Hampshire Governors' Representative Group
Notes of Meeting
23rd February 1998
Present: John Brailsford (Chair); Richard Kearsey; Vernon Petherick;
Mike Loneragan; John Train (Havant local office)
Derek Richards; Peter High; Paddy Ryan;
Cynthia Hicks (Winchester local office)
Martina Powell; Jim Watt (New Forest local office)
Hugh Deed; Terry Tillman; David Eagles (Fleet local office)
In Attendance: Janet Sheriton (Clerk)
1. Apologies: Ian Chrystie; Sylvia Vine
David Hammersley has resigned
2. Welcome to New Members
David Eagles, Norman Gate Special School; Richard Kearsey, Padnell Infant
school and Mike Loneragan, Gomer Junior school (Havant local office areas)
were introduced and welcomed to the meeting. HGRG constitution and a
copy of "Representing Hampshire Governors" should be sent with these minutes
to all new members.
AD/JS
3. Notes of 22/10/97 were agreed
Notes of 25/11/97 were agreed
Notes of 11/12/97 were agreed
4. Matters Arising from 22/10/97 - Jim Watt had collated the returns from
HGRG members detailing their areas of special interest. These are
attached to the minutes. The Clerk to send the form with these minutes to
collect information from new members.
AD/JS
Hantsnet Governors Page The information had now been updated. The
Clerk had discussed with IT Services the best way to ensure that the page
was kept up to date. It was suggested that Governor Services staff might
be in the best position to ensure that information was added and deleted
appropriately. Members asked the clerk to establish the best system and
report back to HGRG the costs involved.
25/11/97 The clerk updated members on the Organisational Review of
Personnel and Training. The Chief Personnel Officer had taken a report on
the outcomes of the consultation to the Personnel sub committee on 15th
December 1997. Elected members resolved to set up a Special Members
Panel "to monitor progress with the reorganisation of the Personnel &
Training function".
5 Members Reports from Meetings
a) National Governors Council Hugh Deed reported on the 22/11/97
meeting which he felt had been a good professional occasion. A copy
of the report to be circulated with the minutes and included with CGF
Agenda papers. NGC was adopting a new constitution in line with its
proposed new status as a company limited by guarantee. David Blunkett
was the main speaker and outlined the challenges facing governors in
implementing the key policies to raise standards. The Secretary of State
took questions from the floor. NGC had produced a draft "Guidance to
LEAs on the appointment of LEA governors". There was discussion from
the floor as a result of which there would be a re draft. HGRG had not been
able to make their comments at the meeting but Hugh Deed had written
subsequently suggesting ways in which the document could be made more
balanced. It was disappointing however, that no acknowledgement or
reply had been received. Hugh would make sure that Angela Donnelly
was given a copy and the NGC would then be chased for a reply. HD
Despite chasing of previous correspondence no replies had been received from
NGC.
AD/JS
School Funding Survey 1998/99. Hugh had been sent this. It required
information at a global level which the LEA was in the best position to
supply. The clerk was asked to get it filled in by LEA staff, return it to
the NGC and include a copy with the minutes.
JS
The NGC was asking for members comment on the Numeracy Task
Force Report which had been sent to all schools. The deadline for comment
was 20/3/97. If HGRG members had comments they should forward them ALL
to the clerk by Wednesday 18th March. If there were comments the clerk JS
will collate a HGRG response and send it in.
IT Matters - NGC was asking for a contact in each member association.
Hugh Deed would be the HGRG contact.
NGC events out tray - This would be circulated with these minutes.
b) SEN Green Paper consultation Jim Watt reported that the meeting had
been held on 4/12/97. 27 governors and parents had attended with Sheila
Arney chairing the meeting and the DfEE officials listening but not engaging
in any discussion. Parents and governors welcomed the Green Paper in
principle and supported in general terms its proposals. However, they
emphasised the complexities of implementation and the need for new resources.
It would not be acceptable for instance, to reallocate resources from older
children to younger in order to implement "early intervention". Pump
priming new money would be needed. Support and development for learning
support assistants was welcomed but again would need to be resourced.
Government was urged to find a way of simplifying multi agency working
in the special needs field. This often floundered currently on the difference
resourcing rules and operational priorities of the various agencies most of
whom did not even share common boundaries.
The DfEE had promised Sheila Arney that they would send her a copy of
the notes they had taken. These had not been received. Clerk to chase. AD/JS
In general it was understood that the comments from Hampshire were
echoed elsewhere and Hampshire governors' and parents' views matched
those of other Hampshire partners. There had been an overwhelming
response from governors to a request for volunteers to attend this meeting.
HGRG would like to encourage further opportunities for governors to discuss
SEN issues. Local forums might consider addressing SEN and special schools
issues as agenda items at least once a year. Steps had been taken
to ensure special school representation by the co option of David Eagles. It
was proposed and accepted that Linda Lawson should also be co opted from
Maple Ridge. Special schools were a small minority in every local forum and
HGRG members from special schools were a useful additional mechanism for
their representation. It was agreed that they should see themselves as
representing special school governors county wide and not just in their
local schools areas.
All local forums
HGRG members from special schools
c) Literacy Strategy Steering Group Cynthia Hicks and Paddy Ryan were
representing HGRG on this LEA task group chaired by John Wilkinson.
Cynthia reported back from the meeting held on 9/2/98. The terms of
reference of the group are included in the first edition of Literacy News
which is included with these minutes.
d) DfEE/Ofsted National Governors Conference Martina Powell had attended
this conference in Newcastle on the 12 14 Feb and had found it a very valuable
and interesting experience. The DfEE note giving an "overview of the
proceedings" is included with these minutes. Martina had been surprised
that some LEAs appear to do little for governors and some do not appear to
offer governor training or support governors' forums.
