Governors' Report to Parents
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Radnor Valley CP Primary School Ysgol Dyffryn Maesyfed 2012-13 Governors’ Report to Parents 1 INTRODUCTION FROM THE CHAIR GOVERNORS ROLE TERM Welcome to the Annual Report from Governors 2012/13. It has been another busy year Lea Representatives at Radnor Valley, with many great accomplishments by our pupils, which we’re pleased Councillor M J Jones Finance, Attendance, Disciplinary Aug 2008 - Aug 2012 to provide a snapshot of within this report. Thanks to everyone who has contributed. (Staff), Governor Training, Staff Appeals, Eco Schools My thanks must go to all the staff for their hard work throughout the year, especially Mr N Dinsdale (Vice Chair) Transition, Welsh Language, Health Dec 2010 - Dec 2014 to Mrs Meredith for her hard work in the role of Acting Headteacher for another & Safety, Assessment, Curriculum year before her retirement at the end of the summer term. The positive result of our recent Numeracy Review (June 2013) is testament to the commitment, dedication Minor Authority Governor and consistent approach with which the whole staff team carry out thier work. From Councillor T Brown / Councillor Curriculum Jan 2013 - Jan 2017 September 2013 Mrs Beck will take on the role of Acting Headteacher, leading the Jennifer Hodge school forward for another year, and we look forward to welcoming Mr Jarman as the Community links, Equality & Diversity new Class 4 teacher. Parent Governors My thanks must also go to all the Governors and parents for their hard work and Mr G Pugh Foundation Phase, Pupil Discipline, Nov 2012 - Nov 2016 PE, Healthy Schools invaluable support towards every aspect of school life. We are a very lucky school to have such great community support enriching the opportunities available to our pupils. Mrs P Dixon (Chair) HR, Additional Learning Needs, Jan 2012 - Jan 2016 Special Educational Needs, Performance Management, As a Governing body we have continued to improve our understanding of structures and systems within the school. We regularly review the school’s data and tracking Mr Andrew Morris / Mr Richard Curriculum Harris systems, sharing these at Governors meetings alongside contributing to the overall School Implementation Plan. As we continue with this in 2013-14, we will also look Co-opted Governors at revising the school prospectus. Ms M Cobbett Perfomance Management, Feb 2011 - Feb 2015 Curriculum The past year also saw us say goodbye to Andrew Morris, our long serving Governor with responsibility for ‘all things maintenance’ and to Tim Brown, our Minor Authority Governor Mr H Jones Curriculum Nov 2009 - Nov 2013 who moved away from the village in the Spring. In their place we’re pleased to welcome Teaching Staff Governors both Richard Harris (Parent Governor) and Jennifer Hodge (Minor Authority Governor). Mrs M Meredith (Acting This year has seen no significant developments around Powys’ School Modernisation Headteacher) proposals for the primary schools, with no further proposals since the consultation Mrs J Curtis Sept 2012 - Sept 2016 around possible federation of Radnor Valley and Gladestry Schools. We will keep parents informed of any further developments. Non-teaching staff Governors Mrs S J Jones Nov 2009 - Nov 2013 Please take the time to read through the report and bring any questions or comments you have to the Parents Annual Meeting with Governors on Wednesday 6th Clerk to the Governors November 6:30pm at Radnor Valley School. The Friends of RVS AGM will continue Mrs J Lowe from Sept 2012 on straight after this meeting and all parents are welcome at both. We have chosen to run both meetings on the same night to try to cut down the demands on parents’ time in the evenings. PHILIPPA DIXON, CHAIR OF GOVERNORS 2 3 FINANCE Based on 81 pupils: Total delegated funds 303,532 Net expenditure 300,275 Planned under spend 3,257 Under spend brought forward 23,954 Under spend carried forward 27,210 PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT The Headteacher’s performance management review took place in November 2012. All areas were awarded either good or excellent with the over-riding conclusion Eco Fair 2012-13 being that the school is moving from strength to strength. Targets for the coming year to November 2013 were: POWYS COUNTY COUNCIL NUMERACY • To raise standards in Literacy REVIEW • To further enhance opportunities given to more able During the Summer term Powys County Council carried and talented children in maths. out a Numeracy Review of our school. The Governors are again delighted to announce that the school was • To further enhance Governors involvement in school judged to be performing above average in relation self-evaluation through more direct involvement in the to our ‘family of schools’(those of similar size and life of school characteristic), Powys and Wales as a whole. It was noted that it would be useful for the acting head- Standards were judged to be “good with many elements teacher to have