An ongoing blog of our Governor's activities for this academic year...(and beyond!)

Academic Year 2024/2025

Monday 04 November – Quality of Education Committee Meeting

It was odd having a meeting on a staff development day, when the school was quiet, waiting for the children to return from their half-term break. However, it was a good meeting, where we reviewed the curriculum development plan for each year group, enrichment, outdoor learning and OPaL. We were able to celebrate how the Early Years reading sessions had helped with the transition of the new Year R children to the Kingsnorth School family. There had obviously been challenges in the first term; new software to learn, data to collect and use to check the progress of all the children against targets, but there were a lot of positives too, in particular with attitudes to SEND and the new nurture breakfast to support those children that need a little bit of extra help with arriving at school.

Thursday 03 October – Full Governing Body Meeting

It most certainly was a privilege to be attending my first full governors' meeting. Thank you to everyone for such a warm welcome. 

After the Vice-Chair’s welcome address and the hearing of the absent Governor's apologies, we began with an opening prayer. Governors unanimously agreed to the nominations put forward for the annual re-election of officers: Chair and Vice-Chair Governors, expressing thanks for their time and commitment. 

We were provided with the School Improvement Plan (SIP) 2024/25 and the Local Governing Body Strategic Action Plan. We were able to reflect on the Exec Headteacher’s report, relating to updates on the budget, and financial health of the school and celebrated together the mention of the September intake and how well they have settled and embraced the school. Governors agreed the pre-school intervention sessions had been well thought through and had been a success. Governors felt that the staff and pupil’s well-being is paramount, and that there is a need for a constant wrap-around of support where the school will explore new and forward-thinking approaches. 

The Governors asked that their thanks be passed to all the staffing team, acknowledging the tremendous hard work they do in supporting and educating all Kingsnorth children despite the many challenges discussed that are faced daily. It is a real pleasure to become the newest Governor, giving me the opportunity to demonstrate my dedication, enthusiasm and commitment to supporting the school.

Thursday 26 September – Leadership and Management Committee (L+M)

This group met for their first meeting of the academic year. This committee comprises the Chair of Governors, Chairs of the Resources and Quality of Education committees and the school SLT.

Members discussed in detail the strategy for the school year ahead, management of the very tight budget and the effects of the staff changes previously advised to parents.

The Headteacher spoke positively about staff morale and the positive way staff have embraced the challenges.

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Academic Year 2023/2024

Thursday 18 July - Full Local Governing Body Meeting

In the last full governors' meeting of this academic year, we covered a wide range of topics and reflected on the achievements throughout the year.

Pupil performance was a key highlight with improvements in both KS1 and KS2 figures. We reflected on how staffing changes will impact the school from September and also the Good rating achieved following our OFSTED inspection in April. This, along with the LPPA, IQM and Green Schools Gold Award, shows how much we have achieved as a school this year. It’s been a busy year, but it was good to hear all the enthusiasm from the senior leadership team for the year ahead.

Thursday 18 April - Full Local Governing Body Meeting

Today the LGB met and welcomed the Governance Manager from the Aquila Trust as a visitor to the meeting. The meeting was well attended with the full governing body present and the schools SLT.
The meeting commenced with an opening prayer and once the formalities were over, the first order of business was ensuring all governing body information is current and correct. The governors then took the opportunity to talk in depth about the information provided in both the QofE report and the Exec Headteacher’s report. We celebrated the success of OPAL and the positive impact this has had on behaviour. We discussed the school’s current SIP and the LGB strategic plan. We spoke about the changing of the school timings and whether this had impacted on attendance. We also celebrated the number of children due to join the school in September. 
The Deputy Head updated the governors on behaviours & attitudes, discipline, and exclusions. We also spoke about the wellbeing of both the children and staff. We considered any skills gaps or training needs of governors and how to access development training. The importance of this was re-iterated by the Governance Manager from Aquila.
The meeting turned its attention to governance and community. With conversations around governor skills, self-evaluation, governor engagement, governor “buddying”, subject monitoring and Governor Ofsted readiness.
During closing reflections, Governors took the time to consider the main topics of discussion (Impact and development of OPAL), the main challenges ahead for the school (Ofsted readiness) and areas for celebration (behaviour management and almost full intake for Sept 2024).

Wednesday 07 February 24 -Chair and Vice-Chair visit to the School Council meeting
On February 7th 2024, the Chair and Vice Chair were invited to attend the latest School Council meeting. Topics under discussion were the recent Judicium Safeguarding Audit, OPaL outdoor play initiative and planning for Red Nose Day. 
It was great to hear all the children being able to communicate their thoughts and ideas on the different subjects. Working together and showing respect for each other. At future meetings the School Council will be given the opportunity to put governors "on the spot" by asking them questions about the role of a School Governor.
Thank you to Mrs Amos and the children for making us welcome to their meeting, and we look forward to visiting again.

Thursday 16 November 2023 - Resources Committee Meeting
Today the Resources Governors met for the first time this academic and took the opportunity to discuss a wide and varied range of topics that all contribute to the safe and secure running of the school.
Along with the Executive Headteacher the Governors delved into comprehensive strategies aimed at maintaining a secure and nurturing environment for children and staff. Discussions ranged from emergency readiness to audit processes, reflecting a commitment to the overall well-being of everyone in the school community. The emphasis on creating a safe haven for learning set a positive tone for the rest of the meeting.
Budgeting and financial health of the school - in a climate of ever-evolving educational landscapes, the need for fiscal responsibility and strategic resource allocation was paramount. Governors worked together to monitor the budget, identify potential areas for optimisation, and ensure that financial resources were aligned with the school's vision. The Governors thanked the Financial Manager for all her hard work.  
Staffing and recruitment - recognising that attracting and retaining talented professionals is essential for maintaining educational excellence. Discussions explored innovative approaches to recruitment, discussed professional development opportunities, and considered strategies to enhance staff morale. The goal was clear: to cultivate an environment that fosters both personal and professional growth. After all the heartbeat of any educational setting lies in its dedicated educators.
Governors addressed issues related to buildings and maintenance, ensuring that the school's facilities were conducive to effective learning. Discussions ranged from routine upkeep to long-term capital improvement plans. A commitment to providing a physical environment that reflects the school’s values and supports its educational mission was evident throughout the deliberations.
During closing reflections Governors took the time to consider the main topics for discussion, the main areas of concern and areas for celebration.
To conclude the Governor's meeting served as a vessel for discussion around the current “health” of the school and as an opportunity to talk about the future. In addressing health and safety, finances, staffing and recruitment, buildings and maintenance, the governors demonstrated a commitment to creating an environment where every child can thrive.

