Governors from the Finance & Personnel Committee met in school on Monday 28th September. The meeting began with a tour of the school’s SEND provision, where governors learned more about how this additional support is meeting the needs of pupils and its impact on both the school’s educational and financial planning.

The committee then reviewed the current financial position of both the school and nursery. Governors recognised the importance of securing additional funding from the DfE & Local Authority to help sustain the provision currently in place. They also considered the three-year budget forecast and discussed the long-term sustainability of the staffing structure across the school and nursery.

The meeting concluded with a staff voice session featuring a teacher who has recently completed an NVQ in School Leadership. She shared her experiences of the programme, the positive impact it has had on her practice, and her aspirations for further professional development. Governors agreed that investing in the talented staff team at Newdale is a key strength and an important part of ensuring strong succession planning for the future.

We are pleased to announce that David Shorter has been successful in renewing his role as Parent Governor following the recent process. David’s dedication and commitment to our school community have been invaluable, and we are delighted that he will continue to serve on the governing board for the next four years.

His new term of office will commence on the 20th December 2026.

Are you able to spare a little time each week to support our wonderful nursery children?

The Curriculum Governors’ Committee met on 16 September 2026 and began the meeting with a tour of the school’s central Special Educational Needs (SEN) provision, led by the school SENDco. Governors recognised the importance of these spaces in supporting pupils’ individual needs and discussed opportunities to further enhance the provision. They suggested that the school explore potential partnerships with local businesses that may be willing to contribute funding towards future developments.

Governors then received an update on the school’s ongoing Stronger Foundations agenda. As part of this, leaders shared an end-of-year assessment grid, which demonstrated the progress made against the school’s stronger foundations priorities. Governors also learned about the targeted support provided for Key Stage 2 pupils who had not met the expected standard in the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check, and the actions in place to close gaps in learning and improve outcomes.

The committee enjoyed meeting with six KS 2 pupils, who spoke confidently about their transition into a new year group. Pupils discussed the strong emphasis placed on relationship building and the explicit teaching of the school’s behaviour curriculum. Governors were able to clearly identify the positive impact of this work through the pupils’ comments and reflections.
Governors carefully reviewed the Annual Summary Report produced by the Independent School Improvement Partner and considered how its findings aligned with the priorities identified within this year’s School Development Plan.

Finally, governors received a comprehensive presentation from Mrs Shayes, the school’s Child in Care Lead. The committee was reassured by the depth of training, expertise and commitment demonstrated in this role, and by the robust systems in place to support children in care & previously looked after children effectively.