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St Brigid’s School,  Denbigh.

 

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GOVENORS

 

Introduction

 

As a result of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, the School was incorporated as a Voluntary-Aided School on 1st September 1999, having been a Grant-Maintained School since 1996.

 

The Trust Body, St Brigid’s School Limited is a charitable company, registered at Companies House (No 02572420) and The Charity Commissioners (No 1003157) This Company holds the land and buildings in trust on behalf of the School.

 

The principal activity of the School is set out in the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Trust Body, being “the advancement of education of children between the ages of 3 and 19 by making provision for a Voluntary-aided Roman Catholic School or School for the education of Roman Catholic Children, either with or without other Christian or non-Christian children.”  In consequence of this the School is an All-through Denominational School having a co-educational Primary Department, with girls only from 11-16, and a co-educational Sixth Form.  It offers a boarding education for up to 38 girls from 7-19.

 

During the period there was a total of 440 pupils including 26 boarders. 141 pupils in the primary department, including 12 Nursery, and 299 senior pupils.

 

1                     Membership of the Governing Body

 

Foundation Governors and Trustees of St Brigid’s School Limited.                     Term Ends

 

                Arthur A Goodall FCA                                                                                        Sept 05

                Dr Elizabeth Oliver                                                                                               Sept 05

                Douglas C Wynne JP (Vice-Chairman)                                                             Sept 05

                Pauline M Howell BA                                                                                          Sept 05

                J David M Jones LlB FRSA                                                                                Sept 05

                Doreen Eyton-Jones ALCM                                                                              Sept 05

                Rev Dr Dermot Power                                                                                          Sept 03

                I Mark Rimmer                                                                                                      Sept 05

                Philip Eyton-Jones OstJ, TD,DL, RIBA,MRTPI,FRSA (Chairman)               Sept 05

                                Mathrafal, Bodfari, Denbigh LL16 4BS

LEA Governor

                Councillor Neville J Hughes                                                                               Sept 08

                Jane Kennedy LlB                                                                                                Sept 07

 

Parent Governors

                Paul Cosgrove                                                                                                      Sept 04

                Dr Giles Harborne                                                                                                Sept 04

 

Teacher Governor

                Caroline Barr-Lloyd BA                                                                                      Sept 06

 

Staff Governor

                Vacant

 

Ex-Officio

                Roger Hayward, B Ed, ATD                                                                               Headmaster

                Anne M H Spiller                                                                                 Clerk to the Governors

                St Brigid’s School Denbigh LL16 4BH     Tel 01745 815228

 

 

 

2          Financial Details

 

2.1          Financial Performance     The School’s financial performance for the Financial Year 2003/04 and for the previous year is set out below .

2002/03                                           2003/04

 000’s                                                      000’s

INCOME                                                                                                                               

Denbighshire CC                                                     934                                                       1,099

NAW                                                                           0                                                          0                           

Other                                                                         149                                                          166

Total Income                                                         1,083                                                       1,266

 

EXPENDITURE

Staff Costs                                                               895                                                       1,055      

Other                                                                         202                                                      202          

Total Expenditure                                         1,097                                                        1,290                      

Surplus (deficit) for the year                              ( 14 )                                                        (24)

 

The Allocation from Denbighshire County Council was based on the numbers attending the School in accordance with their Primary and Secondary Formulae in common with all other schools in the County.

 

2.2  Gifts to the School      School received substantial donations from the School Association and from individual Parents during the year, especially through Gift Aid.

 

2.3 Governors traveling Expenses  There were no claims for Governors traveling and subsistence expenses during the period.

 

3          Action taken by the Governing Body

 

3.1        Comments from the last Annual Meeting.                               There were no comments raised.

       

3.2        Progress on the School Development Plan        The School Development  Plan  was approved by the Governing body. A copy is available for inspection within the School.

 

3.3     Development of Links with the Community      Several Fund-raising events took place during the period ,the proceeds of which were given to local charities.

 

The Annual Pantomime “Aladdin” was an excellent production and was well received by Parents, friends and children from many primary schools in the area.

 

Denbigh Rotary Club held a fund-raising Lunch and also a production of ‘Nunsense” which raised a considerable sum for their charitable aims

 

3.4    Changes to the Prospectus                Changes to the Prospectus include updated Governors information, Staff Lists and current Examination performances. Any information needed to comply with National Assembly requirements will be included as well as the Admissions Policy for the following year.  Roman Catholic applicants will in future be required to produce a copy of a Baptismal Certificate.

 

3.5    Review of School Policies This review is ongoing, through the Curriculum Development Sub-Committee. The Home/School Agreement has been introduced, and the Special Needs Policy revised in accordance with the new Code of Practice.

 

3.6    Implementation and review of specific school strategies          New strategies for behavior have been introduced, incorporating merit points and this strategy will be reviewed during the coming academic year.

 

 

4                    Organization and Policies

 

4.1                Special Educational Needs Policy

 

St Brigid’s School as a community reflects and celebrates the diversity of Christ’s Kingdom where the able and gifted can learn from and with those with disabilities of whatever order.  Our commitment is to the needs of every child admitted into the School, and this policy addresses our responsibility for those children with special educational needs whether long or short term, related to physical, emotional or behavioral difficulties or learning needs. We aim to be partners with parents who are the first educators of their children.

