Spring Term 2022
Welcome to the Governors’ News, where we hope to keep parents and carers up to date with our progress, and hopefully give you an insight to what we do!
What’s in this issue?
- Firstly, what does a School Governor do?
- Who are we?
- Learning Environments Report
- 50th Anniversary of Southill Primary School
- Extra-curricular Clubs
1. Firstly, what does a School Governor do?
Governors are responsible for overseeing the management side of a school: strategy, policy, budgeting and staffing. They enable their school to run as effectively as possible, working alongside senior leaders and supporting teachers to provide excellent education to children.
Being a school governor is a commitment to attending governing body meetings which consider issues such as setting the school vision, mitigating financial risk, and scrutinising educational outcomes. They are also involved in the school community, acting as critical friends to the headteacher and senior leaders.
Governors bring a wide range of skills and expertise from their professional lives to the governing board and schools benefit greatly from working with skilled volunteers, for example anyone with experience of finance, law, premises management or human resources. A governor with business know-how can transform the running of a school.
Part of the role of being a governor is to visit the school regularly and report back to the Governing Body to help to deepen all governors’ understanding of how the school operates, how the strategic objectives are being pursued, how financial resources are being used and what extra support the school may need to meet its objectives.
Visits taken place so far this academic year:
- Safeguarding: 3rd November 2021 & 30th March 2022
- English: 18th November 2021
- Maths: 13th December 2021
- Learning Environment: 18th January 2022
- Wellbeing: 22nd March 2022
2. Who are we?
Each blog, we’ll introduce two Governors and what their roles on the board are. Let’s start with….
Keith Evans – Chair of Governors
I joined the Governing Board as a Co-opted Governor in September 2019, and this September was elected Chairman of the Board of Governors. I am passionate about children developing to their full potential and having clear aspirations for what they want to be and what they can be.
Born in Essex, married with three children. I came to Dorset via South Wales, a journey that was primarily career driven.
My career background is in the Aerospace Industry. This ranges from an operational role running a manufacturing facility to leading and developing a division of the company. In more recent years, I have led transformational change teams focusing on integrating multinational leadership teams and businesses.
I believe my experience will help develop the future vision for the school, identifying areas of improvement, resource planning, as well as meeting the fiscal demands associated with running a school to budget.
Link Governor for:
Core Roles & Responsibilities
- Performance Management
- Strategy and School Development Plan
- OFSTED Preparation
SDP Workstream
- Curriculum Development: Develop Subject Leadership
- Team Development: Link Governance
- Team Development: Team Development and Empowerment
Kate Carter – Local Authority Governor
I have worked in education for over 20 years and chose this career path as I believe an education for all is vitally important. Children in schools today are our future and I am pleased to offer my support to help ensure they get the best education possible.
My skills lie within School Financial Management, and I am currently studying towards a Chartered Managers Degree for Schools.
Link Governor for:
Core Roles & Responsibilities
- Finance
SDP Workstream
- Curriculum Development: Improve Learning Environment
3. Learning Environments Report
This term Mrs Wood and I have been looking at the learning environments that the children spend their time in. We have completed a learning walk to assess the current learning environments and to identify any changes that we could implement to make the spaces even better than they already are.
The learning walk was really interesting as I got to see the children learning and using the spaces that they have available to them in school. We now have an action plan and are ready to make some exciting changes, some subtle and some more noticeable. We hope the children can spot the changes as they happen over the next few months!
If any of the children have any suggestions to make their learning environments better, we would love to hear them. Please let Mrs Wood know and she will pass this onto me, or if you see me in school, please come over let me know.
I hope you enjoy the changes we make.
Kate Carter
Local Authority Governor (and Parent)
4. 50th Anniversary of Southill Primary School
Southill will be 50 next year!
And not just the school, but the church and most of the surrounding area. The school opened in September 1973, to cater for the Calverley and Taylor estates that were built in the early 1960’s and into the 1970’s. We’re already thinking of how to celebrate, as a school and as a wider community – so watch this space!
5. Extra-curricular Clubs
And finally, we’d like to thank all the staff who agreed to run clubs after school this term. It was great to see such a selection!
Year 1 managed to create some amazing artwork based around their wish to make the Moon! You can see some of their creations here: https://www.southill.dorset.sch.uk/news/make-the-moon-club/
Both the Boys’ and Girls’ KS2 Football clubs have resulted in quite a few matches against other local schools, with some amazing wins. It’s been great to read the blogs from Mr Prior, accompanied by photos from Mr Frampton – thank you.
And the KS2 Netball team were recently invited to attend a Netball Sporting event at Budmouth School. It sounds like this came at the right time, ready for their match against Atlantic Academy. Read all about their experience here: https://www.southill.dorset.sch.uk/news/netball-extravaganza/
And we can’t sign off without saying a big thank you to the Year 5 Bronze Ambassadors, who have been helping Mr Mason and Mr Prior organise the whole school Fitness Thursday sessions in the mornings. It’s been great to be able to get back to ‘normal’ and have a bit of fun before school!
Reception Julia Donaldson Club – Mrs Puddick
Year 1 ‘Make the Moon’ Art Club – Mrs Wood and Mr Price
Year 2 Yoga – Mrs Clark
Year 3 Art Club – Miss Curtis and Mrs Aitken
Year 4 Art Club – Mr Mason and Miss Maitland
Year 5 Art Club – Miss Savage
Year 6 Mindfullness and Wellbeing – Mrs Butler
KS2 Netball – Mrs Hill
KS2 Football – Mr Prior
Year 5/6 Rock Band – Mr Bell
Year 2 – Year 6 Maths – Mr Mason and Mrs Wood
Year 6 SATs – Miss Savage
Fitness Thursdays – Mr Mason, Mr Prior and the Year 5 Bronze Ambassadors