Governor involvement in OPaL (Outdoor Play and Learning) - Jan White
I am so pleased to have been asked to represent the Governing Body as “governor play champion” on the working party currently introducing the OPaL scheme.   OPaL is essentially a whole school health & mental well-being vision.   Play is vitally important for physical, emotional, social, behavioural and spiritual development, building resilience and confidence.

My remit will be to observe, evaluate and monitor play within the school and, as part of the team, to help implement OPaL. I will be linking the in-school play team with the Governing Body, attending regular meetings, gaining feedback from the children and staff.  I will be reporting and sharing with governors what has been observed and how play is developing within the school.

I have visited several local schools who have already been operating OPaL to look at their set-up and get the benefit of their experiences.

I hope to be able to share contributions and ideas from the parent body, school and wider communities. I would like to create links that will support the development of play e.g. seeking free resources from outside companies, and together with the PFA, applying for grant funding.

We have already secured £1,500 from the ASDA Better Starts Community Foundation, that we hope will be utilised for storage and possibly a reading shed.  Grant bids will also be lodged with Tesco and Waitrose and other outside funding streams explored. 

Thursday 05 October 2023 - Full Local Governing Body Meeting
This was the first full governors' meeting of the term and my second meeting with the governing body. From my short time on the team, everyone has been very welcoming and helpful in getting started on the 'Governor Journey'.

The meeting was packed with reviews of trust policies and the re-election of the Chair and Vice-Chair back to the Governing body. We thank them for their time and effort into running the team so well. It was also discussed about a possible Ofsted inspection in the future and what we need to do as Governors to be prepared.

The real highlight of the night was talking about the introduction of OPAL into the school. Everyone involved with it seems so passionate about it and this enthusiasm is infectious. Many of the Governors would like to turn back the clock and experience the opportunities that OPAL brings. 

Thursday 28 September 2023 - Leadership and Management Committee
Today the Leadership and Management Committee met for the first time this academic year. This is a new committee made up of the School Leadership Team (SLT), Chair of Governors and chairs of both the Resources and Quality of Education Committees.
This committee allows for more in depth discussions around subjects and issues that may require governor support. It has a strategic remit feeding information back into both committees and Full Governing Body.
A sample of subjects discussed today were the School Improvement Plan (SIP), Parental Engagement, Home/School Agreement, SEND Provision, Staff and Pupil Wellbeing, Parking issues at drop off and pick up and Engagement with both Borough and Parish Councils.

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Thursday 13 July 2023 - Full Local Governing Body Meeting
I was kindly invited to my first full governing body meeting this evening, the last of the current academic year. It was insightful to see the triumphs and challenges faced throughout and those within the upcoming year. It reviewed a full range from budget, health and safety, safeguarding and the well-being of both staff and pupils. Along with the many challenges faced within the school and education in general, it was evident that the pupils and staff are at the forefront. It was also lovely to hear about how well achieving our pupils are and the hard work and commitment of the school’s staff. I am so pleased to be a member of the school family and wish all a fantastic summer break! 

Thursday 29 June 2023 - Learning and Development Committee Meeting
It was another good meeting to discuss the school progress and behavioural data and review the impact additional funding is having via the National Tutoring Programme, pupil premium and sports premium. Unfortunately, it was too early to review the SATS data, due to delays by the government. Five policies were received, and governors were able to give feedback which will be included before they are issued, these are: Collective Worship, English, Maths, PHSE/ RSE and Handwriting. Thank you to Miss Smith, Mrs Bone and the teaching staff for pulling these documents together, it isn’t an easy task. It has been a successful year, and we look forward to working with the school in 2023/24 when we will be known as the Quality of Education committee to align with the expectations and language used by OFSTED. 

Monday 20 February - Staff Development Day
Governors appreciate being invited to attend Staff Development Days. Today I attended a session on Cybersecurity, an area crucial to ensure the schools systems and equipment remain resilient against theft or damage. This was followed by training in key areas for our school : Resilience, Self-Regulation and Memory and Cognitive Load. The session I attended looked at how children learn and retain knowledge in different ways. 

Thursday 09 February - Resources Committee Meeting
This group covers the following areas of school life - Finance, Health and Safety, HR, Buildings, Staff Wellbeing and Lettings. Agenda items, at this meeting, included monitoring of the school budget, future capital projects (including completion of pupil and staff toilet refurbishment), completion of the Aquila Trust Funded Heat Source Pumps (you may have seen some of the newly installed equipment), recent staff changes. We also received an update on Staff Wellbeing and future initiatives.

Thursday 08 December - Full Local Governing Body Meeting
Our final governor meeting of 2022 reflected on the year that has been but also gave us the opportunity to look forward to the year ahead.

As governors, we support and challenge the School Leadership Team to continuously improve and develop all elements of school life. It is therefore important that we are committed to doing the same as governors.

Much of this meeting was therefore focused on our training and development as governors, with further plans to review our ways of working to ensure we are supporting the school in the best way possible.

Wednesday 23rd November - Open Evening for Prospective Parents/Carers
Tonight, several Governors attended the open evening for Prospective New Parents for the September 2023 intake.

First impressions are important, and it was great to be able to support our school staff on the night. Following a presentation by Mr Witts,  parents were given the opportunity to tour the school and talk to the staff. Governors were on hand to answer questions or direct parents to staff who could help. 

It's good for our Governors to be able to support staff in this way.

29 September 2022 - Full Local Governing Body Meeting
The first full governing body of 2022/23 academic year took place today, the first where we could meet face to face for three years. As a recently appointed governor it was wonderful to finally meet the rest of the governing body and be welcomed into the school building to see what has been going on in the first few weeks of term. We covered a wide range of topics including how the school is responding to the increases in energy costs and reviewed a number of trust policies, this will be ongoing throughout the year.
The Chair and Vice-Chair of governors were re-elected for another 12 months, we thank them for agreeing to stand again and for their experience and guidance to the governing body. There have already been a number of governor visits and all agreed that the staff and pupils have made a strong start to the school year, even given the sad news of the passing of our Queen. As governors, we look forward to being able to participate in school events once again.

