Governors’  News     Autumn  Term  2014  

Welcome  to  our  2nd  edition!  

We  published  the  first  edition  of  Governors’  News  during  the  summer  term  -­‐  we  hope  you  found  it  informative  and  useful.    There  is  always  so  much  to  talk  about  in  a  busy,  exciting  school  such  as  Molescroft,  so  it’s  a  case  of  what  to  leave  out  rather  than  how  to  include  enough  for  a  newsletter.    However,  we  hope  that  the  contents  of  this  edition  are  of  interest  to  you  -­‐  don’t  forget  that  you  can  always  email  us  to  ask  questions  or  suggest  topics  for  future  coverage.    This  has  been  a  busy  term  for  all  involved  with  the  school.    In  fact,  it  is  hard  to  believe  how  much  has  happened  and  how  quickly  the  time  has  passed  since  September.    May  we  take  this  opportunity  to  wish  everyone  a  Merry  Christmas  and  a  Happy  New  Year  and  to  thank  all  the  staff  and  families  for  making  Molescroft  School  such  an  enriching  place  to  be.      

 

   

nicolabailey99@hotmail.com  

Following  reconstitution,  as  per  the  School  Governance  (Constitution)  (England)  Regulations  2012,  our  governing  body  is  now  formed  as  follows:  

Chair  of  Governors  and  local  authority  governor:  Tony  Knight  

Vice  Chair  and  co-­‐opted  governor:  Melissa  Blencoe  

Head  teacher  governor:  Michael  Loncaster  

Staff  governor:  Linda  Hemphill  

Parent  Governors:  Adrian  Adamson,  Alex  Lazenby,  Kathryn  Ratcliffe,  Karen  Towse  and  Richard  West  

Co-­‐opted  Governors:  Nicola  Bailey,  Pat  Beckley,  Matthew  Britton  and  Victoria  Scarborough  

In  this  edition…  

Pupil  Premium  

Riding  Forward  Teaching  School  Alliance  

Plus  …  

Ø The  new  SEND  code  of  practice  Ø Introducing  Mr  Dave  Platten,  our  new  

caretaker  Ø Spotlight  on  governors  Pat  Beckley  

and  Kathryn  Ratcliffe  

Pupil premium • introduced  in  April  2011;  • extra  budget  in  addition  to  main  school  funding;  • allocated  to  schools  to  work  with  pupils  who  have  been  registered  for  free  school  meals  

at  any  point  in  the  last  six  years  (known  as  ‘Ever  6  FSM’);  and  • designed  to  narrow  the  gap  by  ensuring  that  funding  reaches  the  pupils  who  need  it  

most.  (adapted  from  AQA  at:  http://www.aqa.org.uk/about-­‐us/what-­‐we-­‐do/products-­‐and-­‐services/the-­‐pupil-­‐premium)  

 Sir  John  Dunford  (2014),  national  pupil  premium    champion,  says:  

Closing  the  gap  between  the  achievement  of  disadvantaged  pupils  and  others  is  the  biggest  challenge  faced  by  our  generation  of  teachers  and  school  leaders.  Pupil  premium  funding  is  about  making  sure  that  disadvantaged  children  aren’t  held  back  by  their  background.  Too  many  children  do  not  achieve  the  qualifications  they  need  to  improve  their  life  chances  and  as  a  consequence  the  chances  of  their  children  and  their  children’s  children.    

Molescroft School and the Pupil Premium The school has received: ü 2012/13 £9,000.00 ü 2013/14 £13,500.00 ü 2014/15 £18,000.00

Funding has been used for: ü 1:1 tuition in English and Maths ü small Group Work ü specific intervention programmes – for example,

dyslexia support ü booster classes in English and Maths ü additional Teaching Assistant support ü social language groups ü music lessons

You can find out more on the school website – look under ‘Key Information’    

You can read the full article at: http://news.tes.co.uk/b/opinion/2014/09/10/39-the-biggest-prize-for-the-pupil-premium-is-to-close-the-attainment-gap-39.aspx  

 

Introducing  our  new  caretaker  and  lollipop  man  …    

Mr  Dave  Platten  Since  joining  the  school  in  August  2014  Mr  Platten  has  become  a  familiar  face  to  us  all  as  he  has  cheerfully  gone  about  his  many  duties.    We  have  all  been  relieved  to  have  had  the  crossing  patrol  reinstated  for  the  safety  of  our  children,  so  for  that  we  are  most  grateful  to  him.      

