Headlines By James Saunders 10th September 2021
Parent Governor Vacancies
Welcome back
Welcome back to Honywood everybody. This is our first ‘headlines’ of the new academic year and it looks set to be another great year, albeit one that is still blighted by the impact of the pandemic. After welcoming C7s last week we have now completed our first week of full attendance. The guidance from the government has certainly been lacking and has mirrored what is happening elsewhere. Whilst I am pleased that things are returning to normal I am conscious that risks have not gone away. I myself contracted covid over the summer and despite receiving both of my vaccinations I was incredibly ill and am still suffering the side effects now. I tell you this because the disruption that could be caused over the year is still very much a risk. Had this happened to me in term time I would have missed at least four weeks of work. Admittedly, my case was on the more extreme side but should any staff contract covid they too will miss work. Therefore it remains vitally important that we do all we can to minimise the spread of covid in our community. We are maintaining the use of masks in school communal areas and corridors. Staff are on hand to supply masks to those that require them. Whilst the official guidance stipulates that this is not required should we have 5 cases or more then the first advice would be to reinstate masks. I am asking families to encourage their children to support us with this measure. I have included below a simple flowchart to help identify the correct course of action should a learner receive a positive test result or be contacted by track and trace. I would like to remind you of our core values of Trust, Respect, Equity and Excellence. This week I would like to focus on our value of trust. Trust is the one thing that keeps us together as a community. We worked hard over the last term to be as clear and transparent as possible regarding our plans to navigate the pandemic. I hope that this has helped you to trust that we have aligned goals - to ensure the very best for the children and young people we serve. It doesn’t end there though. In a constantly evolving landscape it is important that you continue to place your trust in what we are doing. In school we trust that our learners will do the right thing; that they will cooperate with the rules that we must implement for their safety and benefit. We trust that you will all support us in the effective running of the school. Sponsored Walk It is traditionally this time of year that we complete our sponsored walk. We have made the decision to postpone this until the summer term.
We are pleased to announce that we have two vacancies for a parent governor. The school’s governing board is responsible for providing confident and strategic leadership, and creating robust accountability, oversight and assurance for the school’s educational and financial performance. The board is passionate about education and committed to continuous school improvement to ensure the best possible outcomes for our learners. As a parent governor, you’ll work with the board to ensure it effectively carries out the duties referred to above. You’ll also play a vital role in ensuring that the board is connected with, and is aware of the views of, parents and the local community. To be a parent governor you should have: • A strong commitment to the role and to improving outcomes for children • Good interpersonal skills, curiosity, and a willingness to learn and develop new skills • The specific skills required to ensure the governing board delivers effective governance Governors are expected to be able to commit to meeting four times a year for the full governing body meeting as well as joining a committee which meets a further three times. Committee meetings tend to start after school so availability after 4pm would be preferred. Full governing body meetings meet at 6pm. Governors also agree to visit the school twice a year for a day to meet with staff and learners. If you’re interested in applying for the role then in the first instance please email the clerk to the governors: clerk@honywoodschool.com I would like to finish by echoing what I said to C7 learners and families last week about the difference between enduring things and enjoying things and finding a balance to ensure long term happiness and success. It is rare to find someone that enjoys every single thing they do - school is no different. However, if we endure the things that don’t excite us as much as the things we love, they will support us in unlocking long term joy in the future. I certainly have enjoyed this week and it has been a welcome respite after enduring a summer in bed. Have a great weekend. James Saunders