JFS
MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE PERSONNEL COMMITTEE
MONDAY 24 NOVEMBER 2014
Present:
Jonathan Miller
(Headteacher)
Michael Glass (Chairman)
Richard Del Monte
Neil Harris
Ruth Renton
Steven Woolf
In attendance: Simon Appleman
Lorraine Tomlinson
1. Apologies
No apologies were received.
2. Declarations of Interests
No interests were declared.
3. Minutes
The minutes of the previous meeting of the Committee held on 23 June 2014 were
approved. There were no matters arising.
It was agreed that in future, from the next meeting onwards, Alan Fox should attend and
act as clerk.
4. Terms of reference
The Committee’s terms of reference were considered. It was decided to amend the
frequency provision from “as required” to “as required, but at least once per term”.
5. Workplan 2014/15
This was considered in detail.
(a) It was noted that the Pay Policy for 2015/16 would need to be ready by 1 June 2015
as that was the start of the assessment cycle.
(b) The following items should be added:
Spring Term 2015:
Absence Management Policy
Leave of Absence Policy
Long Service Policy
Confidential Reporting Policy
Summer Term 2015:
Private Lessons Policy
(c) The Workplan should be tabled and considered each year.
6. Local Government Pension Scheme
The Committee considered the recent correspondence with Stone King with regard to
disapplying discretions. It was decided to take make no change to the current position,
and the discretions should continue to be available. Stone King were content with the
current policy, which should remain as it was.
7. Pay Policy 2014-15
The Pay Policy was considered in detail.
(a) Paragraph 2.3 – needs updating as it refers to ILEA.
(b) Paragraph 2.11. Jonathan Miller explained the purpose of safeguarding and
how it operated.
(c) Paragraph 2.12 -13: effect of absence on pay.
Committee were content with paragraph 2.12 (absence due to maternity or
paternity leave) . HR advisers should be asked to clarify and justify
paragraph 2.13, including (i) how 2.13 interacted with 2.12, (ii) the cut-off
point at 6 months, and (iii) why 2.12 referred to pay determination but 2.13 to
pay progression. The Governing Body should be asked to give delegated
power for this provision.
(d) Paragraph 2.14 -15 should be amended to make it clear that pay progression is
not automatic, and will be at the Headteacher’s discretion.
(e) Paragraph 2.16. Add reference to progression not being automatic (cf. paragraph
3.2.2). Correct spelling of “reflecting”.
(f) Paragraph 3 . The preamble (teacher to make available evidence for pay
determinations) should be removed.
(g) In paragraph 3.4.1, update the reference to “Appraisal Regulations”.
(h) Amend paragraph 3.5.3 by adding “usually”.
(i) In paragraph 3.6.1, line 3 to say “… will result in a recommendation from the line
manager about …”
(j) Paragraph 5.2.3 (Retention Award after 25 years’ service). This is intended to
be an incentive to staff.
(k) Paragraph 6 (Appeals). This should be amended to allow for complaints to be
made to the Governing Body, and also for appeals to be made to the Governing
Body. Because of the deadline for determining pay, the period in which appeals
panels are to meet should be reduced from 20 to 10 working days.
The proposals will need to be put to the GSCC, and the amended draft policy should
go the Governing Body. The Governing Body should be asked to delegate power to
the Personnel Committee to amend the Pay Policy.
8. Performance Management Policy
The Performance Management
Policy was considered in detail.
(a) Paragraph 6.3. Delete from “At the review stage” to end.
(b) Paragraph 6.3. It was questioned whether 3 objectives were sufficient, but no
change was made.
(c) Paragraph 6 should be placed after paragraph 7.
(d) Ruth Renton was asked to make recommendations about paragraph 7
(Reviewing Performance).
(e) In Appendix 3 (Performance Management Appeals Process) the date
requirements should be checked.
(f) The Governing Body should be asked to delegate power to the Personnel
Committee to amend the Performance Management
Policy.