Mr  Platten  has  enjoyed  a  previous  career  building  tunnels  in  London,  across  Europe  and  in  the  USA.    Amongst  many  other  projects  he  has  worked  on  the  Jubilee  Line  and  the  Channel  Tunnel.    He’s  well-­‐travelled,  only  underground  as  opposed  to  out  and  about  seeing  the  sights.    You  might  say,  then,  that  it’s  quite  fitting  he  should  end  up  a  ‘mole’  at  Molescroft!    Once  a  mole,  always  a  mole  …  

Outside  of  work  Mr  Platten  is  a  keen  judo  enthusiast  and  coach.    Now  that  the  weather  has  turned  colder  you  might  have  noticed  him  wearing  his  woolly  hat;  closer  inspection  reveals  the  logo  not  to  be  of  a  football  club  but  of  the  East  Yorkshire  Judo  Academy.  

Space  does  not  permit  us  to  list  all  of  Mr  Platten’s  duties  as  our  caretaker,  but  here  are  just  a  few  …  

sweeping  and  general  tidying;  setting  alarms  and  turning  them  off  again,  plus  attending  alarm  calls;  opening  up  in  the  morning  and  locking  up  in  the  evening;  making  sure  cleaners  and  contractors  have  everything  they  need;  checking  all  windows  are  closed  every  night;  ensuring  the  floor  cleaner  is  charged  and  ready  to  use;  maintaining  a  comfortable  level  of  heating  throughout  the  school;  replenishing  toilet  rolls  and  soap;  emptying  hoovers  and  replacing  bags;  greenhouse  repairs;  installing  anti-­‐slip  wire  mesh  around  the  wildlife  area;  PAT  testing  of  all  electrical  equipment;  light  repairs;  moving  of  furniture;  setting  up  temporary  stages  for  school  events;  daily  checks  of  the  adventure  playground;  making  sure  water  heaters  are  all  in  good  working  order;  keeping  an  inventory  of  every  item  in  the  school;  relaying  pavers  and  repairing  brickwork;  painting  the  red  and  yellow  lines  on  the  car  park  and  playgrounds;  leaf  sweeping;  crossing  patrol;  attendance  at  Green  Team  meetings;  going  on  courses,  such  as  Working  at  Heights;  painting  the  sheds;  maintenance  of  locks  and  arranging  for  new  keys  to  be  cut;  removing  frogs  from  the  various  drains  round  the  school;  ensuring  the  security  of  the  perimeter  fence;  adhering  to  COSHH  regulations;  general  equipment  checks;  lighting  repairs;  cleaning  of  roofs,  gutters  and  gulleys;  testing  fire  alarms  each  Wednesday;  maintenance  of  drains;  putting  bins  out  for  collection;  repairing  laminators;  erecting  new  shelves;  ensuring  all  clocks  are  working;  general  daily  checks;    

and  anything  else  he  is  asked  to  do  …  

Sounds    exhausting!  

 

 

   

 

 

Spotlight on Kathryn Ratcliffe, parent governor

For  how  long  have  you  been  a  governor  at  Molescroft  School?    I  became  a  Governor  in  February  2012,  so  just  over  two  and  a  half  years.    

Can  you  tell  us  a  little  about  what  this  involves  for  you?    Being  a  school  governor  involves  attending  three  full  Governing  Body  meetings  per  year,  with  two  other  smaller  committee  meetings  each  term.  I  have  a  responsibility  for  a  specific  area  of  the  school  improvement  plan,  which  involves  working  alongside  and  supporting  the  relevant  member  of  staff  in  school,  to  ensure  that  the  objectives  are  met.      

