Chesham, Amersham, Wendover and Great Missenden Chairs Group Meeting

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The Chesham, Amersham, Wendover, Great Missenden chairs group has not met for several years so it is time we met up again. I have scheduled a meeting on MS Teams for 7pm to 9pm on 17 February. If you are a chair or vice-chair please do take this opportunity to discuss challenges and share solutions with fellow chairs.
 
Topics that are likely to be relevant at the moment are:
 
1. Staying Strategic in current times
2. Wellbeing of staff
3. Supporting the headteacher (including their wellbeing)
4. Energising the Governing Body (especially newly appointed Governors)
5. Remote Education
6. Closing the disadvantaged gap
7. Ofsted
8. Staff and pupil Covid testing
Do contact me on abrown1@chacademy.co.uk to let me know:
 
– if you expect to attend with the topic(s) that are most of interest to discuss
– have something specific to contribute or have a particular concern to raise
– have something else you want added to the list
 
I look forward to talking with you on 17 February.
 
Chesham and District Chairs Meeting: Click here to join the meeting

BASG and Buckinghamshire Supporting Information and Agenda Areas for the Spring Term

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Sent on behalf of Paul Randall, Chair and Anne Sheddick, Vice Chair of the BASG

Dear colleagues,

As I discussed at last week’s Briefings BASG and Buckinghamshire Council have been working on a suggested agenda and information sheet, to support your work as governing boards during the Spring Term, whilst trying to stay up to date with current information. The DfE had even updated guidance late on Friday!

We have taken a slightly different approach to providing support for Governing Board agenda items this term, and we are aware that the attached document is extensive, but we have based it on current information provided by the LA, NGA, The Key and the DfE. It is intended to be an option to support your work as Boards throughout the term and it is not being suggested that you try and cover all aspects in one meeting.

We anticipate that Chairs, Heads and Clerk’s will liaise with each other to select the items relevant for their specific meeting agendas throughout the term.

Dependant on your own board’s governance structures, work carried out between meetings by designated governors, can then be reported back during the term, according to the need and individual school priorities.

BASG continue to remain an independent and voluntary run organisation to support all governors across Buckinghamshire and hope that you find the attached information supportive.

BASG & BC Spring Term 2021 Agenda and Information__ FV

Kind regards,

Paul Randall Chair of Buckinghamshire Association of School Governors

Anne Sheddick Vice Chair of Buckinghamshire Association of School Governors

Unredeemed Helping Hand Winter Grant vouchers

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SENT FROM GARETH DRAWMER, HEAD OF ACHIEVEMENT AND LEARNING

Dear Colleagues,

Thank you for your support for the Helping Hand Winter Grant scheme and for the efficient way that schools across the county enabled us to send vouchers to eligible pupils and their families quickly and effectively over the last week of term. Your work really supported a significant number of families who were struggling over Christmas.

Working with the voucher provider we can see that not all voucher codes have been redeemed by families ready for use in a supermarket.  We want to make sure that as many families as possible benefit from the vouchers provided, and are asking you to support with this.  We have sent you a spreadsheet in AnyComms Plus which shows all the vouchers issued through your school which, according to our records, haven’t been activated.

We know that this is an exceptionally busy time, but we would be grateful if you could download the file from AnyComms, make contact with the families who have not yet got their supermarket voucher and provide them with a second copy of the letter containing the voucher code as a reminder for them to redeem it.  All of the letters are still available on AnyComms Plus – please look under the Previously Downloaded tab in the Download section.  Within the letter, there are details of what to do if the parent or carer is experiencing problems redeeming the voucher. As a reminder for you, please ask them to complete the online contact form at www.select-your-reward.co.uk/ContactUs. They can also call the voucher customer service team on 0344 693 9901, open 8am – 8pm Monday to Saturday and 9am – 6pm on Sunday.

Alternatively if parents/carers aren’t able to activate the code themselves because they can’t get online, then you can activate the voucher for them by going to www.buckinghamshirecouncil.select-your-reward.co.uk and entering the voucher code.  You will be able to select the supermarket option preferred by the family and provide a paper copy of the voucher which they can use in store.

