Governors

Our Purpose

The governing body of The Blue Tangerine Federation aims to ensure each school in the federation provides the best possible education through robust monitoring and analysis of each school's work.

DfE information on statutory duties of governing boards
Competency Framework for Governing Bodies (DfE Guidance)
Running a School (DfE Guidance)
Home Office: 'Prevent' Training Link

Details of the Structure and Responsibilities of The Governing Body and its Committees

The Governing Body of the Blue Tangerine Federation is made up from a combination of 12 Parent, Co-Opted, Partnership, LA and Staff Governors as outlined in its constitution.

The Full Governing Body (FGB) is led by the Chair of Governors (CoG) who is supported by the Vice Chair. The Role of the CoG is to ensure the governors undertake their statutory responsibilities and objectives, ensure the FGB is fully staffed with competent and engaged governors, manage the meetings and to deliver the best possible results and to guide and support the management team.

Governor training is encouraged to ensure the entire FGB has a range of skills which compliment their objectives. Skill Reviews are held in order to assess any skills gaps; this includes a separate financial audit to understand what finance training is required or to contribute to our governor recruitment plans.

The Blue Tangerine Governing Body Objectives

The Blue Tangerine Governing Body has three main objectives to fulfil its role in supporting the school.

To hold the Executive Headteacher to account for the performance of the school, pupils and performance management of staff.
To contribute to, and seek clarity on, the strategic vision and direction of the school.
Exercise oversight of the financial performance of the school and ensure expenditure delivers value for money.

The FGB, managed by volunteers, meets 6 times a year (each half term) and will hold an additional training meeting on a subject felt beneficial for all governors.

Governors with specific skills and areas of interest will take on the role of Link Governor and will meet / talk with staff throughout the year to provide oversight and scrutiny of particular areas. As examples, Link Governor roles include Safeguarding, Pupil Premium, Finance and school links (including Health and Safety).

The FGB are supported by the Finance Committee who meet prior to every FGB Meeting to consider all financial activities and to provide enhanced scrutiny, reporting discussions at FGB Meetings.

The key focus of the FGB is to ensure the best possible outcomes for our pupils and to achieve this by questioning, challenging and seeking evidence through FGB Meetings, School Visits and speaking with pupils, parents and staff. Full and frank discussion and rigorous challenge is expected and encouraged at all times.

Examples include:

seeking evidence of adherence to important policies, such as Child Protection and seeing first hand that safeguarding policies are followed by all staff.

asking the school leaderships teams to demonstrate how our curriculum allows our pupils to progress, seeing evidence in Learning Walks, Heads of Schools reports and by speaking with pupils and teachers.

Identifying adherence to the school strategy, notably preparing our pupils for the world of work through work based curriculum activity and extra-curricular activities, e.g. horse box café.

Outlined below are some of the activities which allow the FGB to carry out their roles.

Holding school leaders and Executive Headteacher to account:

The Executive Head has a standing agenda item at FGB to provide strategic and operational updates; these are discussed nd challenged by governors.
A Head of School's report is circulated prior to meetings covering a wide range of day to day issues, allowing for challenge and scrutiny. Governors will monitor changes over time and ask challenging questions.points on the day-to-day operation of the school.
Governors are responsible for the Executive Head Teacher’s annual performance and appraisal. These reviews are held with an independent advisor who brings an enhanced level of scrutiny and challenge.
Regular updates meetings are held with the Chair of Governors to discuss progress.

Strategic Vision and Direction

Governors input to and monitor the School Improvement and Development Plan (SIDP) which sets out the schools focus and how it plans to thrive in a changing educational landscape.
Progress against this plan are discussed regularly at FGB Meetings
Governors will look for evidence of the strategy being demonstrated by staff during visits and Learning Walks

Financial Oversight

The Finance Committee exercises governing body duties with respect to the financial status of the school. It is expected that all Governors will have an understanding of financial documents and the financial performance of the schools.
This includes the production of the School Financial Value Standards document; providing an opportunity to assess the financial health of the schools
Budget are prepared, planned and reviewed throughout the year.
FGB approval is sought for changes in contract supplier and for large spending requirements.

Other activities to support the school

Governors are required to attend safeguarding and prevent training.
They are required to complete 1 piece of training every half term and this is discussed at FGB meetings.
A Pay Review Committee assesses a number of performance appraisals of staff to ensure that the process has been managed thoroughly and fairly.
Governors form part of interview panels.
All governors make visits to the school and reports for these visits inform the triangulation of data and observations about school practices.
Governors attend events during the year to meet parents and staff.
Providing guidance and support to the Executive Headteacher and senior management team, utilising skills gained from their roles, e.g. Human Resources.

Governor Policies

See Policies Page

The Governing Body approve many of the Federation's policies - some statutorily though they have sight of all the policies of the schools.