What  do  you  think  are  the  main  challenges  currently  facing  education?    A  difficult  question  for  me  to  try  to  remain  impartial,  as  I  am  in  the  teaching  profession;  however,  like  many  other  areas  in  the  public  sector,  I  would  have  to  say  that  the  greatest  challenge  today  is  the  lack  of  funding  for  education,  particularly  in  the  East  Riding,  which  I  believe  is  one  of  the  poorest  funded  local  authorities.      

What  do  you  do  for  a  living?    I  am  a  teacher  at  Walkington  primary  school.    

 

Any  time  for  hobbies?    Having  three  children,  being  a  taxi  service  for  their  out  of  school  clubs  and  parties  and  working  full  time,  I  have  very  little  spare  time  these  days  for  myself.  I  do,  however,  enjoy  music  and  dancing  and  I  have  just  started  a  street  dance  class.  It's  good  fun  and  a  great  way  to  relax.    

 

What  music,  books  or  films  have  inspired  you?    This  is  tricky  to  answer  as  I  enjoy  such  a  wide  variety.  I  do,  however,  have  a  passion  for  musical  theatre  and  I  have  been  greatly  inspired  by  the  work  of  Claude-­‐Michel  Schönberg  and  Alain  Boublil,  whose  work  includes  the  amazing  musicals  'Les  Misérables',    'Miss  Saigon'  and  'Martin  Guerre'.    Apart  from  these,  I  am  a  great  fan  of  Andrew  Lloyd  Webber's  work,  including  'Phantom  of  the  Opera',  'Jesus  Christ  Superstar'  and  'Joseph  and  the  Amazing  Technicolour  Dreamcoat.'  The  list  is  endless!  I  am  hoping  to  inspire  my  own  love  of  theatre  into  my  children,  having  taken  them  to  see  'The  Lion  King',  'Charlie  and  the  Chocolate  Factory',  'Mary  Poppins'  and  'Chitty  Chitty  Bang  Bang'  over  the  past  few  years.    

What  would  be  your  ideal  holiday  destination?    Somewhere  hot,  with  a  beautiful  golden  sandy  beach  and  turquoise  sea,  but  most  importantly  surrounded  by  my  family.      

Describe  Molescroft  School  in  three  words  …  enriching,  inspiring  &  inclusive!  

What  prompted  you  to  become  a  governor?    I  feel  very  passionate  about  providing  the  best  education  for  our  children.  After  seeing  how  my  eldest  daughter  thrived  during  her  primary  years  spent  at  Molescroft,  I  wanted  the  opportunity  to  work  with  the  school,  in  order  to  support  their  fantastic  efforts  in  maintaining  such  an  outstanding  environment  for  our  children.    

 

For  you,  what  are  the  highlights  of  the  school  year  at  Molescroft?    There  are  so  many;  Molescroft  is  such  an  exciting  and  vibrant  place  to  be.  A  definite  highlight  for  me,  however,  has  to  be  the  theatre  club  production  every  year.  It  gives  the  children  the  most  amazing  opportunities,  at  all  levels,  to  develop  self-­‐confidence  or  showcase  talents  which  may  well  have  remained  hidden.      

 

Spotlight on Pat Beckley, co-opted governor  

For  how  long  have  you  been  a  governor  at  Molescroft  School?    I've  been  a Governor  at  Molescroft  Primary  School  for  eight  years.    

Can  you  tell  us  a  little  about  what  this  involves  for  you?    There  are  regular  meetings  for  updates  on  policies  and  practice  at  the  school,  such  as  curriculum  initiatives  or  health  and  safety.  As  a  Governor  I  have  been  invited  to  other  events,  for  example  as  part  of  an  interview  panel.  I  also  oversee  aspects  of  practice,  which  are  presently  Early  Years,  Computing  and  R.E.  