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14th July - Full Governors Meeting
The last meeting of the academic year took place today. We covered a wide range of items including signing off the budget, reviewing health and safety, safeguarding and well-being reports and reviewed our usual end of year housekeeping items. We welcomed Rev Adam Childs to the governing body and Miss Denise Moore who is our new Assistant Headteacher/SENCO. We also thanked those members of staff leaving the school at the end of term for all their hard work over the years. It has been a tough year in school, in some ways more challenging than the past few years, including lock down. I am proud of the way our school has come through the year and everyone has played a key role in our school family. We also wish our leavers in Year 6 all the very best in their new schools from September.

13th July - Year 6 Production
I attended the Year 6 production of Ye Ha! - it was a fantastic performance. The children were all great and had the audience laughing many times with the jokes. All credit to both the children and the staff for putting on such a great production which is now a tradition for the year 6 leavers.

08 July 2022 - School Trips and Visits
All class school trips, including Year 4 and Year 6 residentials to Kingswood Activity Centre, have been completed for the academic year. At least one governor has accompanied staff and pupil on their travels.
Year 1's visit to Wingham had to be curtailed due to heavy rain however, all other visits were blessed with fine weather. This year's visits offered a new experience for many of the children as, due to the restrictions bought about by Covid, this was their first school trip, nights away from home or travel by coach. The governors enjoyed accompanying staff and children who, were a credit to the school.

26 May 2022 - Resources Committee
The Resource's Group met recently. Amongst items discussed were, setting and agreeing the schools 5 year budget, health & safety, staffing levels and changes of personnel, future provision for After School Club, impact of pupil role numbers on the budget, use of government funding in terms of catch-up post Covid and those attracting pupil premium. Governors within this group have supported SLT with the staff appraisal process. The group currently meets 3 times a year and along with Learning and Development Group feeds into the Full Governing Body.

19 April 2022 - Easter Pilgrimage
Some Governors accompanied KS1 and KS2 classes for the Easter Pilgrimage from the school to St Michael and All Angels Church. It was great to see the children joining in the with service, conducted by Reverend Adam, with such enthusiasm. The children were a credit to the school. 

Governor Health and Safety Monitoring
I recently completed the annual H&S Governor Monitor Visit of the school. The visit involved inspecting the building (classrooms, offices etc), reviewing policy and safety documentation, ensuring that all statutory testing and inspections have been completed, statutory fire drills undertaken, and training certification is in date.
I am pleased to share that the school meets all the criteria set down.

 24 March 2022 - Local Governing Body Meeting
First full governing body meeting of 2022 today. We welcomed the Rev Adam Childs to the governing body as the new incumbent at Kingsnorth. We started the meeting with an update on the school's attainment data. Considering the disruption the pandemic has had on the children’s education the data paints a positive picture.
The school has recently received a number of awards, A Wellbeing award following an external assessment, gained the Inclusion Quality Mark (IQM) and was selected to be a Kent Associate Research School (KARS), all three of these are fantastic achievements and the governors thanked everyone who was involved.
Governors were aware that it seems to have been a long term, with both staff and pupil absence due to Covid and that the Easter break is being welcomed by staff and children alike. The governors finished by thanking all staff for their hard work during what has been a difficult and testing term and wished them all a restful Easter break. Chris Myers, Chair of Governors

11 February 2022 – Year 3 Class Assembly
Governors: Our newer governors are settling in very well and have already been supporting important discussions in group meetings and with monitoring.  We hope to soon be welcoming Rev Adam Childs to our number.  As the incumbent, he will join as an ex-officio governor – i.e. there by virtue of his role in the parish. 

27 January 2022 - Resources Committee Meeting
The resources governors met today for the first time this calendar year. We covered a multitude of items including staff and pupil wellbeing, health and safety and budgets and finance.
The new outdoor learning lessons have been popular with the children, with all year groups participating in this exciting new opportunity. 
Health and safety is paramount and recent monitoring visits to the breakfast and after school clubs have confirmed that these environments are as safe as they can be. 
Covid continues to be a challenge, both for families and staff, despite this, the desire for staff to help children learn continues. The Covid catch up fund from the government has been used to help bring pupils back up the levels where they were expected to be before the pandemic. This has been allocated to provide resources to all year groups.

17 January 2022 - Health and Safety Monitoring 
I attended After School Club to undertake a Health & Safety monitoring visit. I am pleased to report that any recommendations and observations, raised in my previous visit, have been implemented/addressed. The visit also gave me the opportunity to talk to staff and children.
After School Club is an integral part of the school wrap around provision, offering a safe environment for our children. As a school, we are fortunate to have this facility as part of our school family.

09 December 2021 - The Local Governing Body Meeting
I would like to open by thanking the governors and SLT for such a warm welcome as I attended my first Local Governing Body (virtual) meeting as a fully-fledged governor. I feel very privileged to be part of the team.
The meeting opened with thoughtful words of encouragement for us all to feel comfortable, valued and heard.
The Executive Headteacher presented his report which was very informative which included information on the School Improvement Plan (SIP), resources and budget, staffing, pupil information, the wider school community and partners. Discussions also took place on the current COVID-19 situation and how it is impacting on the school. We are all very grateful to the school team, yet again, for stepping up to the challenge of keeping the school as near to “normal” during these difficult times.
Further discussions took place on a wide range of school topics including H&S, policy review, safeguarding, staff & pupil wellbeing, governor mentoring and training. We also spoke about being “Ofsted” ready and the need to ensure that information is kept up to date and shared on the school website.
The Deputy Head shared with the governors her draft statement on the Pupil Premium Strategy. All agreed this was an excellent piece of work and look forward to the final version. Thank you.
The governors congratulated the school on their recent achievement on becoming the Kent Associate Research School (KARS) and look forward to supporting the school with this new and very exciting opportunity.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity wish the governors, staff and families of Kingsnorth Primary School a very Merry Christmas and all the very best for 2022.
Kind regards, Tracy Roper – Governor

02 December 2021 - Monitoring Breakfast Club
Today I attended Breakfast Club to undertake a Health and Safety visit.  I am pleased to say that recommendations made from my previous visit have been applied.  Breakfast Club is well managed and staff are organised and welcoming. The children were happy and understood the processes in place to keep them safe.  Health and Safety in our school continues to be of a high standard especially with the additional risks associated with Covid.  Breakfast club continues to be a valuable, and popular, aspect of the schools wrap around care. A great start to a school day.

