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Welcome To Wirral

Wirral Governors' Forum

Welcome to the Wirral Governors' Forum.

Roles & Responsibilities of the Designated Teacher for Looked After Children - Statutory Guidance for School Governors

Contact Information

Contact(s): Mrs Jane Owens - Chair of Wirral Governors’ Forum.
Email: jane@cassowens.freeserve.co.uk

 

Forthcoming Meetings

Link Representatives’ Meeting

4 March 2010, 7.00 pm, Professional Excellence Centre, Acre Lane, Bromborough.
8 July 2010, 7.00 pm, Professional Excellence Centre, Acre Lane, Bromborough.

Executive Committee meetings are held 6.00 – 7.00 pm prior to the above meetings.


News & Events

The documents improving LAC Attainment in secondary schools and Roles and Responsibilities of the Designated Teacher are intended to help governors and designated teachers understand the role of the governing body and the role of the designated teacher within the school. As schools implement the guidance they may find the pages on developing good practice particularly useful as there is a checklist of relevent questions to be asked. Statutory Instrument No. 1538 Child and Young Persons (England) Regs are also included.

Guidance for Schools regarding the attainment of looked after children in primary schools
Guidance for Schools regarding the Attainment of Looked After Young People in Secondary Schools

Guidance for Governing Bodies regarding the Role and Responsibilities of the Designated Teacher for Looked After Children

Governors' Briefing Note - Extended Services

NATIONAL SCHOOL SURVEY - WIRRAL IN TOP 25%

The National School Survey has been produced. The school survey is a collaborative tool developed by the Audit Commission in partnership with Ofsted, Estyn, the Wales Audit Office, councils, headteacher and governor associations. The primary purpose of the school survey is to act as a source of evidence about schools’ perceptions of the support they receive from their council and the services provided locally for children and young people.

In the autumn term following each national survey, the Audit Commission produces a series of analysis reports for each participating local authority. The reports compare their schools’ responses with the average (and the top and bottom quartile for England or Wales or with the average for their statistical neighbours). The reports also include comparisons with the last survey and between primary and secondary schools.

Analysis of the survey through the ‘top 25%’ analysis can identify top rated Councils in each of the 5 Every Child Matters Outcome areas. The Audit Commission provide an online guide to the councils given the highest ratings by their schools for each question in the survey, which should help to identify areas of good practice across England and Wales.

Evaluating this top 25% analysis Wirral features in the top 25% for 48 out of 63 questions. When reviewing other local authorities performance in regard to inclusion in the top 25% Wirral is ranked 7th overall in relation to 25% analysis.

Schools and governing bodies obviously rate Governor Support highly, as we came just higher than the national average. We received a 2 marginally below 1 in the ratings last year, so my question to governors is - How can we improve our service to you? Please let me have your thoughts and ideas on this question and we will endeavour to continue to offer all of our schools and governing bodies the best possible service.

To find out more about the survey:
http://www.audit-commission.gov.uk/localgov/audit/childrenandyoungpeople/schoolsurvey/pages/default.aspx

Wirral Governors' Forum - DCSF logo

Information for Local Authorities from the DCSF

The School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009 will come into force on 2 November 2009 to replace the School Staffing (England) Regulations 2003. Local authorities will need to make themselves familiar with the legislation so that they can apply the new regulations from 2 November. To view the regulations, visit the Office of Public Sector Information website

The regulations introduce a duty on the governing body to ensure that the headteacher complies with and benefits from entitlements laid out in the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document

They also place a duty on the governing body to respect the work life balance of the headteacher and require that at least one person involved in the recruitment of school staff has undertaken safer recruitment training. Other amendments remove minor inconsistencies, and clarify the intention of some of the regulations

Building a 21st century schools system
With the publication of the White Paper 'Your child, your schools, our future: building a 21st century schools system', Ed Balls has set out his plans to transform our schools sytems to meet the challenges of the 21st century. There is also a letter to governors reinforcing the key proposals, which may already have been forwarded to you by your headteacher.

SAFER RECRUITMENT – NCSL ON-LINE TRAINING

It seems likely that the school Staffing (England) (Consolidation) Regulations 2009, which should come into force on 2 November 2009, will make it mandatory for every governing body to ensure that at least one member of any selection panel appointing employees to a maintained school has completed the “Safer Recruitment” training.

This requirement is likely to take effect from 1 January 2010.

Until 15 September 2009, ONLY, it will be possible to register for on-line training on the NCSL website to complete the training by 15th October 2009.

The on-line training will be available once more, from 1 November 2009, on the Children’s Workforce Development Council website. From this date registration will no longer be limited to the Headteacher and one governor from each school, but it will be possible for other members of staff and governors to register to access the training.

“Safer Recruitment Training” is defined a training provided by a person approved by the secretary of state for the purpose of ensuring that those who undertake it know how to take proper account of the need to safeguard children when recruiting staff. At the present time this means the on-line training package that was produced by NCSL or the equivalent face to face training package delivered by a person who has undergone the necessary training.

Improving Economy and Efficiency in Schools

TES Recuitment Workshops 2009/2010

Disability Rights Commision

Disability Issues Radio Program

Safer Recruitment Training
 Chair of Governors Letter 18th Feb 09
Annex A CGOS Letter
Annex B COGS Letter 


Information for School Governors regarding Gifted and Talented Education www.nace.co.uk/


Agendas


Minutes

Reports

Older information can be downloaded from the archive area in the related links

Reports


Termly Papers

 

Food Policy in Schools - A Strategic Policy Framework for School Governing Bodies, Catering and Food Procurement Supplement

The NGA in partnership with the Department for Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published a supplement to the NGA/FSA Food Policy in Schools - a strategic policy framework for school governing bodies. The main food policy document guided governing bodies through the process of developing a whole school food policy and the issues to consider on each aspect of school food. The supplement advises governors on how to produce whole school policy statements to promote healthy food and improve sustainability and efficiency in their procurement of food and provision of catering services. The document has separate sections covering: Defra's Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative, Sustainable Schools, the Year of Food and Farming and Growing Schools. The final section provides information and links to further guidance and resources.

The document is available to download from the publications (guidance) section of the NGA website - http://www.nga.org.uk/gdncedocs.aspx

The main Food Policy Document can also be downloaded from the NGA website or ordered in hard copy from the NGA office.

Newsletters

Attached is a copy of the latest Governor Briefing prepared by NCPTA. The NCPTA provide events and offer support and guidance on good practice within PTAs and update them on the latest legal situation or requirements that impact upon the work of PTAs. Full details of where the events are can be found on www.ncpta.org.uk under regional events.

Currently in the North West there are just under 50% of PTAs in membership and enjoying the benefits that membership brings. The NCPTA are actively seeking new members all the time and encouraging members and non members alike to access the support available.

For further information email: karen.wood@ncpta.org.uk

The Wirral Governors' Forum is affiliated to the National Governors' Association.
www.nga.org.uk

 

Constitution

Role of Wirral Governors’ Forum
Role of Link Representatives

Spring
Spring 2007 Newsletter

Summer

Autumn

Performance Management Forms
 Performance Management - Reports to Governors
Process and Timings - Timeline for Agreeing the Planning Meeting Statement
 Draft Revised Professional Standards for Teachers in England


Legal Expertise
The Legal experties content provides the answers to the latest education question.
The site is available at http://www.teachingexpertise.com/e-bulletins/legal-expertise

See Also