Annual Statement

Governors Annual Statement 2015-2016

The governors have focussed on the following key areas during the year from September 2015 to August 2016:

• Special attention has been paid to the quality of teaching across the key stages with regular data from lesson observations indicating continued high quality over the last two years maintaining of performance despite staff changes.
• Governors have been concerned to ensure appropriate management of changes to national assessments of attainment and progress. Governors have received briefings on the school’s development strategy in this area and evidence from senior staff and our Local Authority partner (LLP) indicates that the new assessment arrangements are bedding in well.
• In response to a request from the Diocese the governors have been exploring the potential in becoming an Academy. Following research into this, representatives from the governors met with those form other local Catholic schools to begin negotiations leading towards a Multi Academy Trust. We are currently awaiting further guidance from the Diocese.
• Recruiting and retraining well qualified and highly motivated staff continues to be a key concern. Close contact between the Chair of Governors and the Headteacher, together with the oversight provided by the Personnel and Pay Committee has ensured that the school has continued to be well served in this area and has been able to maintain provision and standards during periods of staff mobility and recruitment difficulties.
• The Catholic ethos of the school provides the context within which the community functions. The governors continue to monitor various activities within the school through personal visits and are always interested in the action taken in the school to maintain this critical dimension. The Headteacher reports regularly to the governors on relevant elements of the school’s life and governors remain confident that this aspect of the school’s work and witness is of a high standard.
• Governors are committed to improving school facilities within the constraints of available resources. The Finance and Buildings Committee keep capital expenditure in mind and ensure that necessary repairs and improvements are carried out.  Changes to the extended school facilities have created additional space for Shamrocks breakfast and after school club and improved the wrap around experience for children and parents. Health and safety remains a high priority and one that the governors are confident is taken seriously across the school.