Governors News Summer Term 2021

I was, perhaps, a little previous in hoping for the June start to return to normality when I wrote my update last term! The four-week delay takes us now to the end of term so we will have endured a full year of disruption of one sort or another – such has been the nature of this pandemic. My hope and the hope of the governors is that as much normality returns as soon as is possible so that we can all concentrate fully on our raison d’être which is of course that of the best possible educational and personal development outcomes for our students.

But we cannot stand still – and we have not! Governors may have not visited school in person as much as they would have liked but they have still had contact with staff and students where possible. Cumulatively this year, governors have completed 72 training and development sessions and 31 school visits, interviews or zoom meetings with staff.  This has been on top of our normal termly meetings and all despite the Covid situation, which has meant alternative arrangements have been in place in one form or another all year. On their behalf, I have attended meetings with members of the senior leadership team, sometimes virtually, sometimes socially distanced in school, as well as with local authority staff and other Lancashire governors in a variety of settings.

This month, I attended school for a few staff meetings but also to see the UNITEE competition outcomes with the Head teacher and the local MP. I am very grateful to the girls who assisted; my tour of the tee shirts was far more informative thanks to them, as they described the process and the rationale. Thank you to every form and the staff too for their efforts.

So now we prepare for another school year. We have expanded our governing board to include three new governors with exciting skills to bring.  We have reorganised our focus areas and reviewed our structures so that we are as efficient and effective as possible. We will hold our away day, a Saturday morning early in September, when we can get together and ensure we are ready to go!

On behalf of the governing board, I wish all of you – staff, families and students – a restful summer break in readiness for the new school year and I am sending you all our thanks for your contributions over the past year.

Mrs Lorimer Russell-Hayes
Chair of Governors

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