| Title of Meeting: School Stakeholder CommitteeDate of Meeting: Wednesday 12th July 2023Location of Meeting: Shillingford |
| Present: Tom Lowday (TL), Shevek Pring (SP), Robyn Vincent (RV), Jon Breeze (JB), Ross Wheeler (RW), Beverley Garland (BG), Lynda Cooper (LC), Flo Bessé-Jones (FB), Nicola Younani (NY), Daisy Thomas (DT), Liz Slade (LS) (Note Taker) Apologies: Belinda Berwick (BB) |
| Agenda Items | Action | Deadline |
| Health and Safety Nothing raised. SafeguardingNothing raised. ConfidentialityNothing raised. Introductions and committee responsibilitiesSP – Chair, TL – Director, H&S focusFB – 1st meetingRW – SafeguardingDT – 1st meetingJB – Cover for RV when necessaryRV – Report to SSCBG – SENDLC -parent stakeholderNY – parent stakeholderLS – SSC Administrator | | yy/mm/dd |
| Actions/Amendments from last meetingKey actions and decisions.It was agreed that we would make sure that Lynda, Belinda and Nikky all got login information for the parents forum area of the website from Matt Ranger.Action Update: Matt Ranger has been contacted and detailed the various levels of access. This will be discussed and finalised at the next meeting. FBJ to be added to parent forum.It was agreed that we would look into getting an admin email and user emails for SSC parents and external stakeholders to support their involvement.Action Update: New emails are being trialled alongside current emails. It was agreed that we would advertise for a clerk for the SSC, and we will advertise for this role from the existing admins at TOG Action Update: Sameer Velayudhan and Arwen King took this action forward. LS was appointed as the SSC Administrator.We agreed that Lynda and Belinda would try to visit sites for a general visit before the next meetingWe agreed that Nikky would try to visit to report to the SSC on behaviourAction Update: NY to complete her visit. Other reports have been circulated to the group.We agreed that Ross would visit and report on SafeguardingWe agreed that Beverly would visit and report on SENDActions Update: Reports have been circulated to the group.It was discussed that external stakeholders would be a useful addition, it was confirmed that Phil Arnold, head of school for Avanti would be a member of the SSC, and that Robyn would reach out to the 0-25 team for representation, and Tom would reach out to Rachel Bragg, and that Lynda would look into whether anyone from the university would be interestedAction Update: SP contacted Phil Arnold, he will attend from September. Unfortunately, Rachel Bragg is unable to commit her time. RV reached out to 0-25 but they are yet to respond.We agreed that parent members of the SSC would report at the next meeting with suggestions for the parents forum and how it may runWe extended an open invitation for any support groups anyone knows of to use the school sites during holidays for support group meeting venuesWe all completed the declaration of pecuniary interests forms apart from Nikky who took one with her to return next meeting. Action: FBJ, DT and NY need to submit their PI forms to LS. | FBJ, DT, NY | |
| Agenda Items | Action | Deadline |
| Receive updates and reports on: TOS Charter – this has been triggered by the Executive leadership qualification RV is completing. Striving for consistency of ethics and values with new sites, new parents, new staff.RV discussed the TOS Charter that has been circulated to this group. RV has spent time with every member of staff and every member of staff has had an opportunity to contribute. RV has collated these opinions to inform the document. Junior Leadership Team (JLT) will work with TOS to help lead the school. This will give them skills that mainstream children will not have access to. Chair and deputy Chair have been appointed; they were amazing in their interviews.(LC) we could come and meet the students.This is in addition to the school council.Ethical Leadership Framework – Model skills and values that are lived and not laminated. Using statements to back up our wording. Giving the ‘Why’ behind the statements we have chosen.RV working with the HR team over the holidays to update the appraisal paperwork to mirror the professional language that is understandable.(SP) A thread that runs from induction right the way through to the appraisal process.(LC) The appraisal process could be carried through to the JLT.4 key areas – Teaching and learning, PSHE, careers, leadership pipeline (based on the 90 day format). Outdoors Alignment Knowledge – a list of competencies and knowledge that staff will be expected to achieve in a year. It will make it much clearer why staff are/are not passing their probation. Post probation this allows staff to make an action plan going forward for the year, highlighting skills and/or areas that need to be worked on. There will be 3 (check in), 6 (probation) and 12 months reviews. MMT are currently reviewing the OAK. Due to be launched in September in line with the appraisal format. The OAK is targeted at different levels according to their role in the company. The format of the OAK will be familiar to Early Careers Teacher’s (ECT) – 2 year programme (used to be called Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT)). (LC) Is this being perceived as a positive.