21 November 2021 - Learning and Development meeting
The Learning and Development committee is a subcommittee of the Full Governing body. It meets quarterly in order to provide a detailed focus on academia/school data, behaviour, admissions, policies, safeguarding, SEN and wellbeing.
Last week’s L&D meeting looked at how our school continues to meet the enormous challenges presented by the ongoing pandemic.
We looked at the impact that interrupted schooling has had on each year group, noting for example, that the last time Year 3 were in school for a full academic year was their Reception year. The pandemic has impacted all year groups both academically and in terms of other opportunities such as school trips, residentials, swimming programmes etc.

The L&D committee discussed how intervention and support has been deployed across the 7-year groups in order to mitigate some of that impact.
We also discussed wellbeing, both of pupils and our staff and families. Kingsnorth is currently working towards its Wellbeing Award and a subgroup is working with SLT.
At a time that continues to be both turbulent and uncertain, it is vital that we ensure the wellbeing of our pupils, staff and families are at the central core of all that we do.

18 November 2021 - Resources Group meeting
Resources Group met for the first time this academic year and welcomed two new members, Tracy Roper and Pete Le Rossignol, to support and balance the experience in this group where there is a lot of focus on budget and staffing.
Discussions covered the continued challenges around COVID, the school’s high standards in Health & Safety, changes in staffing since our last meeting in May, the implications of changes to pay policies and getting used to a new finance system.  We discussed the use of the Government’s COVID catch-up funding and Pupil Premium funding to support vulnerable groups. 
Plans were shared for future exciting site projects that could enhance our extended school provision and raise the school’s profile in innovative curriculum and research areas.  Governors also shared in some outstanding achievements for inclusion.
Keith White – Vice-Chair of Governors

01 September 2021 - The Beginning of a New Local Governing Body (LGB)
Today is the start of a new era for our school as we once again become a single LGB having spent much of the past 5 years as a Joint Local Governing Body (JLGB) alongside Brenzett CEP. Due to the very hard work and commitment of the schools and the JLGB, Brenzett is again in the position where it can be self-sustaining and is able to forge a new path of its own. We will still be in contact with the Brenzett team and will continue to follow its successes and future. Thank you to all who have been involved in this amazing adventure.

27 May 2021 - Joint Resources Group meeting - Online
Key topics discussed were:-
Health & Safety - Governors annual inspection of both schools. Pleased to report there are no major issues. At the request of the Executive Head separate inspections were undertaken of Breakfast Club and After School provision at Kingsnorth. HoS has subsequently met with After School provider to discuss recommendations. The annual inspections by our external advisors are both planned in June.
Financial - Discussions about future year budgets for both Kingsnorth and Brenzett, which are due to be submitted to the Trust for approval. Planned improvements to the toilets and replacement of outside canopy at Kingsnorth.
Staffing - An update on recent and future staffing appointments at both Kingsnorth and Brenzett.

Governors were pleased to hear that morale, amongst staff and children of both schools, was still high despite the challenges faced over the last 15 months.

8 April 2021 - Health and Safety Visits
There are 2 annual Health and Safety Audits undertaken, one by an external H&S Advisor employed by the Trust and the second by the School H&S Governors.  The decision to undertake it during the Easter holidays was to ensuring that the "bubble" system in place was not compromised.
The audit incorporates, but not limited to, reviewing H&S documentation, statutory plant and equipment servicing and inspections and inspecting classrooms etc. We are pleased to report that both schools are in good shape with only one or two minor items to address.
You will appreciate that this has been a very difficult and challenging year and the Governors would like to place on record their thanks to Staff and Pupils for their continued diligence and to parents for your continued support.

25 March 2021 - Joint Local Governing Body - Online
The School Leadership Team updated us on the recent return to school and spoke with pride about how quickly the children had settled into school life again. Children had engaged well with online learning during the recent lock down, and this is evident in the progress that has been made. Both schools have been proactive in identifying where gaps in knowledge exist and have ensured their planning is effectively supporting those pupils where it is needed. 
Other matters discussed were: 

• Pupil and staff wellbeing 
• Health and safety  
• Safeguarding 
• Governor training and resources 
• Relationships & Sex Education programme 
• Staff pay policy

26 November 2020 - Joint Resources Committee 
The main items discussed during our meeting were as follows:
Health & Safety - concern was expressed about the situation at Brenzett School where members of the community have tested positive for Covid. As a result bubbles have collapsed and further action is being considered to regularise the situation.
Monitoring - in the extraordinary circumstances in which we find ourselves, monitoring was considered to be a low priority.  However, all governors are always available for discussion and advice.
Finance - new CCTV  to be installed at Kingsnorth and the existing system transferred to Brenzett.
Governors were pleased to hear that morale amongst staff at both schools is still high despite the unique pressures being experienced.  The Marsh Collaborative has donated towards well being of staff at Brenzett School which is particularly welcome at this difficult time.

13 October (Kingsnorth) and 14 October (Brenzett) - Annual Health and Safety Audit
Undertaken by our external Health and Safety Advisors, to ensure that COVID procedures/arrangements were at no time compromised. 
Items covered, but not limited to, included :-
- COVID procedures and arrangements
- Statutory inspections of plant and equipment
- Fire precautions and evacuation procedures
- Health and Safety documentation (inc COSH)
- General condition of the school buildings, playgrounds and other property.

We are pleased to report that both schools received the highest rating possible of GREEN.
It is good to know that both schools are in safe hands and thanks go to both site teams, SLT, teachers and support staff for providing, and maintaining, a safe environment.

15 October 20-20 - Joint Local Governing Body
This evening the full Governing body for Brenzett and Kingsnorth schools met online. We heard from the School Leadership Team how both schools are managing, adapting and performing since returning in September and how staff have worked incredibly hard to ensure pupils are safe, settled, engaged and eager to learn. As a Governor, it is always interesting to hear how flexible and innovative both schools are, and with the introduction of new measures under Covid 19 Regulations, it is evident how the schools have risen to that challenge. 

