Annual Governance Statement
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Governance Objectives for 2025/26
Maintenance Objectives
1. The Board and its two Committees will meet termly to consider and
participate in key strategic decisions relating to school management,
resources, teaching and learning and key appointments.
2. The Board will continue to ensure that school budgets are well
managed, meet audit requirements and achieve value for money.
3. Governors will monitor and report on curriculum subjects and on key
aspects of school business including Safeguarding, Pupil Attendance,
Health and Safety, Early Years and Premium Funding.
4. All Governors will continue to meet with staff and with pupils in the
classroom.
5. The Board will communicate with parents, ensure that their feedback is
sought and that school is effective in providing any necessary support
to enable pupils to attend and to learn effectively and comprehensively.
6. The Board will continue to actively support the monitoring and
development of the Blenheim Challenge initiative and further initiatives
designed to develop pupils beyond the curriculum
7. The Board will be proactive in encouraging the development of healthy
lifestyles, fitness and wellbeing amongst pupils and staff that are
fundamental to achieving our wider objective of ‘aiming high in the
heart of the city’.
8. Governors will complete an annual Governor Skills Analysis to identify
training and recruitment needs.
9. The Board will maintain regular internal staff or governor led
information/training sessions for governors on topics identified by the
annual skills analysis, on-going monitoring and on-going requirements
of professional updating.
10. The Board will continue its programme of monitoring the effectiveness
of its own governance by undertaking its biennial internal review and
will work creatively with Leeds City Council to develop an additional
monitoring procedure that is externally validated.
Development Objectives
11. The Board will initiate a strategy to prepare for the next OFSTED
inspection to ensure that the quality of its teaching learning and all
aspects of the school experience are not only maintained as
‘outstanding’ (OFSTED 2023) but continuously developed and
improved.
12. The Board will participate in developing the next School Improvement
Plan each Summer Term and will review progress in implementing that
plan in the Spring Term of the following academic year. Governor
monitoring and reporting will continue throughout the year.
13. The Board will instigate the biennial SWOT analysis which looks at the Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities and Threats facing school. Classroom staff are hosted by the governors and their views recorded. The Board undertake a similar exercise and the finds are merged to inform future strategy.
14. Governors will agree and implement a social media communications strategy and will encourage school to adopt a social media policy.
15. Governors will commence monitoring of the Blenheim Challenge initiative.
16. The Board will refresh is membership and leadership by replacing both Board and Committee Chairs. Revised and agreed governance role descriptions and a succession policy will be implemented to inform future recruitment to and succession within the Board.
17. The Board will incorporate these and other objectives which arise during the year in a Governance Action Plan which will be reviewed and updated twice during the year.
18. Governors will develop closer links with the School Council which represents the views and interests of pupils.
Philip Marsland
Chair of Governors
October 2025