Agenda and minutes

The Chairman opened the meeting by welcoming Sophie Fernandes to her first Board of Governors meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Deputy Billy Dove, Edward Lord and Deputy James Thomson.

There were no declarations.

To agree the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 26 June 2013.

The public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 26 June 2013 were considered and approved as a correct record.

MATTERS ARISING

Child Protection Report (page 3) – The Town Clerk informed Governors that a Safeguarding Training session, provided by an external agent, would be offered to Governors of all three City Schools and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Governors were informed that the session would take place on Thursday, 5 December 2013 at Guildhall from 10am – 12 noon and that further information regarding content would be circulated to all nearer the time. 

The Chairman reported that he had now signed off the final version of the School’s Child Protection Policy following some additional amendments made by the Second Master.

Improvements to the School’s Upper Playground (page 5) – The Director of Finance reported that the works on the Upper Playground had been completed within budget and that the School were extremely pleased with the outcome. Governors were informed that contractors were due to finish on site tomorrow and that they would be welcome to view the new Upper Playground at the conclusion of the next Board meeting.

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Board received a report of the Chamberlain providing Governors with a copy of the 2012/13 Report and Financial Statements for the City of London School Bursary Fund incorporating the City of London School Scholarships & Prizes Fund.

The Chairman highlighted the generous £135,000 received from the late Mr. FitzGerald which had been earmarked for supporting sporting activities. The Director of Finance reported that a pupil was now in receipt of this Scholarship and had started in the first form last month. The Board were informed that Mr. FitzGerald’s family had been involved in selecting the recipient.

The Chairman went on to highlight that no bursary awards had been made in the last financial year as none of the applicants had fulfilled the criteria. He underlined that the School were keen to continue to do all that they could to engage worthy applicants. In response to a question, the Director of Finance reported that the Bursary guidelines were last reviewed in June 2012. The Chairman commented that the City’s Education Working Party might also be setting strategies for the way forward in this area soon.

A Governor commented on the recent joint advertisement placed in the Evening Standard encouraging those with sufficient academic ability to apply for financial assistance. The Headmaster clarified that this was a joint advertisement between CLS and 26 other Schools and had also been placed in free local papers, in bus shelters and on the tube in and around central London. The Headmaster confirmed that the advertisement was jointly funded by all of the Schools involved and had proved very worthwhile.

The Chairman reported that the City’s Education Strategy was to be presented to the Policy and Resources Committee later this month and then to the Court of Common Council. He added that a separate briefing on

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Board received a report of the Chamberlain providing Governors with a copy of the 2012/13 Report and Financial Statements for the City of London School Education trust (charity number: 1118571).

The Chairman reminded Governors that this fund had initially been created to receive a substantial donation from Mr Winterflood. He added that the Trust now remained open as a vehicle for any future donations of this sort.

The Director of Finance highlighted that one donation of £1,000 had been received in the last financial year from the parents of a former pupil.

RECEIVED.

Joint report of the Chamberlain and the Headmaster of the City of London School.

The Board received a joint report of the Chamberlain and the Headmaster of the City of London School comparing the 2012/13 revenue outturn for the City of London School with the budget for the year.

The Chairman highlighted that, before any transfer to the Capital Reserve Fund, total net income during the year was £60,000. He also clarified that the figures quoted within the report with regard to employee expenses represented variances as opposed to costs.

In response to a question, the Director of Finance reported that savings that had arisen from an on-going review of the ‘Schools Pupil Visits Programme’ had in no way diminished the pupils’ educational experiences. He added that the aim of the review was, in fact, to provide the same educational experience for all but in a more economical way.

In response to further questions, the Director of Finance reported that financial assistance was available to Bursary pupils at Sixth Form level if a visit were deemed to be relevant to their studies. He added that any mandatory visits across all year groups were not charged for but that recreational trips were self-funded.

RECEIVED.

Report of the City Surveyor.

The Board received a report of the City Surveyor providing Governors with an update on the Assistant Property Facilities (APFM) role across the three City of London Schools.

The City Surveyor stated that this was simply a ‘holding’ report for the time being and that he was happy to take on board any comments from Governors.

The Chairman reported that he and the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the City of London School for Girls had met with the City Surveyor to discuss various points and that a fuller report was now expected to be submitted to the next Board meeting.

The Chairman stated that he had made clear to the City Surveyor that it was essential that the School retain an on-site Facilities Manager going forward.

RECEIVED.

Report of the Headmaster of the City of London School (copy attached).

The Board received a report of the Headmaster of the City of London School relative to various School issues such as Public Examination Results, University places for leavers, Summer Works and Health and Safety.

Public Examination Results

The Director of Studies, Noeleen Murphy provided Governors with some results analysis for A Level and GCSE/IGCSE for August 2013.

Governors were also provided with cumulative percentage grades for both A Level and GCSE/IGCSE from 2000-2013.

In response to a question regarding pupil numbers for A-Level classes, the Director of Studies reported that certain creative arts classes such as Art or Drama would continue to be run with a cohort of just 2 or 3 pupils.

A Governor stated that it now seemed that the School should be able to predict various results going forward with relative accuracy. It was suggested that it would be useful for Governors to see this sort of predictive data in the future.

Next, the Governors received short presentations from several pupils from various different year groups concerning recent sporting, academic and extra-curricular activities and successes. Presenters included the current Deputy Editor for the School’s in-house magazine, ‘The Citizen’, pupils who had formed part of the winning team at this year’s National Maths Challenge finals and a member of the England under-18 handball squad.

In response to questions, the Second Master reported that the School currently held 24 different prospective pupil meetings each year and that these took place during a school day so that visitors were able to see the School in operation.

In response to a separate question, the Second Master stated that, whilst individual boys’ achievements could be publicised on the School’s public website, it was not possible to have an image of the pupil alongside their name for safeguarding reasons.

Scholarships Awarded

The Headmaster

There were no questions.

There were no additional, urgent, items of business for consideration.

To consider the resolution excluding the Public in respect of those items containing exempt information:-

That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

RESOLVED: - That, under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

            Item No                                                           Exemption Paragraph(s)

               12                                                                             1, 3 & 4

               13                                                                             2, 3 & 4

               14                                                                             1, 2 & 3

               15                                                                                   -

               16                                                                                   -

               17                                                                             1, 2, 3 & 4

               18                                                                             1, 3 & 4

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 26 June 2013.

The non-public minutes of the meeting held on 26 June 2013 were considered and approved as a correct record.

Report of the Headmaster of the City of London School.

The Board considered and approved a report of the Headmaster of the City of London School regarding a review of the Finance Office.

Report of the Headmaster of the City of London School.

The Board received a report of the Headmaster of the City of London School detailing the School Development Plan 2013 – 2014.

There were no questions in the non-public session.

There were no additional, urgent, items of business raised in the non-public session.

To agree the confidential minutes of the meeting held on 26 June 2013.

** ALL OFFICERS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE TOWN CLERK AND THE HEADMASTER OF THE CITY OF LONDON SCHOOL WITHDREW FROM THE MEETING WHILST ITEMS 17 AND 18 WERE CONSIDERED **

The confidential minutes of the meeting held on 26 June 2013 were considered and approved as correct record.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Board received a report of the Town Clerk providing Governors with details of decisions taken by the Town Clerk in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman since the Board’s last meeting on 26 June 2013.