9. Staff Turnover
When a report on this is presented, the main figures should be broken down according to
staff position (e.g. senior staff), Department, gender, length of service and ethnicity.
10. Sabbaticals
After discussion it was decided that staff sabbaticals should no longer be granted.
11. There was no other business.
Signed____________________________________________ Date__________________
Chairman
JFS SCHOOL
MINUTES OF PERSONNEL COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON
MONDAY 23RD FEBRUARY 2015
Chairman
Steven Woolf
Present:
Richard Del Monte
Neil Harris
Jonathan Mil er
(Headteacher)
Ruth Renton
In attendance: Simon Appleman
1. Apologies
Apologies were received from Michael Glass and Steven Woolf acted as
Chairman in his place
2. Minutes
The minutes of the previous meeting of the Committee held on 24th November
2014 were approved.
3. Matters Arising
There was none.
4. Disciplinary and Capability Procedures for Staff
The Committee considered the procedures last approved in 2005. It was
confirmed that the terms were sufficiently wide to encompass the discretion to
suspend on ful pay in certain circumstances and to make clear that a formal
warning remained in effect for the period specified and that the record should
be cleared at its end. However, Mrs Renton would provide additional wording
to make it explicitly clear that al matters relating to ongoing disciplinary
proceedings should be treated as confidential.
ACTION MRS RENTON
Subject to this addition the procedure was endorsed for reapproval by the GB.
It was also agreed that the GB should be recommended to delegate future
approvals to the Committee, which should review it every three years or
earlier if circumstances so warranted. Once approved by the GB the policy
should be placed of Fronter with its four appendices. It was stressed that any
changes to policies directly affecting staff conditions of service should be
drawn specifical y to their attention and positive confirmation obtained that
they had read and understood them.
It was further agreed that the Headteacher should make an anonymised
report to the Committee each term of any formal warnings he had issued in
accordance with the procedure.
5. Leave of Absence Policy
The Leave of Absence Policy, which covered al discretionary absences, was
endorsed for reapproval by the GB also with the recommendation that in
future approval should be delegated to the Committee which should review it
every three years or earlier if circumstances so warranted.
6. Confidential Reporting Procedure
It was noted that there had been a number of legislative changes since this
procedure was adopted in 2010 and Mrs Renton agreed to provide a list of
appropriate amendments so that the procedure could be cleared by email ex
Committee
ACTION MRS RENTON
7. Policy for Staff Bringing their own Children Into School It was agreed that consideration of this policy, which was intended to regulate
entry into School of the children of Teaching Staff on non-school days, should
be deferred until the Summer Term to al ow time for investigation of past
requirements and the need for a policy at al .
ACTION HEADTEACHER
8. Allegations of Abuse Against Staff
It was agreed that consideration should be delayed until the Summer Term to
permit further investigation of current legislative requirements and a number
of precedents that had been obtained.
ACTION HEADTEACHER
9. Any Other Business
It was noted that here was a requirement for a Policy on Shared Parental
Leave to be in place by April and Mrs Renton agreed to send appropriate
references to the Headteacher.
ACTION MRS RENTON
Signed_____________________
Date__________________
Chairman
JFS SCHOOL
MINUTES OF PERSONNEL COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON
MONDAY 6TH JULY 2015
Chairman
Mr Steven Woolf
Present:
Mr Richard Del Monte
Mr Jonathan Mil er (Headteacher)
Mrs Ruth Renton
Clerk:
Dr Alan Fox
In attendance
:
Ms Lorraine Tomlinson
Mr
Simon Appleman
1. Apologies
Apologies for absence were received from Neil Harris.
2. Minutes
The minutes of the previous meeting of the Committee held on 23rd February
2015 were approved.
3. Matters Arising
There was none.
4.
Pay Policy 2015/16
Noting that it was inextricably linked to the Performance Management Policy,
the Committee approved the proposed Pay Policy, which had not changed
from 2014/15, subject to correction to the dates.
