Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Deputy John Bennett (ex-officio) and Alderman John White (ex-officio).

There were no declarations.

Order of the Court of Common Council of 19 April 2012, appointing the Board and setting its terms of reference.

Governors received the Order of the Court of Common Council, 19 April 2012, appointing the Board of Governors of the City of London School for 2012/13 and setting its Terms of Reference.

RECEIVED.

To elect a Chairman pursuant to Standing Order No. 29.

The Committee proceeded to elect a Chairman in accordance with Standing Order No. 29.

The Town Clerk read a list of those Governors eligible to stand and Deputy Dr. Giles Shilson, being the only Governor expressing a willingness to serve as Chairman, was duly elected for the ensuing year and took the Chair.

Deputy Dr. Shilson thanked the Board for their support in electing him as Chairman of such a prestigious Board. The Chairman went on to welcome Alderman Sir Paul Judge to his first meeting of the Board.

To elect a Deputy Chairman pursuant to Standing Order No. 30.

The Town Clerk reported that, in accordance with Standing Order No. 30. (2) (a), the immediate past Chairman had chosen to exercise his right to serve as Deputy Chairman for the ensuing year.

Deputy the Reverend Haines was therefore duly appointed as Deputy Chairman for the ensuing year.

         VOTE OF THANKS TO THE PAST CHAIRMAN

Deputy Joyce Nash paid tribute to Deputy the Reverend Haines, the past Chairman.

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY:

That, at the conclusion of his three year term of office as their Chairman, the Board of Governors of the City of London School wish to extend to

DEPUTY THE REVEREND STEPHEN HAINES MA

their sincere thanks and appreciation for the manner in which he has presided over their deliberations and the detailed care and interest he has shown in all aspects of the life of the City of London School.

DURING his Chairmanship, the School has achieved its best ever academic results and has continued to top various league tables. In 2011, he presided over an extremely successful ISI Inspection which resulted in extremely complimentary feedback from the Inspection Team and led the Board of Governors to take a decision to reward all staff with a special, one-off payment in recognition of all their efforts leading up to this.

IN his role as Chairman, he has supported the progression of the ‘outreach’ programme to neighbouring boroughs, Schools and Academies around the City; ensuring that pupils have the opportunity to develop personally as well as academically whilst at the School. 

DURING his time as Chairman, he has presided over some rather difficult and emotive issues such as teachers pay negotiations and a reduction in school fee remission for teaching staff. He has worked closely alongside his counterparts at both the City of London School for Girls and the City of

To agree the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 27 February 2012 (copy attached).

The public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 27 February 2012 were approved and agreed as a correct record.

MATTERS ARISING

Millennium Bridge Area Enhancements Project (page 6) – A Governor, who was also a member of the City’s Streets and Walkways Sub Committee, reported that this Project had been approved by the Streets and Walkways Sub Committee and was then sent on to the Projects Sub Committee for endorsement. The Governor went on to report that the Projects Sub Committee had, unfortunately, referred the report back to the Streets and Walkways Sub Committee as they had not been convinced that the proposals submitted would make a significant improvement to the area as intended. The Governor reminded the Board of the importance and urgency of this matter to the School and suggested that representations should be made to both the Streets and Walkways and the Projects Sub Committees underlining this.

Another Governor went on to express concerns around the remit of the City’s Projects Sub Committee stating that it had been established to look at value for money in such projects and not to comment on the aesthetics or any operational issues. He added that, whilst this Board was not responsible for this project it was significantly impacted by it and it was felt that the Policy and Resources Committee (the ‘parent’ Committee of the Projects Sub Committee) should be made aware of its ‘mission drift’ and the impact this was having on projects such as these.

A Governor commented that the funding for the project was Section 106 money specifically ‘earmarked’ for these improvements.

Another Governor reiterated that the upper part of this area, nearest St. Paul’s Cathedral, had been the cause of many accidents and was in need of improvement.

A Governor commented that the Projects

To appoint the Bursary Committee for the year ensuing – to comprise the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Board and up to five other Governors.

            THE BURSARY COMMITTEE IN 2011/12 COMPRISED:

   Deputy the Revd. Stephen Haines (as Chairman)

   Deputy Dr. Giles Shilson (as Deputy Chairman)

   Peter Leck

   Edward Lord

   Deputy Joyce Nash

   Ian Seaton

   Deputy Robin Sherlock 

The Town Clerk reminded the Board that the Bursary Committee could comprise the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Board and up to five other Governors.

The Board proceeded to appoint their Bursary Committee for 2012/13.

RESOLVED - that the following Governors be appointed to the Bursary Committee for the ensuing year:

Deputy Dr. Giles Shilson (as Chairman)

Deputy the Reverend Stephen Haines (as Deputy Chairman)

Peter Leck

Deputy Edward Lord

Deputy Joyce Nash

Ian Seaton

Deputy Robin Sherlock

To appoint a Reference Sub Committee to consider arrears of School fees, sabbatical leave and Estimates (including fee increases and other such matters as the Board may from time to time decide).

THE REFERENCE SUB COMMITTEE IN 2011/2012 COMPRISED:

Deputy the Revd. Stephen Haines (as Chairman)

Deputy Dr. Giles Shilson (as Deputy Chairman)

Peter Leck

Deputy Joyce Nash

Dame Mary Richardson

Deputy Robin Sherlock 

Edward Lord

The Town Clerk reminded Governors that the Reference Sub Committee could consist of the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Board and up to five other Governors.

The Board proceeded to appoint their Reference Sub Committee for 2012/13.

