Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Stuart Fraser, Ronel Lehmann, Edward Lord and Alderman David Graves.

The Deputy Chairman declared that he was on the Education Board and the Bursary Committee of the Board of Governors of the City of London School.

To agree the public minutes and summary of the previous meeting.

The minutes of the last meeting, held on the 23 June 2014, were approved as a correct record, subject to the correction of a number of spelling and grammatical errors.

Matters Arising

City of London School Partnership with Stepney Green Maths, Computing and Science College.

The Second Master updated the Board with three dates that Governors could visit Stepney Green School and the Town Clerk agreed to circulate these by email. They were:

Wednesday 29^th October 2014, 3.30pm

Friday 31^st October 2014, 4pm

Friday 14 November 2014, 4pm

Building Work

The Board expressed their dissatisfaction over building work relating to Embankment Improvements which they were assured would have been completed by the start of term, despite the good efforts of the Department of the Built Environment to complete work on time. However, work continued into the first few weeks of the new term which caused a nuisance and disturbance to both teachers and pupils during lessons and meetings, as well as affecting a fire drill which took longer than necessary due to building materials. A Governor updated the Board on the progress of continuing work around the School and advised that it would be complete during October. However it was noted that the works were still ongoing.

Ark Bentworth Primary Academy Year 6 Graduation

The Chairman thanked Deputy the Reverend Stephen Haines on behalf of the Board for representing the School with an excellent speech at year 6 graduation day.

Report of the Head of the City of London School.

The Board received a report of the Head of the City of London School that updated Governors on School matters.

The Head advised the Governors that the total number of Means Tested Sponsored Scholarships awarded since the launch of the scholarship campaign in 2001 was 201, not 2001. 

The Chairman informed the Board that the report would be amended to show that concerns regarding the Grove Park Sports Ground had not been reported to the City Surveyors as they were not responsible for the works. The Chairman also advised that concerns over summer works should have been included separately under the non-public agenda as it contained sensitive information.

The Committee commended the teachers and pupils on their excellent exam results and their continued hard work. A Governor questioned the comparatively poor results in a few subjects and the Head explained that this may be due to background influences such as parents picking a subject for their child for which they were unsuited and she assured the Board that her staff were working with parents to encourage the making of realistic choices.

In response to a Governor’s question the Head informed the Board that pupils were taught Mandarin once a week for an hour in the first and second year. The Board noted that exam results had improved and the Head explained that this was due to a change in the examination nationally. Previously it had been designed for native Mandarin speakers whereas now it was more focussed on those learning it as a second language. Mandarin at GCSE might be introduced in the future depending on student interest however, the School would then need to consider whether Dragons in Europe should continue to provide lessons or if employing a Mandarin teacher would be a viable option going forward.

Governors were

Report of the Head of the City of London School.

The Board considered a report of the Head regarding the Risk Register and noted that there were two risks classed as amber but both of them were out of the School’s control. The risk of a crisis event had been upgraded to amber due to the heightened security level in the Capital. A new risk of a reduction in funding for bursaries had been introduced due to the review taking place as part of the Corporation’s Service Based Review.

RESOLVED – That approval be given to the Risk Register.

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Board considered a report of the Chamberlain regarding the Financial Statements for the City of London School Bursary Fund and incorporating the City of London School Scholarships & Prizes Fund. It was noted that, as in the previous year, income had exceeded expenditure by a considerable amount. This was because only a relatively small number of applications for hardship bursarieswhich fell within the existing bursary guidelines had been received during the year. The Director of Finance was asked to produce a report on possible additional uses of the funds held by this charity for governors to consider to address the current position.

The Board suggested that the School produce ideas for the next meeting for ways of advertising bursaries available from the School. 

RESOLVED – That:-

1) the report be noted; and

2 the School provide a report on ways to attract new bursary pupils to the School. 

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Board received a report of the Chamberlain that detailed the activity for the City of London Education Trust Financial Statement for 2013-2014. Governors noted that there had been donations into the Trust during the year including one specifically for children and young people who were not pupils of the School. The Board agreed that it was vital this donation was used as specified and the Director of Finance will report back to the Board once these funds have been spent.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

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

The Board received a joint report of the Chamberlain and the Head regarding the Revenue Outturn for 2013/14.

In answer to a Governor’s question concerning the high cost of recruitment, the Head explained that a large sum had been made up of advertising costs. In response to further question, the Head undertook to investigate how many job adverts are placed by the School each year.

Another Governor questioned why the cleaning contract had been extended as the cleaning requirements of a school were very different from an office. The Board requested that the Town Clerk looked into how the contract extension had been agreed.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Chairman asked that all pupils be given First Aid training. The Head explained that the School facilitated First Aid training through Cadets and Duke of Edinburgh Award leaving only a small minority of pupils who were not trained. The Chairman informed the Board that St John’s Ambulance could provide training to the few who had not received it.

A Governor expressed concern over the future of Combined Cadet Force training in the School due to government reforms. A discussion ensued on the topic with the School assuring Members that First Aid training would continue to be provided and agreed to give an update at the next appropriate meeting of how this would be done.

RESOLVED – The School would bring an update to a future Board meeting on how first aid training would be provided to all boys at the School. 

There was no other business that the Chairman considered urgent.

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 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 the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.  

Item No.                                         Exempt Paragraph(s)                                       

12- 19                                                              3         

To agree the non-public minutes of the previous meeting.

That the minutes of the last meeting held on the 23 June 2014 be approved as an accurate record, subject to the correction of a number of spelling and grammar errors.

Report of the Head of the City of London School.

The Head provided a verbal update to the Board.

Report of the Head of the City of London School.

The Head presented a report to the Committee on the appointment of a Director of Development and Alumni Relations.  

Report of the Head of the City of London School.

The Head presented a report on the Review of the Information Technology and Audio Visual department.  

Report of the Head of the City of London School.

The Head introduced the new Safeguarding Code of Conduct for the School.

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

A joint report of the Head and the Chamberlain was presented by the Head on the Service Based Review Proposals.

There were no questions raised.

There was no other  business that was considered urgent.