Governors’ annual reports
Guidance for school governing bodies on what information should be included in their governors’ annual reports.
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Background and legal context
The School Governors’ Annual Reports (Wales) Regulations 2011 are made under Section 30 of the Education Act 2002 and set out the content and distribution arrangements for governors’ annual reports.
The School Governors’ Annual Reports (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 make changes to the 2011 Regulations as a consequence of section 94 of the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013.
The Education (Amendments Relating to Teacher Assessment Information) (Wales) Regulations 2018 remove the requirement for comparative data to be included and the Education (School Development Plans) (Wales) Regulations 2014 insert a requirement to include summarised school development plans.
Further, the Healthy Eating in Schools (Wales) Measure 2009 inserts provision to the Education Act 2002 that governors’ annual reports must contain information about the action taken to promote healthy eating and drinking by pupils of the school.
All governing bodies of maintained schools are required to produce an annual report. The statutory contents of the annual reports are detailed in this guidance. Governing bodies may add additional information they think will be helpful.
Timing
There is no set time of year for publishing governors’ annual reports. However, to tie in with target setting, governing bodies are encouraged to publish their reports during the autumn term.
Distribution and accessibility
Governing bodies must provide all parents and carers with children registered at the school a copy of the annual report free of charge. Many schools publish their annual report on the school website for all to view.
Governing bodies should consider the accessibility of the report for different parents’ and carers’ needs. A local authority may direct a governing body to make its annual report available in an alternative format or language.
Mandatory content of the annual report
The annual report to parents and carers must include the following information. However, it does not need to follow this order or format. Governing bodies should ensure they cross-check with the legislation as listed above for the complete list of required information to be included in their reports.
Details of meetings with parents and carers over the past year
- The dates and places the meetings were held.
- The reasons given by the parents or carers for petitioning for a meeting.
- The names of meeting attendees (excluding parents or carers).
- The number of parents or carers in attendance.
- A record of matters discussed and resulting actions.
Governors’ details
- Names and school addresses of the clerk and chair.
- Names of the members of the governing body, their terms of office, category and status (for example parent, teacher, foundation governor, co-opted, otherwise appointed, ex-officio).
- In the case of an appointed governor, by whom they were appointed, when the appointment will terminate (except for ex-officio governors), and information about the next parent governor election.
Performance and target information
- For secondary schools, the most recent summary of secondary school performance in relation to the school.
- The number and percentage of unauthorised absences and authorised absences.
- Destination information relating to learners leaving the school, in terms of continuing education, employment or training taken up by those leavers.
A financial statement
- Reproducing or summarising any financial statement provided to the governing body by the local authority since the previous governors’ report.
- General details of how funding provided by the local authority has been spent.
- Details of any gifts made to the school.
- The amount of any travelling and subsistence allowances paid to members of the governing body.
Action taken by the governing body or school
- Changes to policies or decisions made as a result of any resolutions passed at the last meeting with parents or carers.
- Progress on the school’s post-inspection action plan.
- Developing or strengthening links with the community (including links with the police).
- A summary of changes to the school prospectus since publication.
- Any review of school policies (for example school behaviour policies, an anti-racism policy, security policy).
- Implementing and reviewing specific school strategies.
Organisation, plans and policies
- A summary of the school development plan.
- School term dates, including holidays, for the forthcoming year.
- Details of the school’s additional learning needs (ALN) policy, including its success, the allocation of resources or changes made, any consultation with the local authority and other schools.
- A description of the admission arrangements for learners with disabilities (including the admissions arrangements for learners with ALN without statements).
- Details of steps taken to prevent learners with disabilities from being treated less favourably than other learners.
- Details of facilities provided to assist access to the school by learners with disabilities (for example physical access or access to the curriculum).
- Progress in meeting sporting aims, and any notable sporting achievements.
Healthy eating and drinking
- The action taken to promote healthy eating and drinking by learners of the school.
Curriculum and organisation of education and teaching methods
- Statement on the curriculum and organisation of education and teaching methods at the school.
- Details of any special arrangements in the curriculum or otherwise for particular categories of learners, including those with ALN.
Welsh language
- The language category of the school.
- Use of the Welsh language in the school by learners of all age groups.
- The extent to which Welsh is the usual language of communication at the school.
- A brief description of the arrangements at the school to facilitate continuity of the use of Welsh language skills.
Provision of school toilet facilities
- A brief statement on the provision of toilet facilities at the school for learners.
- The arrangements in place for cleaning such toilet facilities.
Optional suggested items for inclusion in annual reports
- A foreword from chair setting out their thoughts about how the past year has gone, how the governing body, school leadership team and local authority have worked together, and what their key challenges might be for the year to come.
- Information about any targets for learner attendance and reduction in unauthorised absences. More information can be found in improving school attendance guidance.
- A list of news, events and celebrations concerning the school’s achievements over the past year.
- A forward look section including key dates for parents or carers to be aware of over the coming year, such as parents’ evenings and sports days, and any plans for which the governing body may seek parents’ or carers’ feedback.
- A list of the training governors have received throughout the year.
- A glossary of any abbreviations and acronyms used throughout the annual report.