Governor Vacancy

We are looking to appoint a parent governor.  We want to strengthen our skill-base and are particularly interested to recruit somebody with experience in financial awareness e.g. budget responsibility and / or data interpretation.   

What is the workload?

The governors meet seven times a year, made up of a short planning meeting in September followed by a meeting once every half term.  Governors are expected to prepare for the meetings by reading the papers before the meeting.  Meetings are currently 6:30 – 8:30 on a Wednesday at school.

Governors are encouraged to make school visits, but it is recognised that some governors cannot make visits during the school day.

What does a governor do?  (Source: School Governor One Stop Shop)

Governors do not manage a school day-to-day, but are required to oversee its long-term development.

Ultimately, all governor responsibilities come back to this task and can be split into three core roles:

Is there support?

There is a school-based induction programme and the school buys into further training, free to the individual governor.

Further Information:  Please contact Mr Adams (Headteacher) or Su Brakewell (Chair of Governors – via the office).  

Stop School Cuts!

The local authority is acknowledging the fact that an increasing number of schools are having to take drastic action due to a lack of resources including setting defecit budgets, staffing restructures, reducing curriculum provision and cutting extra-curricular activities.

At Bitterne Manor, we are already having to reduce our budget for professional development, reduce the amount of non-contact time for our staff, make huge savings to resources and increasingly rely on donations to fund the things we'd like to do for our children.
All schools are facing a severe funding crisis due to Government cuts which may mean cuts to teachers, support staff and an increase in class sizes. For the last year warnings about cuts have dominated discussion around education. The Government has cut funding by £2.8 billion and it wants to cut more.There is an ongoing campaign calling on the council and the government to address these issues and provide education with the necessary funding to do our jobs effectively. It will require the concerted effort by staff and parents to exercise their voice and ensure we continue to be able to provide a quality education for all.
For more details head to:

www.fairfundingforallschools.org

www.schoolcuts.org.uk

or the FB page Southampton Fair Funding for All Schools.

Reviewing Our Learning Behaviours...

Teachers (in years 1 to 6) will be sharing at parent evenings their reviews of children's learning behaviours in class. This is something we started last year as a means of discussing our children's strengths and areas that we need to work on in lessons. We will be working on these throughout the year and our aim is always to help children to learn to be the best they can! While this isn't an exhaustive list and neither does it equate to high or low attainment - it is something that we do believe has a strong link to the good or better progress pupils are able to sustain in school.

Red Cross: Free education workshops for young people

"Our education helps young people understand, cope with, and take action in a crisis."

Thought we'd share something that we're doing tomorrow with our Year 6! The BRitish Red Cross offer fully funded workshops in schools and youth work settings in areas where young people are at higher risk of experiencing a crisis related to drug/alcohol use, incidents involving knives (or other sharp objects) and stigmatising behaviour.

What do the workshops cover?
The free workshops, delivered by Red Cross educators, aim to help 10–19 year olds learn first aid and/or explore the impact of stigmatising behaviour towards refugees, migrants and asylum seekers.

First aid workshops
Learn essential first aid skills, including how to help someone who is:

• unresponsive (breathing/not breathing)
• bleeding heavily
• burnt.

Assess and manage risks to make informed choices when helping others.
Build the confidence and willingness to help in a first aid emergency.

How can I find out more?

Call 0344 412 2734
Email youtheducation@redcross.org.uk
Visit: www.redcross.org.uk/What-we-do/Teaching-resources/Education-workshops

Train to Teach Event: Southampton 9th November

The free Train to Teach Roadshows will provide you with a wealth of information on how to get into teaching and how to apply for training in your region.

Don’t miss your opportunity to find out more. Drop in at any time during the event, allowing at least two hours to:

• first attend a presentation on the different teacher training options – these will take place at 5:30pm and 6:30pm
• speak to teaching experts to receive advice on your training options – please check your eligibility for teacher training before coming along to this event
• receive personalised advice on your UCAS application – don’t forget to bring a copy of your personal statement with you
• talk to practising teachers about life in the classroom
• meet representatives from schools and universities that deliver teacher training in your region to find out about their courses and entry requirements

You’ll need to create a profile on this site to book a place at this Train to Teach event. Once registered, you can log in at any time to book places at other events near you or take part in our online events.