HGRG members commented on the very short notice they had been given to
find a governor delegate. The clerk explained the DfEE practice of announcing
the dates, and inviting expressions of interest in places in the Autumn term
and then telling LEAs who had been allocated places. HGRG asked the clerk
to write to DfEE asking that the allocation of places should be advised
earlier. JS
e) HCC Budget Consultation - John Brailsford reported on this meeting with
representatives of the Education Committee which had taken place on 8/1/98.
HGRG were grateful for the opportunity to have input to the education budget
making process and details of their submission have already been circulated.
f) Education Bill Briefings - Paddy Ryan had represented HGRG at this meeting
for elected members. Andrew Seber had taken members through
the content and implications of the Bills currently going through Parliament.
These briefings had also been held across the county for heads and governors.
6. HGRG - Adding Value
a) Communications John Brailsford introduce this item which followed on
from previous discussions. Newer members had highlighted the relative
lack of awareness at governing body level of the richness and variety of HGRG
work and involvement at county level. There was discussion on whether
chairmen of governors might be a more appropriate audience for an HGRG
feedback communication than all governors. However it was generally felt
that the most appropriate means of communicating was at local forum meetings
and via those minutes which go to all GBs. It was seen as vital to try to
improve GB representation at and interest in their local governor forum.
HGRG would continue to monitor attendance and the clerk was asked for the
summer term to produce attendance figures for the 12 months to compare with
the previous set. AD/JS
Local Offices
Each HGRG member would ask their local forum what they expected of HGRG.
ALL
b) Meetings with Headteachers' Conferences. John Brailsford introduced
this item and reminded members that there had been a proposal to hold a
joint meeting with Heads Conference representatives each term. One
meeting had been held in Spring 97. The summer term meeting had been
cancelled when no items of business for the Agenda had been produced.
Following discussion the clerk was asked to write to Chairs and Secretaries
of the 3 headteacher conferences inviting them to suggest any items that they
thought HGRG should be debating at the summer term meeting.
JS
7. Target Setting - John Brailsford introduced this paper which had been
circulated. Members exchanged experiences as to how governing bodies were
contributing to target setting at school level and interpreting their role in
relation to that of heads, staff and LEA. Practice varied. In some cases the
role of curriculum committee was being re thought and a clearer focus on
targets and standards was being sought. Some governing bodies had needed
to re emphasise equality of treatment for all children and challenge
approaches to reaching targets that concentrated on "borderline" children to
"beat the system". There was general agreement that it was the proper role
of governing bodies to challenge approaches that veered towards "teaching
for the tests/targets" and to set targets strategically which ensured equity
in effort to achieve them. With so much data arriving in schools governing
bodies could help by standing back and trying to help staff "see the wood for
the trees".
The clerk was asked to invite Nigel Hill to talk to HGRG at their summer
meeting about data and its presentation.
JS/AD
HGRG also thought that there is a need to give schools advice about now
target setting should be explained to parents. HGRG to question John Clarke
at CGF. HGRG
8. Local Forum Items
Basingstoke - Terry Tillman reported concerns from governors about the
loss of a planned inset day to the national literacy strategy. The clerk was
asked to check if HCC have any discretion. JS/AD
The programme for the replace of Ballard heaters had been interrupted.
Governors wished to know whether there was funding to complete the
programme. Terry to ask at CGF against budget item.
Fareham & Gosport - Availability of school places and admissions was the
major concern of governors in the area.
Havant & Horndean - Vernon Petherick reported on the support from the
local forum for a review of the funding arrangements surrounding the SEN
Audit. Governors would like the county to look at the possibility of a
system where the funding followed the child when they move schools.
Clerk to ask for item of CGF agenda. Vernon to speak to item. VP
Clarendon Forum - Concerns had been raised about the cut in community
support grant. Paddy would raise at CGF against the budget item. PR
9. County Governor Forum - Draft Agenda
The clerk outlined the nature and content of the various items on the Agenda.
HGRG would like to suggest reversing the order of items 3 and 4 and Peter
High would report on the NGC conference of 22/11/98. The conference
report to be circulated with the papers. HGRG would like to add an item on VP
the SEN Audit which Vernon Petherick would speak to. The clerk to brief
the LEA on the nature of this item.
JS
9b) Education Committee - Martina Powell reported back on the two committee
meetings she had attended as HGRG rep. Ballard heaters had also been
discussed at Education Committee. She had contributed to the debate on the
Personnel and training review and the concerns of HGRG particularly in
respect of governor services.
At the second meeting there had been a good debate on the closure of a school.
She had received lots of letters and representations from parents. The budget
debate had re emphasised that the proposed government increases in education
spending could not be delivered in Hampshire without unacceptable cuts
elsewhere.
10. Chair's Items - John Brailsford reported that he had received a courtesy
call from Peter Coles concerning the release of Andrew Seber to PCC and the
consequent SMT changes.
11. Treasurers Items and Proposed 1998/9 Budget
John Brailsford reported spending in the 97/8 financial year was within budget
The 98/9 proposed budget had been circulated and was agreed. The
secretariat fee will be uplifted by inflation within the overall £7500.
12. Correspondence - The logged correspondence was noted.
13. Any Other Business - The clerk was asked to include an HGRG officers
item on the summer term Agenda. Hugh Deed advised members that he
would be abroad during the summer term and would not be able to take
over the chair.
14. Dates of future meetings
HGRG Summer Term Meeting - Wednesday 10th June 1998
CGF Summer Term Meeting - Thursday 25th June 1998
The meeting closed at 9.00 p.m.
Post Meeting Note
It was agreed that Jim Watt would chair HGRG for the summer term.
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