We recognise that this is an extra piece of work at a time when resources are already stretched, and we apologise for that, however we are very keen to ensure that as much of the Winter Grant fund as possible reaches the people that it was intended for.

Thank you once again for your support,

Gareth Drawmer

Head of Achievement and Learning

Governor Training Available Spring 2021

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Dear Colleagues,

We have new online training sessions available for Governors in January and February 2021. Please see the links below to register via Eventbrite:

Managing Allegations, Wednesday 27th January, 6.30pm

PREVENT Duty, Tuesday 2nd February, 7pm

Both sessions will be conducted using MS Teams.

Hazel David

School Improvement Team

Children’s Services

Buckinghamshire Council

4th Floor, County Hall

Walton Street

Aylesbury,

HP20 1UZ

 

For COVID-19 updates visit: https://schoolsweb.buckscc.gov.uk/covid-19-corona-virus-latest-advice/

BASG – AGM with Emma Knight OBE Chief Executive of the NGA

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We are delighted to invite all school governors, school leaders and clerks to join us at our AGM

This will be held on Thursday 14th January 2021 at 5pm.

The AGM will be held virtually. Information on how to join the event and the meeting etiquette will be sent to you one week prior to the event.

Tickets are available via Eventbrite

Special guest and speaker Emma Knights OBE Chief Executive of the NGA

Emma Knights, OBE Chief executive of the National Governance Association

Emma leads the organisation under the direction of NGA’s board of trustees.

As chief executive of the National Governance Association (NGA), Emma Knights leads the charity to fulfil its aim of improving the educational standards and wellbeing of young people by increasing the effectiveness of governing boards in maintained schools and academy trusts and oversees the day-to-day operations of the organisation.

Emma promotes the interests of the school governance community and amplifies the voice of NGA’s members at a national level with legislators, policymakers, education sector organisations and in the media.

Emma is an accomplished writer and speaker on a range of school governance policy and practice topics, and has a particular interest in vision, culture and strategy; accountability; stakeholder engagement; disadvantage; ethical leadership; and diversity and inclusion. Emma is co-author of The Chair’s Handbook and NGA’s Moving MATs Forward: the power of governance report. Prior to joining NGA in 2010, Emma was joint CEO of the Daycare Trust and before that, worked in a number of roles in the voluntary sector. She was a governor at a secondary school in Warwickshire for eight years.

Working across the education sector, Emma has recently participated in the Department for Education’s headteacher standards review group, NAHT’s accountability commission, the Department for Education’s flexible working advisory group, and the Ethical Leadership Commission, and has previously sat on the Commission on Religious Education and the Knowsley Education Commission.

Under Emma’s leadership since 2010, NGA has grown to become the leading expert charity for guidance, research, advice and training for school governors, trustees and clerks, with over 40 staff and a strong presence in the education sector

AGM Timings are:

17.00 – 17.30 – AGM

17.30 – 18.00 – Guest Speaker – Emma Knights

18.00 – 18.15 – Questions for Emma Knights

Covid management update

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Sent on Behalf of Gareth Drawmer, Head of Service Achievement & Learning

 Dear Colleagues,

We are coming to the end of what has felt like a very long term. Everyone has had to manage the day to day complications of a school with significant Covid restrictions, and the vast majority of schools have had to make some very difficult decisions regarding the closure of bubbles, or in some case the whole school. We recognise the complexities that this term has meant for school leaders and the pressure that all of this has placed on you. We cannot thank you enough for your professionalism and careful consideration of the issues when making decisions that affect children and families.

Unfortunately, we are still seeing a significant number of cases across schools in Buckinghamshire with our highest number of schools needing to close yesterday. Even with the first people receiving the vaccine today, we have a long way ahead before life moves closer to normality, please continue your current strong monitoring of the staff and student populations and manage potential cases and individuals who have tested positively both sensitively and robustly. If you have to close down bubbles or even the whole school then we would ask that you refer to this as a move to remote learning rather than labelling it as a closure. Whilst the school buildings may be closed, you and your staff are still providing education to the children and this better articulates this to parents. When you take a move like this it is important for you that you have discussed this with public health as this provides you with a strong rebuttal if there is a challenge from parents. We also ask that you have a discussion with the Local Authority if you are making a decision to move the whole school to remote learning or if you have a substantial number of students who will have to stay at home. We will help you to sense check your thought processes and can give you a wider view based on our experience of other schools’ actions.