(RV) MMT have had very positive comments.(SP) This will be shared with SSC when it is completed and ready for roll out. The whole process is designed with staff being the stakeholders with staff having input the whole way through. It also gives staff autonomy, they can see from the list the things that they need to have completed by 3, 6 or 12 months.(LC) Good for retention and progression.(SP) Any future growth will require a 2 school model. This system will help with standardisation. Future proofing the system.(LS) This would be a good focus for us next year on our site visits.(RW) It would be good to research training for all levels of staff, not just teachers.(RV) Working parties will be set up and research based evidence will be available to all staff. These working parties will be once a term.(TL) What course(s) would you like to see?(RW) Behaviour Course(s) would be really beneficial.(FBJ) This working party could encourage staff to bring training ideas to the group.(SP) Once we have the CPD Map and Framework in place we will share this with the SSC.(LC). Can we just take a moment to recognise the huge amount of work undertaken by RV. Thanks were received from the whole group. - SEND - Safeguarding - Curriculum - Behaviour (based on SLT areas of focus) | | |
| Receive and discuss reports produced by committee member visits to school sites.SEND Report (BG) – Discussed her report. It was really good to step back and see the overview.Attendance was 94%. Staff meet regularly.Staff are both on the ground and office based. 0-25 – problems with updating the EHCP’s as the 0-25 team are not uploading updates. 1-1’s are really hard to recruit and would suggest their pay matches LSA’s. Speech Therapists have a three year waiting list. P is a massive bank of expertise. External reports are a continuous ongoing battle.(LC) Is there any way we can help?(SP) Looking to set up the early help steps whilst learners are on waiting lists within the TOG setting. We are actively talking about this. NY shared information regarding protest dates.Action: NY to send times, locations and dates of protest dates to LS. Behaviour Reporting Process (NY) – Hasn’t been able to set up a visit yet. NY has reached out to Dougie and NY will follow this up. JB – Action: Dougie will phone NY tomorrow (13/07/23) SCR, LADO, MASH Report (RW) SCR The tool to record all the information about every employee at TOG/TOS. RW asked questions that were answered quickly and efficiently. LADOSet up to report incidents relating to children. TOG take issues to LADO to clarify our decision making. They have fed back that they trust our judgement. All employees are required to be level 2 Safeguarding trained.(LC) Do we need to be level 2 trained?(NY) I have done it.(RV) Safer recruitment too. Action: RV to speak to AD to organise Safeguarding level 2 and Safer Recruitment Training for all SSC parent reps. (BG) Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead – everyday by 5pm any safeguarding issues that need action are reported by the WhatsApp group – items are also entered on School Pod and this reports at 6pm.(JB) WhatsApp messages are detailed as e.g., Incident at South Brent, this enables Dougie to log into School Pod to investigate the report. Senior leadership issues are reported directly to SP (NY) Has each site got CPOM’s?(JB) We have School Pod, not CPOM’s. Everyone who is level 3 or above has access to all areas. Level 2 is staff. Level 3 is DSL and DDSL’s and Senior Leaders. (LC) – Names were on the documents circulated to the SSC, can these be removed in future. Action: SSC members to remove names before circulating paperwork in the group.Action: LS to report to AK and SB – report names as a data breach. MASHRW felt that opinions were listened to.RW would like to talk to Tutors at a future meeting. (BG) The Safeguarding Team have just had the chance to ask two questions around LADO and Prevent, both with new staff and existing staff. Dougie will feed this back to RV. LC – spoke to learner and staffRecruitment and retention – an acknowledgement that this is an issue due to the nature of the job.Pressure that Middle Management are under – clear that they are holding a lot from staff members on site, a physical job and split site job. | NY JB RV ALL LS | |
