Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Sophie Fernandes, Stuart Fraser (ex-officio), Sheriff & Alderman Sir Paul Judge and Dame Mary Richardson.

Mr Seaton (Deputy Chairman) declared a personal interest in relation to Agenda Item 5 stating that he had worked alongside Mr Lehmann at ‘Citigate’.

To agree the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 2 December 2013.

The public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 2 December 2013 were considered and approved as a correct record.

MATTERS ARISING

Exam results and baseline assessments (page 2) – The Chairman reported that the School would be producing a report on predictive data for the Board to receive at their second Board meeting of the Autumn Term.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Board considered a report of the Town Clerk which set out the Scheme of Delegation to the relevant Chief Officer relevant to this Committee, in this case the Head of the City of London School.

Governors and officers discussed the details of the Scheme of Delegation, and it was agreed that several amendments were required that would be agreed by the Acting Headmaster in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman.

RESOLVED – That,

a)    subject to the approval of the Policy and Resources Committee of the overall Scheme of Delegation, the delegations relating to the Head of the City of London School be approved under delegated authority by the Acting Headmaster in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman; and

b)    the proposed amendment to Standing Orders relating to the declaration of Operational property assets which are surplus to requirements be noted.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Board considered a report of the Town Clerk which requested that Governors consider the re-appointment of co-opted Governors of the Board for further three year-terms. The Chairman remarked he was content to support these re-appointments.

RESOLVED –That,

a)    The re-appointment of Ronel Lehmann and Professor Whitehouse onto the Board for a further term of three years be approved.

Report of the City Surveyor and the Acting Headmaster of the City of London School.

The Board received a report of the City Surveyor and the Acting Headmaster which updated Governors on the cleaning standards of the City of London School since the report to Governors on the 2 December 2013.

The Chairman remarked that cleaning standards had improved at the School, and expressed his thanks to the Corporate Property Facilities Manager and staff for their work in this area. Governors discussed whether the improved cleaning standards were due to upcoming contract negotiations, and it was highlighted that MITIE now employed a member of staff to oversee cleaning contracts with the City’s schools.

RESOLVED – That the report be received and its content noted.

Report of the Acting Headmaster of the City of London School and the Director of the Built Environment.

The Board received a report of the Acting Headmaster and the Director of Built Environment which updated Governors on the permanent relocation of the Blackfriars Pier to the east of Blackfriars Bridge, closer to the City of London School.

The Chairman noted that this was a significant project which would take 8 or 9 years to complete and it was important to minimise disruption and it was noted the City had included in its submission to the Planning Inspectorate a request for any works that could prove disruptive to the School to take place outside of normal school hours or during school holidays. The Director of Finance for the City of London School reported that there had been good communications with the School during the project and that, if the current timetable were adhered to,  the most disruption would likely take place in March 2015.

Governors suggested that officers could be in touch with the City’s Environmental Health Office to monitor the level of noise disruption caused and a complaint through Environmental Health could be filed if required. Some Governors felt that normal contract clauses may not be sufficient in this instance and added that double glazing for the School’s windows may be necessary to cope with long-term noise issues from increased footfall along the pier and Thames walkway. The Chairman noted that noise level assessment had taken place for the project, and had deemed future noise and footfall would be below the ambient noise levels.

Governors suggested that there could perhaps be ways in which the Thames Tideway Tunnel Project could be embraced as a learning opportunity for students. The Director of Finance advised that Thames Water had been in contact with the School’s Head of Geography on their education program and further exploration of these activities would be

Report of the Acting Headmaster of the City of London School.

The Board received a report of the Acting Headmaster of the City of London School relative to various School issues such as Oxford and Cambridge secured offers and the outside speakers scheduled for Spring Term 2014.

Oxford and Cambridge Results

The Acting Headmaster remarked that the number of secured offers received by students of the School was a pleasing number.

Health and Safety

The Acting Headmaster stated he was impressed with the improved cleaning standards at the School, but felt arrangements for auditing the cleaning could be improved. There were discrepancies between MITIE’s reporting and the School’s observations which needed to be dealt with by a better auditing process and it was hoped that this could be addressed during future contract negotiations.

Governors were updated on the serious medical incident which took place at the School, since the publication of this report, which had been resolved.  The Chairman requested that the thanks of the Governors be conveyed to the Facilities Manager and School Nurse in responding to what had potentially been a life threatening situation.

The Acting Headmaster updated Governors that the south east staircase repairs would be completed over the Easter holidays.

Counselling Brochure

Governors received a copy of the leaflet that would be circulated to students this term that outlined the counselling services available to students. Governors discussed the availability of counsellors in the School, which had increased over time in response to what was observed was an increase to the various academic and non-academic pressures students were reporting. It was noted that students could access Counselling Services from the age of 10.

Independent Schools Modern Languages Association

The Chairman asked that congratulations be given to the School’s Modern Languages Department for their efforts in hosting the Independent Schools’ Modern Languages Association annual conference.

Results and Tables IGCSE

Report of the Acting Headmaster of the City of London School.

The Board received a report of the Acting Headmaster, which provided an overview of the successful bid to the London Schools Excellence Fund for funds to support the introduction of a Sixth Form at the Stepney Green Maths, Computing and Science College (Stepney Green).

Two of the School’s staff who were most closely involved with the project, the Head of Sixth Form and the Head of RE and Project Coordinator provided a short presentation to the Governors outlining the support the School would be providing to assist both the teaching of Stepney Green students and training to teachers who have limited experience of A-Level teaching.

The Head of Sixth Form explained that this bid had developed out of the long standing relationship with Stepney Green and success would be monitored by the A level results of Stepney Green students, with the projected data that had been gathered. City of London School (CLS) staff involved in the project would also keep journals, which could help draw together the impact of activities that would be undertaken. Teachers in both schools would benefit from the partnership developing further school leadership and management skills, which could be assessed though the HMC.

The Head of RE and Project Manager said CLS staff would engage through close mentoring, conducting afterschool master classes in five subjects in Maths, Physics, Chemistry and English. Stepney Green and CLS staff would visit each other’s school and would be in regular contact to develop the partnership collaboratively. The Chairman and Governors remarked that this project was unprecedented and was important to building strong communication and outreach between independent and state schools and that the outcomes could be measured in some way.

Governors discussed the possibility of holding a future meeting of the Board at Stepney Green, which the Head of Sixth

There were no questions.

There were no urgent items of business.

MOTION - That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business 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 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12a of the Local Government Act.

Item No.                      Exemption Paragraphs(s)

13                                1 & 3

14                                3

15                                1 & 4

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 2 December 2013.

The non-public minutes of the meeting held 2 December 2013 were approved as a correct record.

Joint report of the Acting Headmaster of the City of London School and the City Surveyor.

The Board considered the outcome report of improvements to the School’s upper playground.

The Board received a non-public report of the Acting Headmaster.

Report of the Acting Headmaster of the City of London School (TO FOLLOW).

The report was noted as withdrawn.

There were no questions.

There were no urgent items of business.