Throughout the pandemic, schools have supported children of keyworkers and vulnerable children very well, and we would ask that you continue to consider these children in your planning for moves to remote learning and where appropriate that they maintain a physical presence in your school. Where these pupils need to work at home, please maintain a high level of contact to ensure that they have the ability to access the learning, are engaging with it and are safe and secure. We all know that for many children, the approach of the holidays can be a period of acute anxiety and I know that this will be reflected in your thinking.

I hope that the last two weeks of term are manageable for yourselves and your staff, please contact us via the SIS mailbox or myself directly if there is anything that we can do to help.

Warm regards,

Gareth

Gareth Drawmer

Head of Service

Achievement & Learning

Closing the Gap in Bucks Workshop – Register now!

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Closing the Gap in Bucks Workshop Dec 2020 Agenda

Closing the Gap Workshop Letter

Dear Colleagues,

Following on from the conference held in November, we are pleased to invite all Headteachers and Chairs of Governors to a workshop on Friday 11th December 2020, 1pm – 3pm.  The focus will again be Closing the Gap in educational attainment for vulnerable children, specifically Culture.

Attached is a letter from Gareth Drawmer which provides more information, as well as the agenda, which features Marc Rowland (Education Endowment Fund) and Sarah Soyei (Equaliteach).

Please register on Eventbrite by following the link here: closing-the-gap-in-bucks-culture-workshop-tickets The workshop is online using MS Teams.

Any problems with registration, please contact me directly.

Kind regards,

Hazel

Hazel David

School Improvement Team

Children’s Services

Buckinghamshire Council

4th Floor, County Hall

Walton Street

Aylesbury,

HP20 1UZ

DfE School Governance Update December 2020

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Welcome to the December 2020 edition of the DfE’s school governance update, where you will find key announcements and information to support you in your governance role.

For this edition we have created one version to cover both maintained schools and academy trusts– the articles are listed below for information.

Introduction
1) Governing and trust boards role and meetings during coronavirus (COVID-19)
2) (Academy trusts only): View my financial insights (VMFI) tool update is now live and available to academy trustees
3) Diverse Governance Webcast Series
4) Efficiency savings with Teaching Vacancies services
5) ‘Something’s Not Right’ Home Office campaign
6) Get funding and support to set up a digital education platform
7) Information about the transition from the European Union for schools and academy trusts

Here is the link to the page:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-governance-update/school-governance-update-december-2020?utm_source=GU&utm_medium=Not&utm_campaign=Dec

If you would like to provide us with any further feedback on the content or format of this update please email: schoolgovernance.update@education.gov.uk.

Thank you,

School Governance Unit

Department for Education

BASG Executive Minutes 09.11.2020

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Meeting: BASG EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

 
Date & Time: 9 November 2020 at 18.00 hours

 
Location: Virtual meeting through Zoom

 
Present:

 

 

 

Apologies:

 Paul Randall (Chair), Anne Sheddick (Vice Chair), Maggi Bull,

Joanne Marchant, Gwyneth Langley, Peter Learner, Bernadette Allison (Secretary)

 

 

Jo Pearce joined the meeting at 18.25

 

 

   

Agenda Subject

    

Action
 

1.

  

Apologies for absence

 

  

None

  
 

2.

  

Notification of any other business

 

  

 

  
 

3.

  

Declaration of interest

 

  

Maggi Bull – Chair of NGA

Gwyneth Langley – BEP

  
 

4.

  

Approval of minutes from the meeting held on 12.10.2020

 

  

Matters arising within the minutes including follow up actions are covered within the agenda.

 

Minutes approved.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 
 

5.

 

 

  

Membership

 

  

New members to join BASG Executive Committee – PR intends to follow up with governors who expressed an interest at the last AGM.

 

  

PR

 

 

 

 

 
 

6.

  

BEP update

 

BASG wish to ensure that concerns and questions raised by governors are being fed back into to the communication network within Bucks.