 

Governors  appointed Sr Elizabeth Kelly overall, and  Ms Jane Beckerman as the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) responsible for Special Educational Needs.  The SENCO will ensure that for new pupils, existing statements of need are made known to all who will teach the child and that appropriate provision within financial constraints is available in all curriculum areas. A review of progress will involve both child and parents so hat realistic targets can be set and monitored.our aim is to build on the child’s strengths to allow maximum participation in all school activities.

 

Special attention will be given to the child’s spiritual development and preparation for the Sacraments to reinforce the sense of dignity and value established in the individual child.

 

It is the professional responsibility of every teacher to be alert to the onset of a special need in any pupil and to liaise directly with the SENCO and the parents of the child. Assessment of, and provision for the child’s needs may require assistance from outside agencies including the Educational Psycologist, Medical Officer, or Advisory Services of the Local Education Authority. Staff will have regard to the DFEE “Code of Practice” in addressing special needs.

 

4.2          Arrangements for Disabled Pupils

 

The School prides itself in trying to ensure the needs of all disabled pupils admitted to the School. A spirit of inclusion into all year groups is encouraged, and all pupils are required to be fully supportive of their fellows. Whilst there are still spaces which are difficult to access, every effort is made to accommodate the needs of the disabled. Grants are currently being sought from the National Assembly to provide better access to upper floors in the Primary Department and to all new provision.

 

4.3          Term Dates and Session Times 2004/2005

 

Autumn Term   2004               1st September 2004             to   17th   December 2004

Spring Term     2004                4th   January 2005               to   24th    March, 2005

Summer Term   2004               11th  April  2005                   to    22nd   July 2005

 

Times of Sessions

Nursery                  9.00 am to  11.30am                              Key Stage 1                           8.50am   to 3.15 pm

Key Stage 2           8.50.am to  3.20 pm                               Secondary Department       8.50am   to 3.45 pm

 

4.4          Sporting Aims and Achievements

U15 and Under 13 Netball Teams were Runners-up in the Denbighshire County Championships. .All Netball Teams from year 7 upwards have won all their matches, and we had 100% passes in PSE/PE at GCSE level.

40 girls took part in an excellent Ski Course at Alpe d’ Heuz in France. A further trip is planned for February, 2005 in Tonale in Italy. We now have some expert skiers among the girls.

As a result of grant aid from Girls First, we plan to continue with free Aerobics and Soccer coaching.

Football is increasing in popularity in both Primary and Secondary Departments, and we now have two girls, Amy Peters and Gillian Fletcher, in the Denbighshire squad.

 

The School Combined Cadet Force has been extremely successful and now has about 70 Cadets in either the Army or RAF Sections. There is increasing interest in the Adventure Training Activities and openings for sports and expeditions are increasing. Two RAF Cadets visited Cyprus in April 2004, and two Army Cadets, visited Canada for 6 weeks in August.

 

 

5                    Performance and Target Information

 

In the External Examinations and National Curriculum Standard Assessment Tests (SATS) for 2003/04, our results were excellent as shown below, and have been published in the Autumn Newsletter.

 

                                                                                                                                                School    LEA        Wales

A   Level                (8 pupils)               A- E grades                                                           88%          91%      96%

                                                                2 or more subjects at A – C                                88%        67%       72%

 

GCSE                      (34 pupils)             5 or more GCSE’s at grades  A* to C                76%          47%      51%

                                                                5 or more GCSE’s at grades  A* - G  91%          83%      85%

                                                                Core Subject Indicator                                        59              35            38

 

Key Stage 3           (49 pupils)             English Level 5 or Higher                                   86%                        54%

                                                                Mathematics Level 5 or higher                          86%                        54%

                                                                Science Level 5 or higher                                    94%                        54%

                                                                Core Subject Indicator                                        86             

 

 

Key Stage 2           (26 pupils)             English Level 4 or higher                                    86%                        71%

(tests)                                                     Mathematics level 4 or higher                            79%                        71%

                                                                Science Level 4 or higher                                    100%                      71%

                                                                Core Subject Indicator                                        75%

 

Key Stage 1           (20)                         Level 2 in Maths, Science &

                                                                English                                                                   100%                      79%

 

5.2          Destination of School Leavers during the Period 2003/2004

 

                Year 11  (20)          9 to Further Education        7 to other Schools   4  to employment

                Year 13   ( 8  )       7  to Higher Education        1  to employment   

 

5.3                Attendances for 2003/04

 

Summer Tem         2003                        93% Primary                                          92% Secondary

                Autumn Term       2003                        93.3%                                                     91%

                Spring Term          2004                        94.1%                                                   88.2%

               

There were no unauthorized absences, and no pupils were excluded during the previous 12 months.

 

 

6                     Thanks          The Governors would like to thank all Parents for their support and co-operation in the education of their children, and in achieving the results highlighted in this Report.

 

 

 

Signed ……………………………………

 

 

Philip Eyton-Jones

Chairman of the Governing Body.                                                                                                    

 

6th January 2005