whole. 

In conclusion, the governors are delighted to report that the school is continuing to build on the excellent foundations already laid, and we look forward to many future successes in the years to come.

If you, or anyone you know, is interested in becoming a school governor, or have any questions about us, then please contact us via the school office.

Jason Chamberlin, Chair of Governors