Other issues discussed were:

• Pupil and staff wellbeing
• Health and safety 
• Ofsted visit to Kingsnorth 
• Safeguarding updates from both schools 
• Attendance and Inclusion
• Governor training and resources
• Promoting both schools for 2021 intake.

The next meeting is scheduled for December. In the meantime if you have any questions about the role of the Governing body, please see the schools' websites or contact the Clerk.

24 September 2020 - Resources Committee
We had the first resources group meeting of the new school year and it was great to see and hear how the school have been managing the continuous changes that are outlined by the government on a near enough weekly basis.

The new school year has started well in both schools with a high level of attendance. The children are all pleased to be back and see their friends as some had been out of school for 6 months. I was at Kingsnorth on the first day and it was like a carnival atmosphere and lots of smiling faces and I know it was similar at Brenzett.

The meeting covered a variety of items including health and safety, safeguarding, wellbeing and budgets. The governors were all pleased to hear that both schools had a clean bill of health by our external advisors who carried out a Covid inspection in July. This is a credit to all staff at both schools.

Both schools have had to spend a considerable amount on Covid, from extra cleaning products and hand sanitiser to signage and deep cleans. 

The governors acknowledged all the hard work that has been done in both schools to make them as safe as possible and will work with the school going forward as and when required.

24 September 2020 - Breakfast Club
With the relaunch of Breakfast Club, for children of Key Workers, this week I attended today to observe how it was operating from a Health and Safety perspective. I am pleased to report that both staff and children adhered to the Risk Assessment in place specifically for this activity.  Due to Social distancing, bubbles etc restrictions in place, I couldn't take the opportunity to speak to the children directly however,  I can report that they were well behaved and appeared happy to be back. It was a wet start to the day, which meant that children couldn't get to play outside, so staff improvised with some games that the children could join in whilst remaining at their allocated tables. 
As a governor I am proud of staff we have at Kingsnorth and the commitment that they display daily.

21 September 2020 - Learning and Development Committee
I attended the first Governor Learning & Development Committee of the new academic year.
As governors we offer support, monitor the schools against their school improvement plans, and ensure that the schools we govern are providing a good quality of education.
At the meeting we heard from the Executive Headteacher on the progress of the schools between March and September and the resumption of schools to full capacity.
He acknowledged that it had been the most difficult time he had ever experienced in over 20 years teaching. He commended the school staff for the way they had coped and risen to the challenges faced during lockdown and since.
Both Heads of School provided reports on the first few weeks of the new school year and commented on how well the pupils had adapted to returning to school and thanked their staff for their continued hard work in such challenging times.
It was highlighted that the new measures put in place to ensure the schools are COVID secure had been received well by a number of external bodies when visiting the schools in recent weeks.
During the meeting we asked questions about how the pupils will be assessed following the lockdown period. It was shared that all pupils are currently being assessed so we can gain a idea of progress in pupils as a whole between March and September.
The meeting also covered other topics and was updated on various elements of school including staff and pupil wellbeing. It was reported that some staff are anxious about the risks to themselves and their families but are still attending school to provide education to pupils.
As governors we are fully supportive of everything the school is doing and ask that all parents show compassion to all school staff during these challenging times. They are doing an amazing job to ensure that our school is safe for all and providing high quality education for our pupils.
Mr Peter Le Rossignol - Governor

1 September 2020 - Back to School
Welcome back to our whole school community across both of our schools! We hope teh summer has been enjoyable and refreshing.

2nd, 8th and 10th June  - Covid-19
On the days listed we attended school to monitor the Covid 19 arrival process against the schools Coronavirus Risk Assessment.  We are pleased to report that the process worked extremely well for all concerned.
In general children appeared happy to be going into school and, any anxieties, which were extremely few,  were quickly address by staff who were on hand to welcome the children. We are also pleased to report that both pupils and parents/carers followed "the rules"  set out to create a safe environment.

20 December 2019 - Happy Christmas and a Peaceful New Year to everyone associated with the Kingsnorth and Brenzett CEP communities from all at the JLGB

05 to 08 November 2019 – Yr6 French Residential Trip
I had the pleasure of accompanying Yr6 children from both Kingsnorth and Brenzett on their residential trip to France.  The trip gave children, and staff, the chance to experience life in a French School, where the children had the opportunity to use their French language skills. Visits were made to WW2 museums in Ambleteuse and La Coupole along with cultural visits to a boulangerie,  sweet factory and Auchan supermarket, where once again, the children got to use their French vocabulary buying food items for their lunch that day. Friday morning bought a more serious event with a visit to East Boulogne War Cemetery. The children were set the task of finding the headstone of a young man, born in Kingsnorth who sadly lost his life in WW1. The children then lead a Service of Remembrance at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier where their behaviour was impeccable. On the  journey home we stopped off at Nausicaa Sealife Centre a most enjoyable way to end the trip. The trip was a great experience for the children and something that I feel they gained from. through a well thought out itinerary. Special thanks to the staff and volunteer adults for making it possible.

22 January 2019 - Maths Information Sessions
I attended this session this morning to understand the maths curriculum that's being taught at the school. It was good to see how the children are learning maths and the vocabulary used so that parents understand better and can help their children more. A very informative session with examples of learning aids on display as well as curriculum outlines. Was great to see so many parents there today.

16 January 2019 - Annual Health and Safety Site Audit
Today we conducted the annual health and safety walk at Kingsnorth. I joined the deputy head and site management team and am pleased to report that there were no major concerns identified at the school. We used the audit sheets that our external auditor uses to ensure that all aspects were covered. Good to see the school is in a good safe condition for the staff and pupils.

15 November 2018- Year 3 Class Assembly
I had the pleasure to attend this event today and it was amazing to see how much work the children had done since September. The class put on a great assembly for the whole school and parents and all seemed to take great delight in informing us all of what they had been learning and was nice to see all the smiling faces as they delivered their piece. Well done to class 3T and Mr Taylor. 

14 November 2018- Prospective Year R Open Evening
Was nice to see all the new prospective parents and children at the open evening last night. A very well attended event and it was good to talk to new parents and answer any questions that they had. A great presentation and was pleasing to see how many parents had signed up to come back on an open day to see the school in action.

20 July 2018 - Happy holidays to everyone associated with the Kingsnorth and Brenzett CEP communities from all at the JLGB.

