Holmesdale Community Infant School
Governing Body – Impact Report
December 2014
The aim of this report is to provide an overview of the governance arrangements that are in place at
Holmesdale Community Infant School, as well as an assessment of the effectiveness and impact of
the governing body and its committees, detailing particular challenges that have arisen during the
2013/14 academic year.
Full Governing Body
Chair: Jamie Mehmood
Members: Heather Armstrong, Sarah Beasley, Sarah Bellamy, Emma Campbell, Laura Conarty,
Hannah Crewe, Jacqui Day (associate member), Amanda Hall, Ian Hollingsworth, Julia Kinniburgh,
Hannah Laflin, Fiona Page, Sue Peters, Jane Pipe (associate member)
Clerk: Nicky Mason
The full governing body meets termly (twice in the autumn term). Three of the largest issues that
have arisen and been addressed by the governing body during the 2013/14 year have been:
1. Permanent four form entry – proactively engaging with Surrey County Council around the
move to permanent four form entry from September 2014 in order to meet demand from
the local community.
2. Build project – ensuring that the infrastructure of the school has grown to accommodate the
increased number of pupils associated with four form entry, with a significant build project
completed for the start of the autumn term 2014.
3. Move to Performance Related Pay – transitioning the schoolteaching staff to performance
related pay as per government guidelines.
The governing body has also remained focused in ensuring that Holmesdale remains an Outstanding
school. Throughout the year the governing body has ensured that the school has a clear vision,
robust self-evaluation and an appropriately prioritised development plan in place. The governing
body has also had a strong focus on improving pupil progress, with the strong Key Stage 1 (KS1) data
published by RAISEonline during the autumn term once again evidence of the school’s success in this
regard.
The governing body undertook a full day visit to the school in the spring term of 2014. The focus of
this visit was the learning environment for both boys and girls, given the differential between boys
and girls in writing and mathematics. This also linked with the School Development Plan priority of
improving pupil progress through enhancing the quality of teaching and learning and improving the
learning experiences for all children.
Attendance at the full governing body meetings and sub-committee meetings is closely monitored,
with an established procedure in place for agreeing (or not agreeing) any absence as is deemed
appropriate.
As well as the termly full governing body meetings, each of the following sub-committees meets on a
termly basis (MSR more frequently).
Enjoying & Achieving (E&A) Committee
Chair: Hannah Crewe and Julia Kinniburgh (co-chairs)
Members: Heather Armstrong, Sarah Beasley, Laura Conarty, Hannah Laflin, Jamie Mehmood (ex
officio in attendance), Jane Pipe (associate member/SENCO)
Aim: “To report to the governing body on how the school contributes towards pupils fulfilling their
academic potential and to ensure that the school meets the statutory requirements in these areas
as appropriate.”
The E&A committee revised the Terms of Reference in September 2013 to focus on four areas for
maximum impact:

Academic focus – the E&A committee has provided rigorous challenge and review of the KS1
targets and results, producing clear graphical presentation of the KS1 data for the governors
in order to improve understanding. This has contributed towards a key target on the School
Development Plan (SDP) of ensuring that the pupils have the best academic progress and
standards. The committee has also responded to the presentation by the Science
Curriculum Leader in investigating opportunities for cross curricula links (e.g. science and
literacy, science and drama).

Pupil focus – a series of governor pupil tracking visits to the school were undertaken, which
has more recently evolved into a more formal alignment of each governor to an individual
class, with termly visits planned to provide a more informal perspective on the school and
allow a closer self-evaluation of the school’s performance.

Whole school focus – the E&A committee organised an opportunity for midday assistants to
undertake teaching assistant training which would enable them to support children’s writing
in school. They also shared the views of parents about the introduction of maths homework.

Statutory focus – the E&A committee has refocused on each of the school development plan
targets and measures associated with enjoying and achieving at each committee meeting.
Personal Development & Wellbeing (PDWB) Committee
Chair: Emma Campbell
Members: Sarah Beasley, Amanda Hall, Jamie Mehmood (ex officio in attendance), Fiona Page, Sue
Peters, Jane Pipe (associate member/SENCO)
Aim: “To report to the governing body on how the school ensures the personal development and
well-being of every child at the school. The committee will advise the governing body whether
appropriate steps are taken by the school to ensure that the needs of all children are met,
particularly those with Special Educational Needs.”

Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND) – the PDWB committee has monitored the
progress of all the children on the SEND register, in addition to other vulnerable groups.
From the information that has been provided by the SENCO, the committee is entirely
satisfied that the interventions that have been put in place are effective and that SEND
children and vulnerable groups are benefitting from the additional support they receive.

Gifted, Talented & More Able (GTMA) – the PDWB committee has consistently monitored
what provision is in place for GTMA children and are happy that they are also benefitting
from the additional support they receive.

Pupil Premium – the committee has rigorously monitored how pupil premium money is
being spent to ensure it is having the best possible impact.

Changing legislation – in preparation for SEND14, the PDWB committee has asked the
SENCO for regular updates to ensure the school is well prepared for the changes. The SEND
governor has attended a number of courses to understand the impacts the changes will have
to the school and the children concerned.
Managing School Resources (MSR) Committee
Chair: Ian Hollingsworth
Members: Sarah Beasley, Sarah Bellamy, Emma Campbell, Jacqui Day (associate member), Jamie
Mehmood
Aim: “To ensure the appropriate use of all resources across the school, with regard to the school’s
overall priorities.”

Budget planning – an essential aspect of the MSR committee and one in which all aspects of
the process and outcomes of it are checked and challenged. The committee challenges the
leadership of the school to plan a budget that is based on sound financial values and
standards, but that has in its heart the provision of a full, broad and balanced curriculum and
one that ensures all children are taught in appropriate classes with high calibre teachers
leading them and with a strong overarching leadership structure.

Budget monitoring – the MSR committee has a strong monitoring brief, with regular checks
on the progress of the budget through the year, again ensuring that sound financial
management enables pupil experiences to be of the highest quality and that targeted
funding (e.g. for pupil and sports premiums) is being spent where it should be and with a
strong impact.

Achievement – the overall impact of this effective budget planning and monitoring element
of the MSR committee is seen in the very strong levels of achievement of pupils at the end of
Reception, Year 1 and significantly in KS1 results. Impact is also evident in the improved
outcomes for all pupils in PE and games, with improved quality observed in lessons and
greater opportunity for the more able pupils to compete.

Health & Safety – the MSR committee’s role in ensuring health and safety matters are
correctly recorded and acted upon is a significant aspect of their work. The impact shows in
the outstanding environment the children have in which to learn and the ability of the
school to respond to expected and necessary improvements (e.g. required improvements to
the toilets in response to pupil survey). The site manager’s report has a strong focus on
practical health and safety that impact on the lives of children.

Safeguarding – the vigorous checks on all aspects of safeguarding, including staff training,
policy and procedure, single central record impact massively on safety. It is a safe school,
one in which children can focus on learning in a safe, secure environment, but one that also
provides them with challenges and opportunities.

Performance Related Pay – a specific Pay Committee derived from the MSR committee now
meets on an annual basis at the start of the autumn term. The focus for 2014 was to ensure
the smooth transition to teacher performance related pay and seek evidence of appropriate
differentiation.