| Parent CommunicationNY and LC met to discuss this.Suggestion – can we have a part of the website that we can write copy for. All agreed. Action: LC to look at copy for the website ready for September. Can we have a monthly email out to parents collating information about all the sites.(RV) Up until recently we did all sites but have recently moved to individual sites. LC is interested in all sites. NY I am more interested in things happening at Tiverton. It would be quite nice to know some of the strategic things going on. I don’t think I need to know about other sites. RV – Termly newsletter is strategic and general and the monthly newsletters are site specific. All agreed to this format going forward. DT – Setting up the SEND Coffee Mornings again. Getting parents together around a theme.NY – I am happy to make this a regular thing for parents to come to. Emails have gone wrong again – all on one line.Action: LS to contact CF to sort out email issues. NY – Dojo – now that it has gone, I feel less connected. Miss seeing the photos and interacting with the group.RV – This is free and is something I would like to bring back.Action: RV to discuss with pastoral team. Communication We have different experiences between groups. Weekly emails to some groups and not other. (SP) – It needs to be standardised, on the radar but hasn’t happened yet. (TL) Appropriate conversation. Are the expectations given to parent exactly what are on the OAK?(FBJ) – I get daily contact, really good feedback and incredibly supportive.(NY) – Tiverton’s weak point is communication.(LC) – If you are looking for a system and process, my experience in my group has been excellent.(LC) – Can ‘parent 360’ go into the OAK process?Action: RV to add ‘parent 360’ to the OAK process. IBSP – preferred method of communication is on here. (RV) We will be supporting statements on the OAK with videos to improve the induction and training.(SP) Flo and Daisy to have a think about where they would like to visit (not the site with your learner on). There is a proforma to fill out for your site visit. Action: LS to send out proforma to DT and FBJ. (SP) Behaviour reporting process is NY with Dougie.(RV) Wellbeing of staff and pastoral support. RSE and PSHE(DT) Can I do wellbeing of staff.(FBJ) – Would like to do Teaching and Learning.(LC) – to do Pastoral Support (All) AgreedAction: JB – System for Governors to identify themselves. Can we have a Governor Arm Band. Action: LS to contact BB – RSE and PSHE offered to Belinda Action: RV and JB to meet with HR re: Terms of Reference for staff that are on SSC. | LC LS RV RV LS JB LS RV/JB | |
| Discuss updates and amendments to the SIP for September.This will be sent out in September to SSC for discussion | | |
| Headteachers ReportRV talked through the issues. We assess learners against themselves and their own progress. To address this RV uses case studies. Learners are randomly chosen. TL – some of the data comes from school pod.FBJ – The case studies didn’t seem relevant to me. Maybe a live QA process would be more beneficial.RV – recruitment issues have meant that the numeracy and literacy tutors have had to be removed to cover staff long term sickness and jury service. This change has been noticed in the literacy and numeracy data.TL – The case studies work following a learner over the year.SP – We need to know which numbers to report.RV – How would you like me to report the EFL?SP – Could we do a deep dive on a particular EFL heading?RV – Yes that would work. Action: All agreed – Trial one Phase 1 heading at a time. If this doesn’t work, we could look at one group and all heading. Agreed we will trial: Behaviour, Knowing Myself, Literacy, Numeracy, Attendance, Behaviour | | |
| Review School Budget.This will be sent out in September to SSC for discussion. | | |
| Consider issues/recommendations for September.Toilets – model of best practise for toilets is to move to single toilets in an open space. We have this. DS – Can we have them labelled as Staff and Learners.JB – We are working towards this. | | |
| Appointing a Chair and Vice Chair Lynda and Flo put themselves forward to Co-Chair. Action: LS to check with Belinda if she would like to Co-Chair. Action: LS 1st agenda point at next meeting to agree the chair. | LS LS | |
| Other Matters Arising Action: RV – Term dates need to go on the website Action: RV – Solution for windy days was discussed last November. RV please formalise this process and share the bad weather policy with parents. Action: All – If an SSC meeting is a hybrid with online and in person attendes, can all learners be kept out of the meeting. Action: LS – Can CF Systems add signatures e.g., parent governors to email addresses. Action: RV will email members of staff with the names of the SSC members. Action: RV – to speak to AD re: Governor Training for all SSC members. (NY) SWALLS Safeguarding Training is on the 16th October. | RV RV ALL LS RV RV | |
| Date of next meeting(s) Wednesday 8th November 2023 in person at Shillingford 5pm to 7pm |