24 June - Kingsnorth PFA Summer Fair
Another great event hosted by the wonderful PFA team. The GB are grateful for the money that is raised through these lovely community events and thankful to the parents and friends that give up their time to support the school.

21 June - Safer Recruitment Training
The training session tonight was well attended by many members of the governing body and the senior/ wider leadership team. We are fully committed, as a GB, to safeguarding best practices and current recruitment procedures. The course was a useful refresher and we are grateful to be able to have this up to date training at our school.

18 June - Parent Voice meeting
I was able to attend a parent voice meeting this afternoon to hear different views on school communication. It was interesting to be part of this group. The feedback will be taken to the next JLGB meeting

14 June - Year R New Parents Meeting
Great to see so many new (and existing) parents at the new Year R parents evening last night. Parents received an overview of the structure of what their children will be learning from September and had the opportunity to ask any questions to staff and governors.

13 June- Year 4 trip to Otterden Estate
What an amazing day this was! The weather, the setting and the children! It was a fun filled day packed with a variety of workshops and interesting sessions. The children were all thankful to their teachers for organising the day for them and the volunteers that had delivered the sessions. The children were good ambassadors for our school.

12 June - Year R Fathers Day event
The opportunity to attend these events is part of being a governor that I really enjoy! The dads/granddads all took part in a junk modelling activity with their child. I took the chance to chat informally about their first year as part of the Kingsnorth family. It is a great way to gather feedback for the school and to build links between the GB and parents.

08 June - Year R trip 
Today, I was able to meet the Kingsnorth Year R children on their school trip to Brenzett Forest school. It was lovely to see the schools working together sharing resources. The children all had a wonderful day learning new skills and being outdoors to learn for the day. The day was well planned, all of the necessary arrangements were completed pre-visit which allowed the day to run smoothly.

06 June- Whole School Fun Run
A fully inclusive, full school participation event hosted at Kingsnorth. This is a long running event in the Kingsnorth calendar which is always really well supported by families. All donations are very gratefully received in order to buy extra resources for the school.

04 June - New Year R Taster afternoon 
Staff and governors welcomed our newest school family members into Kingsnorth for the first time today. 
I was able to chat informally with some parents/carers about the school and answer any questions they had. A good opportunity for governors to meet with parents. 

23/25 May - Teaching Staff interviews
Governors ensure that any job offers made are based on receiving a full safeguarding check from the candidate. We will always ensure that the recruitment process is rigorous and the best candidates are chosen for our schools.
We wish those members of staff leaving us at the end of term well and welcome the new members of the team joining the schools from September. 

23 May - SIAMS training/meeting
As governors we discussed the format of the inspection and the role that we will play in the process. 

18 May - Pupil Progress Meetings
Governors attend these meetings to look at specific data for each class group to challenge why children are not making expected levels. Teachers are able to provide accuarate, up to date information on the actions being taken to ensure every pupil achieves the best outcome.

14-17 May - Year 6 SATS week
The statutory testing process for Year 6 was monitored by governors to ensure that school staff were following the procedures set out in the guidance. 
The children were fully supported by school staff during this test week to ensure they stayed calm and were able to do their best for each test. 
The Local JGB will monitor the test results for both schools to ensure the expected levels of attainment and progress are being met. 

09 May - Year 2 SATS week
As a link governor for the middle school I was particularly interested in attending school to watch the testing process take place. The teachers kept the children calm and relaxed whilst ensuring that the tests were carried out correctly and to the guidelines that are set out. 

21 April - Brenzett Forest School Opening
Today marked the official opening of the forest school at Brenzett school. Everyone joined together to receive a blessing for the new garden. There were parents, pupils, governors, staff members and invited Aquila members present. 
The forest school is a great asset to the school and providing a stimulating learning environment for the pupils.

27 March - Interview day for FLO
The JLGB and SLT have a strong commitment to the wellbeing of our staff, children and families. We provide a safe and welcoming environment for everyone. The appointment of a new FLO will ensure that we continue to offer this support whilst strengthening the relationships with families to improve outcomes for them. The LJGB ensure that all appointments are carried out with full safeguarding checks. 
We wish Hayley Jones well for the future and thank her for the hard work she put into the school.

22 March 2018 - Joint Local Governing Body
This group combines all of the various committee groups from across both Brenzett and Kingsnorth schools. At these meeting all governors have the opportunity to hear about all aspects of school work and can ask question and challenge on any subject. Reports received showed good academic progress across most areas and challenge in areas of concern or where specific actions from the schools improvement plan were still to be met. This was also the first time all of the governors had the opportunity to discuss the retirement of our Vice Chair of Governors. Aline Hicks had been a serving Governor at Kingsnorth school for over 25 years but at Christmas had decided that the time had come for her to retire from the role. Aline has over the years been both a good friend and challenging governor of the school always supporting it and encouraging the same in others, she has said she will continue to be available to the school to help if needed and the Governors and school are both grateful for this offer. One of the existing governors and current chair of the Resources group has accepted the role of Vice Chair for one year and we will look to find a permanent Vice Chair within the year.

16 March 2018 - Brenzett Learning and Development Group
This was the second full group meeting of this year and a new chair for the group was elected. The governors received reports and in year data on progress of all year groups and it could be seen that since the start of the year in most areas we have seen a significant improvement in teaching and learning, this data was validated by the schools improvement partner who acknowledged the work done so far and the plans the school has to continue to improve. The governors were also given the results of a recent parent survey, which was very encouraging not just because of the very high level of response received from parents but almost without exception the parents praised the school for it efforts, said how happy the pupils were now and encouraged the school to keep up this good work.

March 2018 - Governor Group meetings
March saw a whole series of Governor Committee and monitoring meetings. Reports from across all groups at Kingsnorth is showing very good progress in most areas and this is supported by the external improvement advisors used by the school. Any areas of concern or where performance is not at the levels we expect are being clearly focused on and pupils, staff and parents should be very proud of what they are achieving.

14 March 2018 - OFSTED Preparation training 
The joint local governing body this evening received training on the protocol of an OFSTED inspection from our school advisor, who used to be an inspector himself. It was a very informative session and it will put us in a good position when the time comes.

14 March 2018 - Resources Committee Meeting
This meeting was mostly dominated with budget discussions for both Kingsnorth and Brenzett. Budgets are tight but governors are keeping a close watch on them. Both schools are in a good state at present and bids for funding are pending for new boilers at Kingsnorth and a perimeter fence at Brenzett.

