October 2023 For all Kent and Medway Governors, Trustees, Clerks and School Leaders Welcome to our October Monthly Bulletin Please ensure this bulletin, also published on GovernorHub and The Education People website, is a standing agenda item for both your Full Governing Board, Trustee and Committee meetings.
Dear Governors, Trustees, Governance Professionals and Clerks It is with a heavy heart that I inform you that our colleagues Julia Durcan and Jude Johnson will be leaving the Governance team in this month. Julia is retiring and looking forward to spending time with her family and enjoying her gardening passion. Jude is joining a newly formed academy trust and will be supporting them with their governance. We have been very fortunate as a team not to have experienced any staff turmoil over the last 5 years, but the only constant is change as we know in the educational world and we wish Julia and Jude every success for their futures both in retirement and their new ventures. We will miss them very much. We will take this opportunity of shaping our support in a different way and I am delighted to inform you that Tina and Lorraine will continue to deliver the training and be available to support your consultancy needs. The Clerking Service will be supported by the whole team as they are already, Tom will continue to support Clerks and Lorraine and Tina will take more of an active role in the onboarding of clerks following feedback from the clerks we have recruited over the last year. We hope this will give them a chance to network and have that more targeted induction to prepare them for their new roles. With effect from 1 November the following will be in place: − Suzanne Mayes - Head of Governor Services − Tina Gimber - Area Governance Officer, South Kent, North Kent and Medway − Lorraine Monkhouse - Area Governance Officer, East Kent and West Kent
Teachers Pay - Free Webinar from HR Connect HR Connect have a free webinar update on Teachers Pay September 2023. Any Governor, even if your school does not purchase support from HR connect, will be able to access this free webinar.
Governor Services Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) – 2023 Should all governors read all of KCSIE? - Yes, you should We recommend all governors read the whole of KCSIE because the board as a whole is responsible for safeguarding and making sure school policies, procedures and training are compliant.
All Governors need to be familiar with KCSIE to monitor your school effectively.
Safeguarding Training for Governors From Kent Education Safeguarding colleagues: − Safeguarding training should be undertaken by all governors to equip them with the knowledge to provide strategic challenge to test and assure themselves that the safeguarding policies and procedures in place in schools are effective and support the delivery of a robust whole school approach to safeguarding. This training should be regularly updated. − Should governors wish to attend whole school safeguarding training that is focussed on the operational dayto-day aspects of child protection within schools, they can. However, governors should understand that this would be to develop strategic safeguarding oversight, quality assure the content and/or to assure themselves that the training staff receive is adequate and fit for purpose; this training would not equip them for their strategic governance role. National Safeguarding Guidance for Education Settings and Child Protection Policy Templates are available from the Education Safeguarding Service
Training for Governors with Responsibility for Safeguarding Kent Education Safeguarding and Governor Services recommend that all governors and trustees access the ‘Strategic Safeguarding Training for Governors’ E-learning course. Free of charge for those whose boards subscribe to our Governor Training package (via voucher code system).
− Governors with a specific responsibility for safeguarding, including the safeguarding governor and chair of governors can then attend the live virtual training to explore their specific strategic roles and responsibilities in line with national and local policies and guidance in more depth.
Governors have a responsibility alongside school leaders to set standards for the culture and ethos of their school; safeguarding children is an essential part of this. All governors and trustees should receive appropriate safeguarding and child protection (including online) training which is regularly updated.
Department for Education Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework The EYFS statutory framework has been updated, the new version taking effect from 4 September 2023.
The Advanced British Standard - A world Class Education System This policy paper sets out long-term proposals for a new 16 to 19 qualification, taking the best of A levels and T levels, bringing them together into a single qualification.
Prevent Duty: Risk Assessment Templates The use of these templates is not mandatory; the guidance does refer to statutory requirements of the Prevent duty. This guidance should be read in conjunction with: − the Prevent duty guidance − the safeguarding learners vulnerable to radicalisation guidance The templates and documents above help schools to support the assessment of risk of children, young people or adult learners vulnerable to, or being, radicalised into terrorism, including online.