 

What  do  you  think  are  the  main  challenges  currently  facing  education?    The  main  challenges  seem  to  be  keeping  pace  with  wider  changes,  such  as  new  technologies  and  changes  in  society.  Education  policies  respond  to  these,  which  poses  further  challenges  for  those  implementing  them  in  school.          

What  do  you  do  for  a  living?    My  job  is  a  university  lecturer  and  I  specialise  in  Early  Years  education.  It  is  very  rewarding  to  see  the  progress  of  children  at  Molescroft.      

Any  time  for  hobbies?    I  enjoy  cycling-­‐  but  don't  do  enough!  

 

What  music,  books  or  films  have  inspired  you?    I  like  to  read  a  range  of  books,  but  if  I  don't  have  time  to  choose  I  go  for  anything  by  Thomas  Hardy.  My  children  (I  have  a  grown-­‐up  son  and  daughter)  encourage  me  to  read  more  modern  authors,  so  I'm  currently  reading  Gone  Girl.  I  enjoy  popular  or  classical  music,  particularly  listening  to  Einaudi  at  the  moment.    

What  would  be  your  ideal  holiday  destination?    When  I  taught  in  schools  I  took  year  six  children  to  Robin  Hood's  Bay  so  it's  a  special,  memorable  place.  We've  had  happy  family  holidays  there  too.  

 

Describe  Molescroft  School  in  three  words  …  inspirational,  caring  and  outstanding!    

   

 

For  you,  what  are  the  highlights  of  the  school  year  at  Molescroft?    There  are  so  many  highlights  at  Molescroft!  The  school  always  seems  an  exciting  place  to  be,  with  wonderful  assemblies,  exceptional  Christmas  events,  super  multi-­‐cultural  activities  and  not  forgetting  the  governor  and  staff  Standards  Meeting  in  November.    

What  prompted  you  to  become  a  governor?    Education  is  such  a  vital  area  of  life  that  I  wanted  to  be  involved  with  developments  as  a  Governor  at  Molescroft.  

 

Teaching School Alliance Riding  Forward,  led  by  Molescroft  Primary  School  and  now  in  its  third  year,  is  possibly  the  largest  teaching  school  nationally,  with  over  100  members  comprising  nursery,  primary  and  secondary  schools  (including  two  special  schools),  plus  a  pupil  referral  unit  (PRU).    Mostly  these  are  in  the  East  Riding  but  some  are  located  within  Hull,  North  Lincolnshire  and  North  Yorkshire.    Rather  uniquely,  the  East  Riding  of  Yorkshire  Council  (ERYC)  is  one  of  the  core  partners  and  has  a  strong  input.      

1) initial  teacher  training  education  (School  Direct);  2) continuing  professional  development  (CPD)  –  the  training  catalogue  for  newly-­‐qualified  

teachers  (NQTs)  and  general  CPD  continues  to  grow;  3) leadership  development  for  leaders  at  all  levels;  4) school-­‐to-­‐school  support  5) identification  of  SLEs  (specialist  leaders  in  education);  and  6) research  and  development  (R&D).  

 

 

Our  two  NQTs  (newly-­‐qualified  teachers)  –  Miss  Sophie  Power  and  Mr  Jonathan  Williams  –  were  trained  through  our  School  Direct  programme.    You  can  hear  their  feedback  by  following  the  Riding  Forward  link  on  the  school’s  website  or:  

School  Direct  -­‐  the  Story  Please  click  here  to  listen  to  the  testimonials  from  two  of  our  School  Direct  Students  2013/14.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

v Teacher  training  is  increasingly  becoming  school-­‐led.  

 v Places  on  university-­‐based  

training  courses  have  reduced  by  as  much  as  20%    

 v School  Direct  places    

2014-­‐15  15,254  2015-­‐16  17,609  

 Figures  appeared  in  the  TES  (Times  Educational  Supplement,  31  October  2014,  p8.    

