About Govas

GOVAS works closely with the Stockport Children and Young People Directorate, but we are a fully independent association of governors affiliated to the equally independent National Governors Association. Every governor in Stockport is automatically a GOVAS member (as long as your institution pays their subscriptionof £10.00 PA)and our Management Committee is made up exclusively of serving volunteer governors in Stockport’s schools – nursery, primary secondary and special. Our biggest strength is our links with all the school governors in Stockport through our newsletter, special communications, and this website.  

 

 

Govas Governor Conference 26th March 2022 in partnership with SMBC

Governance with Covid 

Please put this date in your dairy registration will start in Feb 2022

Agenda for the Day

08.30 - 09.00 Registration and Coffee

09.00 - 09.10 Open conference Anne Trafford Chair of Govas

09.10 - 09.45 Tim Bowman Director of Education for Stockport and Tameside

09.45 - 10.00 Janet Meyers NGA Northwest Representative

10.00 - 11.00 Workshops: delegates can choose one with one reserve

11.00  - 1200 Brunch and networking

12.00 - 13.00 Keynote speaker, Sharon Warmington, Founder of National Black Governors Network (NBGN) and National Association of School and College Clerks. Director of Unstoppable Ltd
                    – presentation and Q&A on Diversity, Inclusion and Equality in schools

 

Location -Marple Hall School, Hill Top Drive, Marple SK6 6LB

 

 

 

The maximum number of delegates is 150, so we will keep a reserve list for anyone who applies after we have reached that number so we can offer places if anyone cancels

 

We will be requesting that you take a lateral flow test the day before the conference and we will be asking that participants wear a face covering until they are seated.

Who are the Schools Forum

The Schools Forum (an elected group of Head teachers, Principals, Governors and other associated members) is the key decision making and consultative group required by DfE regulation which oversees/governs all financial and administrative matters relating to the Schools Budget financed by the dedicated schools grant (DSG).
The roles and responsibilities of the Schools Forum can be found in the new short guide recently published by the DfE (November 2013) - found here -

The DfE has identified as part of their review of Schools Forum that effective best practice relating to Schools Forum and its operational duties includes communication to all the wider stakeholder audience of the business matters discussed and decisions made. (i.e. ensuring all decisions made at forum are duly recorded and shared).

For the latest schools forum minutes      -Click this link-

The Schools’ Forum (an elected group of Head teachers, Principals, Governors and other associated members) is the key decision making and consultative group required by DfE regulation which oversees/governs all financial and administrative matters relating to the Schools Budget financed by the dedicated schools grant (DSG).

There is currently a vacancy for a primary governor

In 2021 there will be a vacancy for a secondary governor

Anyone who is interested in filling these vacancies should contact Peter Hughes or contact Govas. Obviously if there is more than one interested party there would have to be an election

The current make-up of the Stockport Schools Forum is:

Schools members

  • · 5 Primary head teachers – including 1 from a VA school
  • · 5 Primary governors – including 1 from a VA school
  • · 2 Secondary head teachers - including 1 from a VA school
  • · 2 Secondary governors
  • · 1 Special school head teacher/governor
  • · 1 Nursery head teacher
  • · 1 PRU head teacher
  • · 3 Academy representatives

Non-schools’ members

  • · 1 Diocesan representative
  • · 1 Trades union/professional association representative
  • · 1 non-Executive elected member
  • · 1 Vulnerable Children representative
  • · 1 Post 16 representative
  • · 1 PVI Early Years sector representative

The roles and responsibilities of the Schools’ Forum can be found in the guide recently updated by the DfE in May 2020 -click this lnk to read the guide-

 

Dear Governors

GOVAS has met a few times in the past few months in a virual enviroment discussing the current issues that are going on in schools.