Managing Asbestos in Your School or College This guidance has been updated; − Requirements for managing asbestos and who this guidance is for - Updated the link to HSE's asbestos management checklist for schools. − Day-to-day management of asbestos in schools or colleges - Updated links to HSE's managing asbestos in system built schools guidance. − What to do if things go wrong - Updated the link to HSE's asbestos management checklist for schools. Page 2
Training Opportunities What Governors need to know about the EYFS - Monday 16 October 2023 Complaints: The Clerks' role in leading the process - Monday 30 October 2023 Complaints: What Governors need to know - Tuesday 7 November 2023
School Finance: The Role of the Governor in Maintained Schools - Thursday 9 November 2023 Promoting Equality Race Diversity in our School - Thursday 9 November 2023 Governors Role in Reviewing Suspensions/Exclusions - Tuesday 14 November 2023 Running an Effective Meeting - Thursday 16 November 2023
SEND Training - Now Available to Book Every Governor is a Governor of SEND for non-SEND Governors This 2-hour session should only be booked by Governors who do not have a specific SEND remit. − Thursday 18 January 2024 − Thursday 14 March 2024 Mainstream Core Standards Training for SEND Governors (3 session course) This course is split across three sessions and the content is relevant to all established SEND school governors. The course will improve knowledge and understanding of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), developing your role in school to strategically monitor the provision for all learners. − 17 October 2023, 10 January 2024 and 27 February 2024 Monitoring Training for SEND Governors of Schools with an SRP (Specialist Resource Provision) With the upcoming changes to the way SRPs are monitored, there will be a greater responsibility for the SEND Governor. Kent County Council has commissioned this free training which will help SEND Governors to fully understand their role in the new process. − Thursday 23 November 2023 − Wednesday 13 December 2023
Board Diversity - Collection and Reporting The DfE encourages maintained schools and academy trusts to collect and publish diversity data about the board and any local committees. − Governor information and duties – maintained schools − Trustees’ information and duties - academies Governors and trustees are now able to add personal information to their profile page to contribute to a downloadable board diversity report. − Reports will only contain data from board members who are allocated to the board's constitution − Read Board Diversity FAQs to find out more
New, Improved Declarations and Confirmations GovernorHub has been working on some improvements; coming soon you'll find: − More guidance for users about what they need to include in their declarations and confirmations − Ability to choose which declarations apply to which boards (for those serving on multiple boards) - makes your download much more usable A friendlier and more transparent interface so it's easier for all board members to see who's updated their declarations
GovernorHub Training for Clerks − Clerking with GovernorHub - Wednesday 18 October, 12:30pm - 2pm, to help get the best out of the system
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Governor Services Alert from the Kent County Council (KCC) Health and Safety Team HSE inspectors will shortly start their programme of visiting schools to assess the management of asbestos - from October 2023
What is happening? The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will be carrying out a programme of inspections to primary and secondary schools in England, Scotland, and Wales from October 2023 onwards. The inspections will be assessing how schools are managing the risks from asbestos within the school estate and meeting the ‘duty to manage’ (DTM) requirements under Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR). The regulations place duties on those with responsibility for the maintenance of work premises, including schools, to manage the risk from asbestos. For the majority of schools, this will be the employer. Who will be carrying out the inspections? The visits will be carried out by HSE inspectors, who will contact the school before visiting to arrange a suitable date and time for the inspection. They will need to speak to someone with knowledge of how asbestos is managed by the school and may also ask to see certain documentation in advance of the visit e.g. your asbestos register and management plan. See our guidance on what to expect when an inspector calls for further information. What should schools do to prepare for these inspections? In advance of the inspections, schools may wish to review their current arrangements and check that they are meeting their duties under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, which includes requirements to: − Take reasonable steps to find out if there are asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) in the school premises, and if so, the amount, where it is and what condition it is in. − Presume materials contain asbestos unless there is strong evidence that they do not. − Make, and keep up to date, a record of the location and condition of any ACMs - or materials which are presumed to contain asbestos. − Assess the risk of anyone being exposed to fibres from the materials identified. − Prepare an asbestos management plan (AMP) that sets out in detail how the risks from these materials will be managed. − Take the necessary steps to put the plan into action. − Periodically review and monitor the plan and the arrangements, and act on the findings, so the plan and arrangements remain relevant and up to date. − Provide information on the location and condition of the materials to anyone who is liable to work on or disturb them. If you are a KCC Community or Voluntary Controlled school and are contacted by the HSE to inform you of a site inspection and have any queries then please contact the Kent County Council Health and Safety advice line on 03000 418456 or email us at healthandsafety@kent.gov.uk
Health and Safety - Do You Require Advice and Guidance? Should you need any health and safety advice and guidance, we recommend that you contact the heathandsafety@kent.gov.uk advice line. You may also find our pre-recorded information produced by the KCC Health and Safety team helpful - to access, contact governorservices@theeducationpeople.org
Ofsted Striking the Right Note - subject report on the quality of music education Getting Our Bearings - subject report on geography Levelling the Playing Field - subject report on physical education Page 4
Kent’s most extensive exhibition is free to attend and open for the county’s education professionals, such as headteachers, teachers, school leadership teams, governors and more from the state, academy and private sectors. Delegates benefit from a unique opportunity to meet key suppliers in the market and attend a wide range of free conference sessions - hearing directly from senior figures who set education policy and strategic direction across the national and local education agenda. This year we have Keynote speaker sessions with Sir Ian Bauckham and Rav Wilding. Throughout the day we have a fantastic line up of great speakers and workshops, with a diverse and interesting range of topics - it's set to be an action packed day! Lunch, refreshments and parking are all free-of-charge for all delegates! Find out more and book your place The Education People Show
The Clerking Service - We are Recruiting Are you looking for a flexible, part time role to supplement an income or pension? Or an opportunity that will support you returning to the workforce after a career break? We are currently looking for individuals to work with schools across Kent, in particular the Ashford and Dover area
We are looking for dynamic, flexible individuals with great organisational and interpersonal skills and proven administrative experience. If that’s you, come and join The Clerking Service family.
Contact us for more information at… clerkingservice@theeducationpeople.org
A reminder that Jude’s last day is 17 October 2023 and Julia’s last day is 31 October 2023 Governor Services - General Enquiries 03301 651 100 Governor Services: governorservices@theeducationpeople.org The Clerking Service: clerkingservice@theeducationpeople.org Training: governorservicestraining@theeducationpeople.org Head of Governor Services Suzanne Mayes Email: suzanne.mayes@theeducationpeople.org
North Kent and Medway (Dartford, Gravesham, Sevenoaks, Medway) Jude Johnson Email: jude.johnson@theeducationpeople.org 03301 651 058
South Kent (Ashford, Dover, Folkestone and Hythe) Tina Gimber Email: tina.gimber@theeducationpeople.org 03301 651 057
East Kent (Canterbury, Swale, Thanet) Lorraine Monkhouse Email: lorraine.monkhouse@theeducationpeople.org 03301 651 061
West Kent (Maidstone, Tonbridge & Malling, Tunbridge Wells) Julia Durcan Email: julia.durcan@theeducationpeople.org 03301 651 055