Annual Governance Statement for the Governing Body
of South Normanton Nursery School 2023/24
In accordance with the Government’s requirement for all Governing Bodies, the three core strategic functions of South Normanton Nursery School Governing Body are:
Governance arrangements
The Governing Body of South Normanton Nursery School was reconstituted in July 2020 and is currently made up of:
Headteacher
1 x LA (Local Authority) Governor
3 X Parent Governors
3 X Co-Opted Governors
1 X Staff Governor
The names, terms of office, committee membership and areas of responsibility of our Governors can be seen on our “Meet our Governors” page.
Our Governors have a range of skills and experience which contribute to effective governance and the success of the school. These include Governors with experience in Education, Finance and Business.
Attendance record of Governors
A record is kept by the Clerk to the Governing Body of Governors’ attendance at meetings and visits to the school. The attendance record for September 2023 – July 2024 can be seen by following the link at the bottom of the “Meet our Governors" page.
Meetings need to be ‘quorate’ to ensure that decisions can be made; this means that at least half of the members must attend.
The work we have done on our committees and in the Governing Body:
As a Governing body, we understand the importance of the first five years in children’s lives and recognise that they learn more in these years than in any other phase of growth. As such we focused our efforts in 2023/2024 on making sure that South Normanton Nursery is a place where children can reach their full potential in these formative years.
At a time when budgets have been squeezed in the public service sector, we continue to support the Headteacher to find different funding streams and to maintain a balanced budget. We regularly review and scrutinise the finances of the organisation whilst ensuring that South Normanton Nursery School continues to provide a high-quality education for all children.
We continue to provide support for the general philosophy/vision of the Headteacher and staff. Governors have continued to visit the nursery to observe this in practice and to ensure that all stakeholders involved are part of that ethos. This has enabled us to hold the Headteacher to account and ensure that the information given in meetings can be seen within the nursery, identifying good practice and progress. This also allows Governors to gain a good understanding of the children within the nursery community and the challenges faced.
Governors have supported the Headteacher in continuing his vision of supporting those with SEND. This has enabled the Headteacher to provide an inclusive, nurturing, and challenging environment for ALL children. We have continued to discuss the challenges that arise from this and to look for solutions to ensure that we continue to provide the best start for the children in our care.
Communication and Language has remained an area of concern. The Headteacher has continued to make steps to develop this further through staff training, CPD and by following current research on the best strategies to use. The Governing Body has supported the Headteacher by allowing the allocation of budget, time, and CPD.
Another area that the Headteacher identified as a focus is Maths. Once again, we have supported the Headteacher’s proposals and budget to ensure that he is able to achieve his vision.
In May 2024, the nursery received an Ofsted inspection which we supported with by attending a meeting with the Ofsted Inspector and by supporting the Headteacher through the process. We were pleased to see that the nursery received a rating of good and our inclusive, welcoming environment was noted.
Throughout the year, we have supported the Headteacher to appoint a number of teaching staff.
What we intend to do in 2024/2025
We will continue to support the Headteacher as the nursery moves forward into the next academic year.
Following on from Ofsted, we will support the Headteacher in developing strategies and plans to further develop the curriculum and to ensure that there is a consistent understanding across all staff. We will also monitor the impact of these measures on pupils’ progress and attainment.
We will continue to support the Headteacher to ensure that we have a wide range of resources to support equality, diversity and inclusion in the setting.
We will work with the Headteacher and staff to monitor the outcomes on the School Improvement Plan, ensuring that the education provided meets the individual needs of the children and allows everyone to be challenged. We aim to provide strategic direction for the nursery school by reviewing policies, targets, and priorities. We will review the school’s aims and objectives and contribute ideas to the School Improvement Plan (SIP).
As a Governing Body, we recognise the commitment, focus, and dedication of all the staff. We would like to thank them for everything they do and continue to do for the children in our school community.
How to contact your Governing Body
Information about the school’s Governing Body is available on the Governors’ page of the school’s website.
Go to the ‘Home’ page, then use the ‘About us’ tab and navigate to the “Meet our Governors” pages.
The Chair of Governors may also be contacted via the School Office.