Following  initial  designation  as  a  Teaching  School  in  2012,  Molescroft  must  go  through  the  re-­‐designation  process  every  three  years.  

 

Andrea  Tonks,  Manager  (left)  Jenny  Lines,  Administrator  (right)    

The new SEND code of practice  The  Children  and  Families  Act  2014  introduced  a  new  code  of    practice  to  help  children  with  special  educational  needs  and    disabilities  (SEND).    As  part  of  this,  local  authorities  –  in  our    case  the  East  Riding  of  Yorkshire  Council  (ERYC)  –  are  required    to  publish  a  ‘local  offer’.    This  details  services  available  in  the    area  for  young  people,  aged  0-­‐25  years,  having  SEND.  

           

           

 

 

 

You  can  read  the  Government’s  report  at:    

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-­‐code-­‐of-­‐practice-­‐0-­‐to-­‐25  

 

 Categories  of  SEND:    v Children  having  a  (funded)  

statement  of  special  educational  needs  (pre-­‐  September  2014)  

 v 0-­‐25  year  olds  having  an  

education  and  health  care  plan  (EHCP)  (funded)  as  from  September  2014  

 v SEND  support  children  

(formerly  known  as  School  Action  Plus  and  School  Action).  

Molescroft  School  has  published  its  own  local  offer,  which  is  available  on  the  website  under  ‘Key  Information’:  

https://molescroftprimaryschool.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/localoffermolescroftprimaryschool.pdf  

Excerpts  from  Molescroft’s  local  offer  document  

What  is  the  ETHOS  of  the  school  regarding  Children  and  Young  People  with  Special  Educational  Needs  and  Disabilities  (SEND)?  

We  aim  to  sustain  and  continue  to  develop  a  community  based  on  positive  attitudes,  a  promotion  of  excellence  and  a  celebration  of  achievement.  A  valued  environment  in  which:    “everybody  cares,  everybody  learns,  and  everybody  matters”.    Molescroft  Matters    

How  does  the  school  identify  and  assess  Children  and  Young  People  with  SEND?  

Initial  concerns  about  a  child  will  be  raised  by  the  child’s  class  teacher  and/or  parent  with  the  SENCO.  The  child’s  progress  will  then  be  closely  monitored  by  the  SENCO,  and  discussions  will  be  held  with  parents/carers.    Support/interventions  may  be  introduced  for  the  child.    

Who  are  the  best  people  to  talk  to  in  your  school  about  a  Child  or  Young  Person’s  difficulties  with  learning/  Special  Educational  Needs  or  disability  (SEND)?  

Mrs  Julie  Hakner  -­‐  SENCO  Mrs  Sarah  Charlton  -­‐  Interventions  Teacher  

Governor  footprints  Did  you  know  that  every  time  a  governor  attends  a  school  event,  makes  a  visit  into  school  or  communicates  with  a  member  of  staff,  he/she  completes  a  governor  visit  form?    This  ensures  that  our  ‘footprints’  are  recorded  in  case  Ofsted  comes  calling.    It  also  means  that  the  school  receives  our  feedback.  

 

In  conversation  …    One  of  our  governors  attended  an  assembly  in  September  and  witnessed  a  little  girl,  who  had  just  started  school,  receive  a  gold  certificate.    The  following  (lovely)  conversation  later  took  place:    

Governor:  “What  did  you  get  in  assembly  today?”    

Child:  “I  don’t  know.”    Governor:  “What  did  you  get  for  doing  really  well  with  your  numbers?”    

Child:  “A  yellow  ticket.”      

 

And finally … Molescroft  Primary  School  will  be  40  years’  old  on  15  April  2015!    See  the  spring  edition  of  Governors’  News  for  some  interesting  historical  facts  and  figures  on  our  favourite  school.    Also,  the  spotlight  will  be  firmly  on  one  of  our  governors,  who  also  has  a  40th  birthday  in  2015.    For  now,  guess  which  governor’s  brother  features  in  the  photograph  below  of  the  school’s  10th  birthday  celebrations?