Welcome to the first Monthly Bulletin of the New Year.

Please ensure that this bulletin, which is also published on GovernorHub & The Education People website, is a standing agenda item for both your Full Governing Board & Committee meetings.

Your attention is drawn to part 3 of KCSIE regarding safer recruitment and item 130 which explains that along with academy, free and independent schools, a section 128 direction disqualifies a person from holding or continuing to hold office as a governor of a maintained school.

The Department for Education (DfE) buys copyright licences for all state-funded primary and secondary schools in England which cover schools for almost all their copyright requirements. This updated guidance provides information on copyright licences and how copyright affects schools.

This DfE guide provides an overview of the IDSR along with information to help interpret the charts.

Last Chance to Book - Chairs 20 January – Clerks 24 January

• Chairs - Kent Cohort 5 - Thanington Neighbourhood Resource Centre, Canterbury, CT1 3XE
• Clerks - Kent Cohort 2 - Eastgate,141 Springhead Pkwy, Northfleet, Gravesend DA11 8AD

Places are still available for the above courses which are delivered in Kent by Governor Services in partnership with the National Governance Association.

Your Board should have included these very cost-effective development opportunities in its training & development plans. Please book directly with the NGA.

Aims, objectives, meeting minutes and information can be found on KGA’s page on Kelsi;

The next assembly meeting is scheduled for:

• Monday 2 March 2020, 7pm - 9pm, Park View Suite, Mercure Great Danes Hotel, Maidstone, ME17 1RE

NGA has a new Learning Link module to help governing boards understand the importance of succession planning and how to go about it effectively to ensure that there is:

• continuity within the board
• the right people in the right place at the right time
• planning for the appointment of a new chair (and vice chair) – not a last-minute decision, but someone who wants, or is the best person for, the role/s.

Modules on Safeguarding, Ofsted and the Arts and Cultural Education module have been updated.

The next closing date for the submission of nomination documentation for the next panel meeting is 1 February 2020.

The LA Governor Nomination Pack can be found under the resources tab of GovernorHub.

Please note - invitations to continue and reminders for approaching ends of terms of office are no longer sent, GovernorHub provides advanced notification.

KCC Audit department has highlighted that not all schools are aware of, including the need for the recording of, the financial risks that could affect them; further information and a Schools Financial Risk Register template  can be found on Kelsi. The risk register is not required to be submitted to the Local Authority but may need to be seen as part of a compliance visit.

When was the last time that your Governing Board checked the school’s website for compliance?

How easy is it for parents or prospective parents to navigate your website?

We are looking to provide training across the county and welcome contact from schools who have access to a computer suite, refreshment facilities and who would be interested in hosting the session.

Please contact Joanne Hawker – [email protected] 03000 414489

Governors’ attention is drawn to their duty to support new Headteachers/Heads of School. Details of the Headteacher Induction Programme is provided below; boards should ensure that their new leaders are able to take advantage of these essential development opportunities:

• Session 3 – Governance & Curriculum Development (Maths & English)

SCH 20/252 - 16/01/2020, Northfleet Technology College, Gravesham

• Session 4 - SEND and Inclusion

SCH 20/253 - 12/03/2020, Five Acre Wood School, Maidstone

• Session 5 - Wellbeing Developing Good Working Relationships

SCH 20/254 - 23/04/2020, The Beacon School, Folkestone

• Session 6 - SEFs, SIPs and Professional Development

SCH 20/255 - 18/06/2020, Cobham Primary School, Gravesham

Governors and clerks often enquire about both the required frequency and availability of Prevent/Channel training.

The Prevent within Schools team would encourage you to review the Home Office resources; participants are able to select their role as a governor to make the training role-specific:

• Prevent Awareness eLearning
• Channel Awareness eLearning
• Prevent Referrals eLearning

Visit www.educateagainsthate.com for guidance and resources to help protect young people from radicalisation

Your attention is drawn to our course ‘Responsibilities of the Governing Body in Pupil Discipline’ which is being held in Ashford and Tonbridge. This course explores in-school early interventions to alleviate exclusions, the responsibilities of the Governing Body discipline Panel in reviewing pupil exclusions and best practice to ensure that the Governing Body is not left vulnerable.

NGA Learning Link module entitled ‘Pupil Success & Wellbeing-Exclusions’ has recently been reviewed and updated.

Academy and LA Maintained Boards’ attention is drawn to the DfE  Statutory policies for schools and academy trusts;

You will find that an NQT policy is required to be in place; there is also the recommendation for a scheduled annual review. Information, guidance and a model policy from the NQT Induction and Support team can also be found on Kelsi.

Governors and clerks should check the links below regarding the statutory requirement to have link governors/committees for both SEND and Safeguarding; there are currently no requirements beyond these 2 areas:

• SEND - as set out in paragraph 6.3 of SEND code of practice
• Safeguarding - as set out in paragraph 55 of Keeping children safe in education

Change happens everywhere and HR is no exception. It is important to keep your HR policies and procedures under regular review to ensure they continue to effectively support the management of staffing issues.

The Schools’ Personnel Service (SPS) provides and maintains a suite of model HR policies for Kent Schools on behalf of the Local Authority, these can be found at the SPS website

Suzanne Mayes
[email protected]

• Clerking Service [email protected]
• Governor Services [email protected]

• North Kent & Medway (Dartford, Gravesham, Sevenoaks, Medway): [email protected]
• South Kent (Ashford, Dover, Folkestone and Hythe): [email protected]
• East Kent (Canterbury, Swale, Thanet): [email protected]
• West Kent (Maidstone, Tonbridge and Malling, T.Wells):  [email protected]

We are pleased to announce that Dawn Samwell from the Department for Education Governance Unit will be our Keynote Speaker focussing on ‘The Governance Professional’.

In this interactive session, as well as expanding on their definition of the clerk as the governance professional, the Department for Education would also like to understand the challenges faced by you as clerks in your roles. At the end of the conference there will also be an opportunity for a Q & A session with Dawn. Come prepared with your questions.

Book your place click here