 

GL highlighted the following matters which have been raised most recently by governors:

·         Challenge of Governor visits to schools during the present pandemic

·         Ongoing Training

·         Child Protection Policy not being updated by BC

·         Completion of SFVS by 31.12.2020

 

The group was reminded that there is a BEP Chair’s briefing (for all Chairs with or without training membership) on 13.11.2020 from 9.30-11.30

BEP will mention BASG events at the briefing and for governors interested in joining Executive Committee to contact Chair (PR)

 

PR and MB will follow up on the review of policies within BC

 

PL requested that a short paper be prepared to explain what the issues are and any consequences with a relevant timeline.

This will then be reviewed in the light of future Consultative Board meetings.

 

JP joined the meeting at 18.25

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PR/MG-to follow up

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

7.

  

Schools

 

Discussion took place regarding the difficulties for schools to manage when half a class is isolating and the staffing issue of who teaches the other half of the class while the teacher is isolating.

 

COVID19 tests kits are being replenished in schools.

Teachers in maintained schools are being prioritized for testing.

 

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are carrying out spot checks in Buckinghamshire Schools with one week’s notice. The focus is on the Risk Assessments used for opening schools. They are reporting on health and safety provisions during COVID for adults / workers at the School.

They look at the risk assessments for re-opening prior to the visit and then tour the school to see the safety measures ‘in action’.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

PR

 
 

8.

  

Networking groups

  

Aylesbury networking group

In an attempt to avoid a clash of dates with BASG, the Aylesbury networking group have delayed arranging a date for the next meeting.

 

Jordans networking group – met virtually on Saturday 7th November, 2020.

Discussion took place around Disadvantaged funding and how this is allocated across the authority. The group felt it was important to have transparency regarding this funding and the opportunity for open and honest discussion. The only purpose being to facilitate the best possible use of funds for the Disadvantaged. This is an on-going discussion within the authority.

Discussion also took place around the use of DSG money outside of Buckinghamshire.

This is also an on-going discussion.

 

No news on Chesham or Wendover Networking groups.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

9.

  

BASG events

  

BASG AGM – 14.01.2021 with Keynote speaker Emma Knights OBE (Chief Executive NGA)

 

In addition:

 

BASG Spotlight on Disadvantage with Sam Henson (Director of Policy and Information NGA) on either 30.11.2020 or 01.12.2020 tbc by PR.

 

  

PR/MB

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PR
 

10.

  

Communication with BC

  

PR continues to keep in regular contact with BC which continues to facilitate a positive and growing trust across the authority for the role and purpose of governors.

 

 

  

 

 

 

 
 

11

  

Consultative Board

  

As Chair of the Consultative Board, PL reported that he had a positive 1:1 introductory meeting with Simon James.

 

 

The next Consultative Board meeting will be held on 9th December, 2020.

 

  
 

12

  

AOB

  

School meals

AS expressed the need for clarification on what arrangements there are within BC for the funding of the increase in FSM.

 

  
 

 

 

  

Date and venue of next meeting

  

It was recommended that all meetings continue in the Autumn Term 2020 in a virtual format.

 

The date for the next meeting of the BASG Executive group TBC

 

Meeting closed at 19.34

 

  

 

Governor Training – Places still available

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Dear Colleagues,

We still have places available on the evening sessions as per the attached list.  Book your place using the Eventbrite link and you will receive a confirmation email. Apologies for having to cancel a couple of sessions but this has been unavoidable.

Governor training programme Nov 2020

All sessions are conducted using Teams, so please ensure the device you plan to use is compatible prior to the start of the session.  Once registered a link will be sent to you 24 hours before the session. If you do not receive the link contact me at schoolgovernance@buckinghamshire.gov.uk It is recommended you test the link before the session starts.

Some sessions have documentation to be sent out prior to or after the date, if you are not registered on Eventbrite you will not receive this information. Also, if we have to make changes to a session and you have not registered you will not be contacted.

We have not yet finalised any dates for the Spring term but will be in contact as soon as possible.

Regards,

Hazel

Hazel David

School Improvement Team

Children’s Services

Buckinghamshire Council

4th Floor, County Hall

Walton Street

Aylesbury,

HP20 1UZ

 

Hazel.David@buckinghamshire.gov.uk

For COVID-19 updates visit: https://schoolsweb.buckscc.gov.uk/covid-19-corona-virus-latest-advice/