07 March 2018 - Year R Mother’s Day event
I was delighted to be able to attend this event today hosted by the Year R team. Mothers/Grandmothers/carers were invited into school to spend time with their child to work on a craft project to create a special item for Mother’s Day.

As a governor, it is important for me to get the chance to talk with parents about their experiences at Kingsnorth and to ensure they understand the role of the LGB at the school. It was a very special event- thoroughly enjoyed by everyone that attended.

09 February 2018 - Health & Safety Visit
I visited the school today as H&S Governor. I had a tour from the site management team and found all to be in a very good state and well maintained. The team do a great job and I found no areas of concern. It is good to see a good safe environment for our children.

26 January 2018 - Celebration assembly
Today, I joined the whole school community for daily collective worship. The whole school congratulated their peers in their special achievements and remembered the importance of the Christian Values at Kingsnorth.

26 January 2018 - Volunteer induction meeting
I attended a meeting arranged for new parent volunteers who had agreed to give up some of their time to support the school and to help with continued improvement at Kingsnorth. It was great to see such willingness from volunteers to help the children and the school. The middle school TL and the Assistant HT ensured that the process was carried out following the guidelines in our policy

15 December 2017 - Pupil Progress Meetings.
As part of the on-going assessment of children’s progress these meetings are held once per term to analyse the specific class data for the core curriculum subjects. The class team, alongside senior leadership and governors, ensure that all children are making good progress and discuss specific interventions or support that is needed to ensure this progress is sustained throughout the year. It is crucial that this is reviewed regularly.

06 December 2017 - Year R Nativity Play
It was well attended by parents and the children did a fantastic job in the play which was greatly appreciated by all. Thanks to all the hard work of both staff and pupils it was great to see.  I was particularly impressed with the pupil who despite hitting her head early on in the play but was determined to join in at the end with the singing complete with ice pack.  Well done all!

06 December 2017 - Year R Nativity Play
I had the pleasure of watching the newest members of the school perform their version of the nativity story. It is a great opportunity to welcome parents/family members into the school again and to hear their views on the school so far! Personally for me, it is great to talk with some parents that I have met earlier in the year when they were choosing a school or at our inductions sessions.

06 December 2017 - Brenzett First Learning and Development Group Meeting
The first meeting of the newly formed L&D group for Brenzett took place this evening. With the addition of the 3 new governors (2 parent and 1 staff governor) the group now has 7 fully committed working governors. This meeting focused on understanding its role and responsibilities and planning for the future. The group has a good mix of experienced governors and other who are new to governance but bring with them the necessary skills and experience that will make them very effective governors.

01/02 December 2017 - PFA Christmas Fayre
I was able to support the pfa with one of their fundraising events for the school. The PFA team of volunteers work tirelessly to raise very much needed extra funds for the school. The governors fully acknowledge this extra money and truly appreciate the work that is done to organise these lovely community events.

30 November 2017 - Strategic and Resource Group meetings
The November round of meetings provided governors with the revised School Plans for the coming year, it was pleasing to have reports from several external advisors that conclude good progress is being made across both Kingsnorth and Brenzett school and that new staff have settled in very well. Resources group was able to report on the successful completion of the roof repairs at Kingsnorth and that further bids for funding was being made to change the boilers at Kingsnorth and install better fencing around Brenzett school this year. Budgets in both schools remain tight but manageable and the governors are constantly monitoring them.

28 November 2017 -  Middle school link meeting
These meetings between governors and the team leader enable us to have a full review of the work that is being carried out in the middle school, Years 2-4. Today, we discussed progress data in all year groups and attainment data. We spoke about programmes that are used in reading, writing and maths and the impact that they have had so far. The structure of the middle school staffing was discussed with the additional presence of a student teacher this year and the TA team that is in place. We also heard of training that had taken place for staff and identified some ongoing training needs. The meeting is a very useful opportunity in school to really analyse up to date information.

23 November 2017 - Chair of Governors and Head Teacher Aquila meeting
Attended a Chair of Governor and Head Teacher meeting with the senior management and board representatives from Aquila at Reculver Primary School. Aquila presented more information on the progress that had been made within Aquila schools and how well the Academy Trust schools were now working and cooperating together. The data shared showed very good trends in both key stage groups with clear evidence of some outstanding practice and results in the EYS and KS1 data. The work get all schools on a single management reporting systems within SIMS was well underway and most of the initial program problems had now been addressed with some individual school still experiencing minor technical issues which are being addressed. Aquila has now started to train their own teachers with student teachers in most of the Aquila schools supported by Canterbury University. This program is intended to help train the next generation of teachers who we all hope will go on to continue to work for Aquila and the pupils that the trust educates.

20 November 2017 - Training session Along with other governors from Kingsnorth and Brenzett
I attended a training session on the subject of Coaching Into Appraisal. The training was carried out by an independent body of which all Aquila schools use. Governors are always seeking opportunities to ensure that our skills are kept up to date in order to support the JLGB to the best of our ability.

08 November 2017 - Annual open evening for prospective new year R parents
This information evening held at Kingsnorth was very well attended by parents gathering information on choosing a school for their child for September 2018. I thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to engage with the community to answer their questions about the school and its future direction! We also welcomed families into the school on the mornings of 20th and 21st November to see the school during the working day. It is a great opportunity for me as a governor to spend time with school staff and meet members of the local community.

19 October/28 November 2017 - HT annual review
A panel of governors, with the support of an external advisor, carry out this statutory responsibility. We are there to review the targets set in the previous academic year and to set new targets for the year ahead.

11 October  2017 - Collective Worship
Rev Caroline was in school monitoring the Collective Worship this morning with Mrs Hardwick. Despite being stung by a wasp Mrs Sullivan led very well!
We looked at how CW is distinctively Anglican and how it can be distinctively Christian as it seeks to ask questions of the children and relate them both to faith and the Bible and their life.
Mrs Hardwick and I also visited each classroom to monitor the prayer spaces and how the school values were displayed. It was encouraging to see the children using the 'dream clouds' to think big dreams about the future, and to see how each prayer space is used differently in each classroom. I was pleased to see examples of children articulating what the school values were for themselves. 

