Children, Families & Learning Cabinet Member – Minutes – 1 August 2017

50 (50) RECONSTITUTION OF THE ST BARNABAS’ AND ST HELENA’S FEDERATION BOARD OF GOVERNORS – The Director: Learning, Skills and Culture submitted a report seeking approval of the instrument of government to allow the board of governors of The St Barnabas’ and St Helena’s Federation to be reconstituted to be effective from 1 September 2017.

At the full board of governors meeting of The St. Barnabas’ and St. Helena’s Federation held on 14 June 2017, the governors voted to reconstitute the board of governors in line with the School Governance (Constitution) (England) Regulations 2012 and the School Governance (Constitution) (Amendment) Regulations 2014.

The above regulations set out the options available to schools in terms of the overall number of governors, the categories of governor and the guiding principles for the constitution. The regulations gave the board of governors more flexibility with their constitution and stated that boards should be no bigger than they needed to be to carry out their statutory duties. The regulations stipulated the categories and number of governors for maintained schools.

The constitution of each board of governors was laid down in a document known as the instrument of government. A board of governors may at any time request changes to their constitution, in accordance with the regulations, by varying their instrument of government.

Where changes were proposed, a maintained school’s board of governors must prepare a draft instrument of government and submit it to the local authority for approval.

Resolved – That the new instrument of government, set out at Appendix A to the report, be approved and implemented from 1 September 2017.

51 (51) RECONSTITUTION OF ST PETER AND ST PAUL  CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL BOARD OF GOVERNORS – The Director: Learning, Skills and Culture submitted a report seeking approval of the instrument of government to allow the board of governors of St Peter and St Paul Church of England Primary School to be reconstituted to be effective from 1 September 2017.

At the full board of governors meeting of St Peter and St Paul Church of England Primary School held on 10 July 2017, the governors voted to reconstitute the board of governors in line with the School Governance (Constitution) (England) Regulations 2012 and the School Governance (Constitution) (Amendment) Regulations 2014.
The above regulations set out the options available to schools in terms of the overall number of governors, the categories of governor and the guiding principles for the constitution. The regulations gave the board of governors more flexibility with their constitution and stated that boards should be no bigger than they needed to be to carry out their statutory duties. The regulations stipulated the categories and number of governors for foundation maintained schools.

The constitution of each board of governors was laid down in a document known as the instrument of government. A board of governors may at any time request changes to their constitution, in accordance with the regulations, by varying their instrument of government.

Where changes were proposed, a maintained school’s board of governors must prepare a draft instrument of government and submit it to the local authority for approval.

Resolved – That the new instrument of government, set out at Appendix A to the report, be approved and implemented from 1 September 2017.

52 (52) SCHOOL GOVERNORS – INSTRUMENT OF GOVERNMENT THE BRIDGE FEDERATION – The Director: Learning, Skills and Culture submitted a report seeking approval the instrument of government for The Bridge Federation to be effective from 1 September 2017.

As the partnership arrangements between South Ferriby Primary School and Winteringham Primary School had been working effectively, consideration had subsequently been given to the possibility of formalising the collaborative arrangements between both schools (i.e. a hard federation).  Furthermore, the need to explore this option in detail had become more apparent following the recent retirement decision of South Ferriby Primary School’s Head teacher.

The governing boards of South Ferriby Primary School and Winteringham Primary School agreed at a special meeting on 25 April 2017 to consider forming a hard federation of the two schools.

A formal proposal was subsequently produced by the governing boards confirming the nature of the hard federation. This led to a statutory consultation being undertaken to seek stakeholders’ views regarding the proposal.

On 10 July 2017 South Ferriby Primary School and Winteringham Primary School governing boards considered the consultation responses and agreed to form a hard federation of the two schools from 1 September 2017.

In order for the federated governing board to be formed a new instrument of government was required confirming the constitution. A draft instrument of government had been developed by the governing board, and had been submitted to the local authority for approval at Appendix 1 to the report.

Resolved – That the new instrument of government, set out at Appendix A to the report, be approved and implemented from 1 September 2017.