RESOLVED - that the following Governors be appointed to the Reference Sub Committee for the ensuing year:

Deputy Dr. Giles Shilson (as Chairman)

Deputy the Reverend Haines (as Deputy Chairman)

Peter Leck

Deputy Edward Lord

Deputy Joyce Nash

Dame Mary Richardson

To appoint a representative to the Association of Governing Bodies of Independent Schools for the ensuing year.

The Board proceeded to appoint their AGBIS representative for the ensuing year.

RESOLVED – That, as the only Governor expressing an interest in serving in this capacity, Deputy Edward Lord be re-appointed as the Board’s AGBIS representative for the ensuing year.

Report of the Town Clerk (copy attached).

The Board considered a report of the Town Clerk requesting that Governors formally consider the appointment of Lord Levene as a co-opted Governor of the Board for a three year term following his recent retirement from the Court of Aldermen of the City of London Corporation.

RESOLVED – That Governors formally agree the appointment of Lord Levene onto the Board for a term of three years.

Town Clerk (on behalf of the Post Implementation Governance Review Working Party).

The Board considered a report of the Town Clerk (on behalf of the Post Implementation Governance Review Working Party) relative to the Board’s comments on the governance arrangements introduced last year and the impact that they may have had on the operation of the Board.

The Town Clerk highlighted that Governors were only requested to comment on those changes that had affected this Board and that Court of Common Council Governors would be written to individually and given a separate opportunity to comment on the governance review as a whole.

The Chairman reported that, as recommended under the governance review, the three City School Boards had now established a Working Party comprising key members from each Board (the Chairman and Deputy Chairman) to discuss important issues of common interest. He stated that this had been a success with a recent example of this being the meeting between all three Heads and three Chairmen to discuss the Teaching Staff Pay Claim.

A Governor questioned whether this Board was still content with its size. The Board felt that the number of Governors on the Board was adequate and had served them well for a number of years now.

The Board were informed that there had been some discussion around paragraph ‘J8’ of the Governance Review at the City of London School for Girls Board meeting last week and that they had suggested that a limit be placed on the number of Governors able to sit on more than one Board at any given time. The Board stated that they were happy to let the arrangements under the Governance Review stand pointing out that it had been of great benefit for the Chairmen of each Board to sit on the other two Boards as ex-officio Governors and share their experiences.

RESOLVED – That

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

The Board considered a report of the Headmaster of the City of London School containing the School’s Risk Register for 2012.

The Chairman pointed out that the Risk Register had now been reformatted in accordance with the City’s new Risk Management Framework.

RESOLVED – That Governors approve the School’s current risk register.

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

The Board considered a report of the Headmaster seeking endorsement for him to become the Chairman of the Board of Governors at Bentworth Primary School in White City.

The Town Clerk stated that, although Governors had had information on this matter previously, this report sought to formalise their approval for the Headmaster taking up this position.

The Headmaster made it clear that this was a personal undertaking and had no link with the City of London School or the City of London Corporation. He clarified that there were therefore no reputational risks involved.

The Chairman stated that all comments received from Governors to date had been overwhelmingly positive and supportive of this move.

RESOLVED – That the Board of Governors:

·        Endorse the appointment of the Headmaster as Chairman of the Board of Governors of Bentworth Primary School; and

·        Support the inclusion of Bentworth Primary School in the City of London School outreach programme.

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

The Board considered a report of the Headmaster of the City of London School relative to various School matters including Staffing matters, Means Tested Scholarships to September 2012 entrants, School Cleaning and Health and Safety Matters.

Curriculum Matters

The Headmaster reported that the School’s Academic Planning Committee (APC) had recently looked at the reporting and grading cycle and it had been agreed that, for GCSE years (Fourth and Fifth Form) reporting would be altered moving from a two Parents’ Evening and four reports schedule across the two years to a three Parents’ Evening and three reports schedule. It was hoped that this move to increase parental contact with subject teachers and tutors would emphasise the importance of the GCSE years.

Staff Departures – July 2012

In response to a question, the Headmaster reported that applications for the post of Alumni Relations Office had closed last week. He was pleased to inform the Board that a total of 49 applications had been received and that interviews would be held next week.

Staff Arrivals

The Headmaster reported that three of the four new arrivals would be joining the School from the state sector where they had held positions of responsibility but were keen to now move to the independent sector.

Means Tested Scholarships to September 2012 entrants

The Headmaster reported that the School had recently held their fundraising dinner at the Tate Modern which had been a huge success. The Dinner had raised £400,000 which would be used to provide means tested scholarships at the School. The Board were informed that, once match funding from the City of London had been added to this total, this would fund a total of 63 years education.

The Headmaster went on to report that September 2012 would see the last group of ‘HSBC Scholars’ at

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.

            Item No                                                           Exemption Paragraph(s)

                18                                                                            1, 3, & 4

                19                                                                                 2

                20                                                                             1 & 3  

                21                                                                                 3

                22                                                                                 1

                23                                                                                 1

                24                                                                              1 & 3

                25                                                                              1 & 3

                26                                                                                  -

                27                                                                                  -

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)

                18                                                                            1, 3, & 4

                19                                                                                 2

                20                                                                             1 & 3  

                21                                                                                 3

                22                                                                                 1

                23                                                                                 1

                24                                                                              1 & 3

                25                                                                              1 & 3

                26                                                                                  -

                27                                                                                  -

SUMMARY OF MATTERS CONSIDERED WHILST THE

PUBLIC WERE EXCLUDED