Based on that success we are considering a virtual AGM with some speeches via most likely -"zoom"

Date set for this to take place would be the 21st January 2021 -1900hrs, if you have any ideas or thoughts then please do not hesitate to contact us via the -contact us- link above (then click -contact form-)

Govas

 

GOVAS MEETING FOR ALL GOVERNORS THURSDAY 19th SEPTEMBER 7-9pm

GOVAS had arranged a meeting open to all governors in Stockport (Published via Governorhub) to provide an early opportunity for you to meet and hear from our new interim Director of Educational Services, Steve Nyakatawa. Steve outlined his and the Council's priorities over the year ahead, with a particular emphasis on Special Educational Needs. Steve was joined by colleagues from the service, including Cathy Lyall, lead officer for SEND. <- Link to the powerpoint presented on the evening - Click Here ->

The meeting included a short GOVAS AGM.  Governors interested in joining the GOVAS committee can contact us above.

GOVAS will also be organising its annual conference in partnership with the Local Authority in March next year. Details will follow, but the anticipated date is Saturday 28th March ( 9am-1pm).

Best wishes for a successful year governing, 

 

Andy Kent ( outgoing GOVAS Chair) 

 

SCHOOLS’ FORUM

NEWSLETTER 30 – July 2019

The Schools’ Forum (an elected group of Head teachers, Principals, Governors and other associated members) is the key decision making and consultative group required by DfE regulation which oversees/governs all financial and administrative matters relating to the Schools Budget financed by the dedicated schools grant (DSG).

The roles and responsibilities of the Schools’ Forum can be found in the new short guide recently updated by the DfE in March 2015

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-forums-operational-and-good-practice-guide-2015

The DfE has identified as part of their review of Schools’ Forum that effective best practice relating to Schools’ Forum and its operational duties includes communication to all the wider stakeholder audience of the business matters discussed and decisions made. (i.e. ensuring all decisions made at forum are duly recorded and shared).

To enhance communication with the wider school audience, the Local Authority will produce a brief overview newsletter of the discussions/views, decisions made and agreed actions in relation to all business matters after each meeting and distribute to stakeholders via the following means:

  • Office on-line;
  • Council’s web-site (see below link);
  • Govas web-site;
  • Schools Finance monthly newsletter; and directly
  • To all Schools’ Forum members

 

Welcome to the 30th edition of the Schools’ Forum Newsletter……..

In this issue, we are including key points from the Schools’ Forum meeting held on 11 July 2019 particularly; DFE SEND Call for Evidence consultation, 2020/21 Local Formula (Primary), DSG Review and Schools’ Forum membership. A full copy of the minutes will be made available via the Council web-site in due course, see section 8 below.

Schools’ Forum Meeting 11 July 2019 – Key Points

  1. MATTERS ARISING PREVIOUS MINUTES

Item 7 School Places – further discussions have taken place via the SMP board and additional information will hopefully be available early in the new academic year.

Item 10 DSG Review – Actions resolved and further verbal update provided (see section xx below)

Item 11 School Insurance Scheme – An update will be provided at the September 2019 meeting on the matters arising.

Item 13 SFVS – Training dates have been set up for the autumn term as below:

30 September – Annual Introduction to SFVS (New Governors/School Staff)

16 October (10am – 12 Noon 2 x 1hr sessions) – SFVS update and introduction to the new dashboard.

NEWSLETTER 29 – May 2019

Welcome to the 29th edition of the Schools’ Forum Newsletter……..

In this issue, we are including key points from the Schools’ Forum meeting held on 23 May 2019 particularly; School Places, SEN monitoring, DSG 2018/19 Outturn, 2018/19 Final School Balances, SFVS, DSG Review and School Insurance Schemes 2018/19 outturn. A full copy of the minutes will be made available via the Council web-site in due course, see section 11 below.

Schools’ Forum Meeting 23 May 2019 – Key Points

  1. MATTERS ARISING PREVIOUS MINUTES

Jon Roper (Primary HT) raised matter of published minutes not presenting a full and clear picture of the meeting discussions/debate undertaken – LA officers to feedback to democratic services.

Education Healthy Schools Capital fund:

Discussion took place in relation to LA decision making/process and final determination of how funding to be distributed – LA officers to provide further update/report on progress/final spend and address any further SF member queries raised in due course.

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