Equality Objectives of The Blue Tangerine Federation Governing Body

The Collett School Accessibility Plan. Review Sep2028

St Luke's School Accessibility Plan. Review Sep 2028

Public bodies, including local-authority-maintained schools, are covered by the public sector equality duty in the Equality Act 2010 and the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) Regulations 2011. This means you have to publish:

details of how your school is complying with the public sector equality duty - you should update this every year
your school’s equality objectives - you should update this at least once every 4 years

To promote understanding and respect for differences
To narrow the pupil gap in Reading, Writing and Maths in all year groups
To improve provision for pupils for whom English is an additional language, particularly new arrivals at the early stage of English acquisition
To provide training for all staff and governors on equality and diversity

The Blue Tangerine Federation seeks to promote equality and we celebrate the diversity within our community. We welcome the public sector equality duty as set out in the Equality Act (2010: .Equality Act 2010: advice for schools.

What is the duty?

We must:

Eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation
Advance equality of opportunity between different groups
Foster good relations between different groups

What are the protected characteristics?

The Equality Act 2010 was introduced to ensure protection on the grounds of specific characteristics (referred to as protected characteristics). For schools, this means that it is unlawful to discriminate against students or treat them less favourably because of their sex; race; disability; religion or belief; gender reassignment; sexual orientation; pregnancy or maternity.

Marriage and civil partnerships and age are also 'protected characteristics'. These apply to staff but not students in schools.

Our Equality Policy

Our Equality Policy contains information about how the school complies with the Public Sector Equality Duty. We also give guidance to staff and outside visitors on our approach to promoting equality.

Our Equality Objectives 2021-2024

Our Equality Objectives reflect the school's priorities and draw upon available data and other evidence. Careful analysis of this is undertaken in order to ensure that we are working to achieve improved outcomes for different groups.

Our Equality Objectives are:

To use performance data to monitor pupils' progress and achievement and respond to variations between groups of learners, subjects, courses and key stages, trends over time and comparisons with other schools.
To foster good relations between different groups through the use of assemblies, pupils working with children across the school to model good relationships building and learning ethos.
To challenge stereotypes that can deny opportunities to pupil.s
To further improve accessibility across the school for pupils, staff and visitors with disabilities.
To further develop pupil and staff resilience and self-worth.
To promote equality, diversity and inclusion actions across our staff body. This will be achieved in several ways, including training for staff to eliminate any unconscious bias in recruitment and promotions.
To provide equality of promotion of all differences, whether that be colour, sexuality, gender or ability.

Specific tasks relating to these objectives can be found within the Schools' Development Plan.

Progress made up to 2023

We have audited and improved the books we use to promote diversity.
We have developed a cohort of colleagues to audit, challenge and improve our curriculum and investigate all aspects of our staffing procedures to prevent unconscious bias.
We have undertaken specific training in LGBT and BLM to benchmark changes and seek improvements in our processes and curricula
We have ensured that we meet the Gatsby Benchmarks for careers guidance well and continue to enhance our provision to ensure this is maintained and improved.
Personal development is a strength of both schools- Ofsted 'outstanding' category
Our data tracking systems enable teachers to focus even more precisely on identifying and addressing gaps in progress between vulnerable groups and identify specific interventions to reduce gaps between learners.
Our uniform policy does not specify uniform by gender.
Greater use of the student leadership group on particular equality related issues in school, including refurbishment of toilets and uniform has taken place and is becoming more influential - eg. gender neutral toilets have been installed in both schools.
Introduction of the Emotional Health and Well-Being aspects of the curriculum are supported by pupils.
The development of resilience-focused courses such as Resilience Doughnut programmes and Resilient Classrooms have been successfully introduced.

We have improved access to and around The Collett School by:

Removing steps to the front entrance of the school and replaced with a winding path - by fundraising.
Creating ramp access to the Middle Block - school funds
Installed two lifts to access areas only previously accessed through steps - funded through fundraising.
Disabled access toilets in the lower corridor.
Disabled car parking by the main building.
AAC communication devices for children with limited language.
TEAACH work stations to enable learning.
Sensory equipment to enable children to access learning.
Additional OT and sensory programmes to support children access school and learning.
Complete programme of works to improve and maintain safety around the buildings.
Induction T Loop into the hall.
Improved sound system that encompasses all areas of the hall (instead of just blasting from the front).

We have improved access to and around St Luke's School by:

Repaired lifts and installed new lift to hall.
Induction T Loop into the hall.
Unisex toilets installed in sensory area corridor and rolling out across the school.
AAC communication devices for children with limited language.
TEAACH work stations to enable learning.
Sensory equipment to enable children to access learning.
Additional OT and sensory programmes to support children access school and learning.
Complete programme of works to improve and maintain safety around the buildings.

Instrument of Government BTF 194218
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