The Committee also noted that in future the two Policies should be reviewed
annual y in the Spring Term. As with al other policies affecting their terms and
conditions of employment, al staff should be explicitly advised of the terms
and positive confirmation obtained that they had read and understood them.
Mrs Renton would advise the School on the paper work required to ensure the
strict legal requirements.
ACTION MRS RENTON & HEADTEACHER
5. Long Service Awards Policy
With the removal of a superfluous phrase, the Committee reconfirmed the
existing policy noting that it provided sufficient flexibility to recognise al
deserving cases. The approval of the GB should be sought for its terms on
this occasion and for the proposal that in future the policy should be approved
by the Personnel Committee triennial y without reference to the GB.
6.
Grievance Policy
The Committee considered the Grievance Policy and decided that further
review was required to ensure that it was consistent with the latest legislation
and the Code of Practice currently being drafted. Mrs Renton would assist the
School in this process. The Committee agreed to reconsider the Policy,
suitably cross-referenced to the Confidential Reporting Policy, in the Autumn
Term.
ACTION MRS RENTON
7. Confidential Reporting Procedure
The Committee agreed that the Policy incorporating the suggestions made by
Mrs Renton to reflect a number of legislative changes, should be submitted to
the GB for approval with the recommendation that it should be reviewed
triennial y.
8. Absence Management Policy
The Committee considered the Absence Management Policy and decided that
further review under Mrs Renton’s supervision was required to remove
reference to Il -Health. which was now covered elsewhere, and to ensure
consistency with the Terms and Conditions of Employment and the Code of
Conduct now being drafted. Advice should be sought from Strictly Education
Human Resources and the policy further reviewed in the Autumn Term.
9. Allegations of Abuse Against Staff
The Committee approved the draft Policy for submission to the GB with minor
amendments and with the recommendation that in future the policy should be
approved by the Personnel Committee biennial y without further reference to
the GB.
10.
Private Lessons Policy
The Committee approved the draft Policy for submission to the GB with the
recommendation that in future the policy should be approved by the
Personnel Committee triennial y without further reference to the GB.
11.
Staff Bringing their own Children Into School Policy
The Committee approved the draft Policy for submission to the GB with the
recommendation that in future the policy should be approved by the
Personnel Committee triennial y without further reference to the GB.
12. Equal Opportunities Policy
The Committee agreed that the GB should be advised that this policy would
be more appropriately reviewed by the Curriculum Committee. A distinction
should be made between the need of pupils and staff and external advice
should be taken from Strictly Education Human Resources or Stone King.
13.
Workplace Harassment
The Committee noted the advice received from the Local Authority. It
recommended that the relevant issues should be covered in the Equal
Opportunities for Staff Policy and the Grievance Procedure.
14. Any Other Business
Mrs Renton referred to current low staff morale and wondered whether there
was anything that there was a mitigating action the GB could take.
In discussion It was not agreed that a minor contribution to end of term social
activities would be of assistance. The Committee considered that the major
causes were the 2014 OFSTED report and current pay prospects.
There had be a great deal of change during 2014/15 whereas 2015/16 should
be largely a year of consolidation. It was important that the SLT should make
continuing efforts to explain this and make staff realise that their worries were
recognised, their views taken into account and their efforts appreciated. But
the real morale boost would be amore favourable OFSTED report on re-
inspection. The Chairman of Vice-Chairman of the GB should attend induction
meetings next term to stress that the GB ful y understood staff concerns.
Signed_____________________
Date__________________
Chairman
JFS SCHOOL
MINUTES OF PERSONNEL COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON
MONDAY 24TH NOVEMBER 2015
Chairman
Mr Steven Woolf
Present:
Mr Richard Del Monte
Mr Jonathan Mil er (Headteacher)
Mrs Ruth Renton
Clerk:
Dr Alan Fox
In attendance
:
Ms Lorraine Tomlinson
Mr
Simon Appleman
1.
Apologies
Apologies for absence were received from Mr Harris who sent comments on a
number of Agenda items.
