Valley View Primary School

Impact Statement 2023-2024

The governing board’s support during the school’s transition period this academic year has been instrumental in maintaining the school’s commitment to providing a high-quality education for all pupils.

The closure of the special educational needs unit, which was set up post-COVID-19 to support pupils struggling with social, emotional, mental health (SEMH) and additional learning difficulties, has been a significant change. The school has successfully supported the transition of these pupils into their specialist or secondary  settings, ensuring they continue to receive the necessary support and resources to access effective provision.

The departure of the year 6 teacher and maths lead, who was promoted to deputy head teacher in another setting, has presented a challenge. However, the governing board’s proactive approach in securing a new year 6 teacher and a dedicated maths TLR has been crucial in addressing this change. While the attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 for this cohort is lower than usual, the governing board’s investment in maths leadership through the maths hub and the comprehensive review of maths teaching across the school have resulted in significant improvements in maths performance in all year groups, particularly the current year 6 and 4 cohorts.

The governing board’s commitment to ensuring a robust and secure wider curriculum offer has also had a positive impact on the school. Pupils have been well-supported in their personal development, with a strong focus on British values and protected characteristics. This holistic approach to education has contributed to the overall well-being and development of the school community.

In conclusion, the governing board’s support and strategic decision-making during this transition period have been instrumental in maintaining the school’s focus on delivering high-quality education and supporting the personal development of all pupils at Valley View Primary School.

Moving Forward the governing board will ensure the school continues to:

  • Improve attainment in maths at ARE and greater depth
  • Improve attainment in reading at greater depth

 

Annual Governance Statement 2024-25

Mosaic Federation- Valley View Primary School 

For the breakdown of attendance at meetings and organisation of committees please see governance arrangements.

Purpose

This governance statement has been prepared and published by the Governing Body of Mosaic Federation in compliance with our duty to report on the ways in which we have fulfilled our obligations and responsibilities relating to Valley View Primary School during the academic year 2023-24 

Role of the Governing Body

    The three core functions of the governing body are:

Setting the strategic direction:

  •  The board are key strategic decision makers in our school
  •  Developing and overseeing the school’s aims and objectives around how the school will develop and improve.
  • Developing policies, formulating plans and agreeing targets to help the school achieve these objectives, as well as regularly reviewing their strategic framework in light of that progress.

Creating robust accountability:

  • Supporting and challenging the school’s senior leadership team and in holding the Head Teacher to account for securing the best possible outcomes for pupils.
  •  Challenging key decisions and asking pertinent questions about the school’s performance data, governors aim to guarantee high standards in education.

Ensuring financial probity:

  • Through a strategic role in the financial management of school including setting financial priorities through the school development plan, 3 year financial plan and the annual budget
  • Deciding how the school’s delegated budget should be spent in accordance with the school improvement plan and statutory curriculum requirement.

Key challenges of 202-23:

In 2023-24the core challenges facing the governing board were

Setting the strategic direction:

  • Governors were faced with the prospect of ensuring the school development plans once again supported the children to catch up and aimed for high standards of attainment and progression for all children.
  • Ensuring the ethos and aims of the school were maintained during challenging financial times with an increased level of need across school, reduced budget and increased costs. 
  • Supporting Leaders and school staff through a staff bereavement
  • A full rewire of the school building.

 

Creating robust accountability:

  • Ensuring robust monitoring and accountability systems were in place to check the schools curriculum was compliant and effective. 
  • Balancing accountability and high expectations with staff wellbeing and workload alongside increasing level of need and fewer resources. 
  • Ensuring opportunities to support and challenge for leaders and aspiring leader were provided

Ensuring financial integrity:

  •  Ensuring effective spend of catch up funding
  •  Continuing to closely monitor the financial outturn of school and monitor increasing costs
  • SFVS is complete

Effectiveness and impact of the board:

Setting the strategic direction:

  • Governors have securely monitored the school curriculum and outcomes of key groups to ensure the quality of provision is high on the schools agenda. The standards committee regularly reviews standards in school including pupil and parents voice and act upon concern by holding leaders to account and supporting required action. 
  • Governors have requested and regularly reviewed information relating to send needs and the speed of access of resources. They approved an additional spend on private Educational Psychology support to ensure pupils were seen quickly and needs met as soon as possible. 

Creating robust accountability:

  • Governors have held termly standards committees with senior leaders and reviewed the focus of school improvement.
  • Governors have reviewed external reports linked to school standards, data reports and monitoring to ensure challenging performance targets are set and achieved by school leaders through the performance management process. 
  • Governors have supported the development of middle and senior leaders through the NPQ training routes and additional training for the headteacher. 

Ensuring financial Integrity:

  • Catch up funding and impact has been reported and monitored by the resources and standards committees.
  • The resources committee have reviewed costs and maintained a focus on opportunities to save money and generate income where possible. They have requested information from the LA in relation to soaring energy costs and have requested a full breakdown for SEND and Energy costs at regular resources committee meetings to ensure close monitoring of the financial future of the school. 
  • SFVS is successfully complete

Governors support the schools future focus on:

  • Supporting the school to raise expectations at the higher standard
  • Supporting school to address the increased send needs alongside budget restraints
  • Reviewing the strategic direction of school.