21 September 2017 - First Committee Meetings of the year
Throughout today the JLGB met in committees to discuss resources, finance, staffing, curriculum and health and safety. Minutes of every meeting are available to parents and staff to read, if they wish to, once they have been approved.  

06 September 2017 - Forming the Joint Local Governing Body
This evening we met for the first time as a Joint Local Governing Body (JLGB). We welcomed the existing Brenzett  Governors to join us and with the advice from Nick Morgan of Aquila we had our first meeting agreeing documentation and Terms of Reference amongst other things.

30 June 2017 - Sports Day
It was great to attend the school sports day event today. The children all seemed to have a wonderful time and enjoy participating in the events. It was nice to see so many parents spectating. Thanks to all staff who made it a successful event.

28 June 2017 - Comment from the Vice Chair of Governors
I am always interested in how we can prepare our Year 6 children in going forward into the 'big wide world' of secondary education, and I would like to relate of two events that have recently taken place for our pupils.
Today I visited the Rare Breeds centre at Woodchurch where Ashford Borough Council had arranged for all Year 6 children in the Borough to learn about various safety hazards and 'life skills'. There were stands about drugs education, keeping safe, and a whole host of other agencies but for the first time children were also advised about 'mental health and well being' issues. This afternoon our staff took Kingsnorth children to participate in this annual event. I was delighted to see how well behaved our pupils were and another Borough Councillor remarked to me how good they were.
Also I was able to arrange for our MP to come to school to talk to Y6 children about ;democracy' as part of our teaching on British Values. Year 6 children from Furley Park also came to hear what Damian Green our “deputy PM” had to say and he answered all of their questions quite honestly.  I thought the best question from children was “What motived you to become interested in politics?”  and the answer was that he had a good history teacher at  school.

08 June 2017 - Resources group meeting
A very productive meeting today covering budgets, reviewing policies, staffing plans and discussing future school plans and projects.

08 June 2017 - Resources Group Meeting
The Resources group of governors met for the final time this year. The main topic on the agenda was the setting and approval of the school budget. After much discussion the budget was approved and signed by the Head Teacher and Chair of Governors. The school and Governors have set a tight but balanced budget this year given the financial pressures all school now face, the budget was submitted to Aquila with a caveat describing why we have done what we have. On an extremely positive note the head teacher was able to report that for September we are fully staffed with highly qualified teachers in EVERY class and also have the added support of two great student teachers who would be working with us. The Resource governors and especially the Chair of Resources have worked extremely hard this year with the school and are proud of all the school has been able to achieve.

05 June 2017 - Health and Safety Audit
As the designated Health and Safety Governor I attended a meeting with the Health and Safety representative from Aquila. The audit was conducted on behalf of Aquila by a company called Ellis Whittam who provide management services to the trust. The audit was robust and detailed over the course of the whole day and included a physical full site inspection as well as a desk audit of all associated paper work and policies. I am very pleased to report that only a few minor issues were raised most relating to signage or simple housekeeping practices. These were either address on the day or will be completed before the end of term.

26 May 2017 -  Budget Meeting
The Chair of Resources, Chair of Governors and the school business manager met to go over in detail the proposed budget that needed to be finalised and submitted to the Academy Trust early in June. Given the very tight monetary constraints the school had prepared a balance budget proposal with governors that provide for the day to day operational needs and allowed for a smaller amount of money this year than in previous years towards further school improvements. The budget would be submitted to the full Governor Resources Group in early June for their approval.

23 May 2017 - Chair of Governors and Head Teacher Aquila meeting
Attended a Chair of Governor and Head Teacher meeting with the senior management and board representatives from Aquila at the Ramsgate Primary school. The meeting was the 3rd one this year and focused on the progress that had been made within Aquila schools and how well the Academy Trust schools were now working and cooperating together. All at the meeting agreed that this was a major step forward for the trust and would lead to even more progress next year.

28 April 2017 - Planning Meeting with Kingsnorth Parish Council
The Chair of Kingsnorth Parish council came to the school to discuss plans they are considering to help improve the facilities offered to the residents of Kingsnorth and ask for input from the school on what they can do to help and support us.

24 April  2017 - Progress and Impact meeting
Today I attended the meeting with all senior leaders of the school as well as the school improvement advisor appointed by Aquila to monitor and evaluate our progress. The meeting focuses on current termly data from all year groups to ensure we are on track to achieve our school targets and that all pupils are making the necessary progress. The meeting also looks at the detail of various groups to ensure that no particular group is in any way disadvantaged. The data available showed progress was on target and any pupils who were not meeting expected levels were known to teachers and action was being taken to help them. 

21 April 2017 - Governor Lunch with Pupil School Council
The governors invited the pupil’s School Council to the annual lunch we hold with them. This is a great opportunity for both governors and the pupils from across all year groups to meet and hear from each other. The meeting took place in the old school building and the buffet lunch was provided by our catering company. The pupils were fantastic and ask a range of question and raised some concerns they have, all the governors who were able to attend enjoyed the event and look forward to it again next year.

02 March 2017- Resources group meeting
Today included finance review, health and safety update, staffing update, to discuss future projects and lettings. With school finances under increasing pressure we spoke about the impact it could have on our school. We acknowledged and thanked the PFA for their amazing work and support in raising essentials funds for the school. 

02 March 2017- Lower School Link Meeting
The lower school link Governors received an update on data for the Lower School including an indication of the expected pass rate for the Phonics Screening Check and the measures that had been put in place to ensure the best possible outcome for the children in this test. The Governors were given an understanding of the new way in which appraisals and coaching would be carried out at the School and the benefits of these changes.  Staff changes and Miss Ciantar’s forthcoming maternity leave were discussed, with regard to her role as a class teacher, the Head of Lower School and as a Governor. The Year R Mother’s Day event and the Year R trip to the library and fire station were outlined and the governors were extended an invitation. 

23 February 2017 - Governor Training
I attended a SIAMS monitoring course this evening which gave a great oversight into what is expected to be seen during a SIAMS inspection. It was a good opportunity to speak to other school governors and have more in depth discussions around SIAMS. 

22 February 2017 - Parents/Governors Meeting
Today we had our Annual meeting between Parents and Governors. It is a great opportunity to meet each other face to face and discuss school improvement and future projects the school has in mind.

For minutes, please contact the Clerk to the Governing Body via the school office.