2.
Appointment of Chairman
The Committee appointed Mrs Renton as Chairman from the succeeding
meeting.
3.
Minutes
The minutes of the previous meeting of the Committee held on 6th July 2015
were approved.
4. Matter Arising - Conditions of Service Advice
Mrs Renton explained that the introduction of new policies or amendments
affecting the conditions of service of staff was equivalent to amending their
contracts of employment. There was therefore a requirement to ensure that al
staff affected were advised of the changes and understood them. Moreover,
those policies designated as contractual required specific consent. This
placed an onerous duty on the GB as employer.
The Committee considered the best way of fulfil ing its responsibilities in this
respect. It agreed that al staff should be advised on the first day of term of
any new and revised policies explaining, where appropriate, that they were
required to meet the latest legislation. To ensure that there was a ful
understanding of the terms, training would have to be arranged.
5.
Policy Revisions
Mrs Renton said that some three months ago the School’s legal advisers,
Stone King, had been requested to provide updated personnel policies. These
had not yet al been received and, moreover, the drafts provided had not
reflected the latest legislation. With the benefit of assistance from Mr Harris,
she had updated the policies herself. Other members of the Committee were
requested to advise by the fol owing day whether they had any further drafting
amendments to suggest and thereafter the latest versions would be returned
to Stone King for final checking, before GB endorsement was sought.
An early opportunity would also be taken to consult over the new policies with
the members of the GSCC.
In further discussion of the individual policies, the fol owing points were made:
• The Workplace Harassment Policy is an extension of the Staff Equal
Opportunities & Diversity Policy. Cross-referencing would be necessary
here and in respect of other policies.
• No draft of an Absence Management Policy had been received from
the HR company ‘Strictly’ and endorsement by the GB could not now
take place before the Spring Term. Mrs Tomlinson was requested to
express the Committee’s disappointment with this poor performance.
• Although there was a requirement to have a Code of Practice, it was
not entirely clear what it should contain and would therefore be drafted
mainly as a work of reference to individual policies.
• The GB should be recommended that the Workplace Harassment
Policy, the Staff Equal Opportunities & Diversity Policy and the
Absence Management Policy should be reviewed triennial y, unless
there was relevant legislation in the intervening period.
6.
Staff Attendance
The Headteacher said that, two years ago, Governors had received more
comprehensive information on staff attendance. It indicated that absence at
JFS was low compared with national figures and not a significant problem. We
aim to return to more detailed reporting as SIMS data is better utilised.
Mr Mil er confirmed that 10 days absence in a calendar year triggered a
follow-up. This currently applied to about a dozen members of staff, five of
whom had known long-term il nesses. The adoption of a new Absence
Management Policy would provide an opportunity to review the School’s
practices.
7.
Staff Turnover
The Committee noted that detailed information had been provided to the
previous GB meeting. Although the figures showed that turnover had been
slightly down on previous years, interpretation had to take account of the
conversion of temporary appointments to ful -time and of staff departures by
mutual agreement prior to formal capability procedures.
The Committee requested that a report on Staff Disciplinary Matters, suitably
anonymised, should be made annual y in the Summer Term to the Discipline
Committee to permit governors to satisfy themselves on the standards being
applied and the consistency of the outcomes.
8.
Workplan for the Year
The Committee approved the circulated workplan.
9.
Any Other Business
9.1
Redundancy Policy
The Committee agreed that it was not necessary for the School to have a
standing formal Redundancy Policy, in accordance with the advice received
from Stone King. Should the need for redundancy arise, the GB would be
recommended to adopt the then current national y approved procedures.
9.2
Shared Parental Leave Policy
The Committee confirmed that the Headteacher had delegated powers to deal
with al applications for shared parental leave. The legal framework was that
husbands received only statutory pay, which seemed potential y
discriminatory. However, the Committee agreed they would not introduce
enhanced pay in these circumstances.
Signed_____________________
Date__________________
Chairman
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