more non-contact time to fulfill HT duties. of excellence”. This was, in part, due to the school’s approach to developing our more able and talented In January Phillipa Dixon (Chair) attended training around pupils. Attainment in KS2 at Radnor Valley now sits the updated Performance Management process. in the top quartile for Maths Science and English. The next review will take place with Mrs Beck at the end Very well done to all the staff for developing and of November 2013. MC maintaining such high standards of teaching and learning and to our pupils for their whole-hearted participation and determination to succeed. MC 4 5 CHILD PROTECTION SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL Mrs Meredith was the identified Child NEEDS (SEN) Protection Officer (CPO) for the school and Here at Radnor Valley School we KS2: was the first point of contact for all school endeavour to offer every pupil the One pupil on ‘School Action’, three staff with any concerns relating to child support and help they need to enable on ‘School Action Plus’, two with a protection. All staff and several governors them to reach their full potential. ‘Statement of Special Educational have undergone Safeguarding training and Each pupil is monitored throughout Needs’ and nine in a basic skills Mrs Beck will take on the role of CPO from the year to assess weather any extra catch up group. September 2013. support is required and parents are Basic skills catch up groups run kept informed of any changes. The child protection policy document catch up programmes in numeracy (underpinned by the Children Act 1989 and Foundation Phase: and literacy, tailored to the guidance from the local Safeguarding Children One pupil on ‘Early Years Action’,two child’s individual needs. Board) is the point of reference for all matters on ‘Early Years Action Plus’ and six PD relating to child protection. The document in a basic skills catch up group. is updated as appropriate and is held in the school office. During this year there was only one incident reported to Governors regarding safeguarding ASSESSMENT and Governors were completely satisfied that staff had dealt with it in the correct manner. Teachers are continuing to use Teacher Assessment results in PD the online tracking system ‘Incerts’ Personal and Social Development, to track each child’s individual Language and Mathematical progress. Incerts gives a live review Development for pupils in Year 2, ATTENDANCE of attainment across the school and and in English, Welsh, Maths and makes clear the particular strengths Science for Year 6, were reported Governors are required to monitor and report and weaknesses of individuals and to parents and the Local Authority. on school attendance, both authorised and groups. Cluster school staff from Years 6 and unauthorised. Our thanks go to you, as 7 met to moderate pupils’ work in Use is also made of assessment parents, for helping us exceed our 2012/13 English, Welsh, Maths and Science. target of 94.5%, with an attainment of 95.39% tools in Mathematics and English attendance. Together, however, we will need developed by the National Target Setting to keep working towards an even higher Foundation for Educational Research. Governors are responsible for setting targets for pupil achievement at the goal in the coming year, particularly as we Reading and Numeracy Tests were end of KS2 in English, Maths and understand that Estyn and the Welsh Assembly introduced this year for Years 2-6 Science. Targets are reviewed each Government will be scrutinising this area ever by the Welsh Government and December. more closely. parents were informed of children’s The school’s attendance target for 2013/14 has attainment. RB been set at 95.5% Class1‘Titanic’ 6 7 HEALTH AND SAFETY Staff received training on the new fire alarm and smoke detector system and in the use of fire extinguishers. The fire alarm systems are regularly tested and school fire drills have been held. All staff attended training in Child Protection at Foundation level. There have been continuing problems with the drains from the junior toilets, especially after heavy rainfall. The Governors are seeking redress from Powys County Council over this issue. A broken fence around the school field was fixed and boundaries to the school were checked. An inspection for Legionella was also carried out by Powys Council resulting in a positive outcome. Risk assessments are in place for all trips and visits and can be requested prior to the event. NJD MAINTENANCE We are extremely lucky to have two very dedicated cleaners in Mim and Maria at the school and thank them for ensuring that every aspect of the school is cleaned daily, as well as for the extra ‘deep clean’ which they carry out during the summer break. A Knight’s Protection 8 9 WELSH LANGUAGE MORE ABLE AND Mrs Ellison, our peripatetic Welsh Language TALENTED teacher, has taught one lesson a week At any one time, Radnor Valley In addition to extension activities to every class over the year.