Thank you so much to everyone who helped and supported this brilliant event. Fun for all the family from paw hunting, crafting to an actual Easter Bunny! Well done everyone!

www.littlewandlelettersandsounds.org.uk

After Ofsted visited St James CE Primary in Hanney at the end of February the school is now celebrating official confirmation of its continued status as a ‘Good’ school.  St James, part of the Vale Academy Trust, was last inspected in October 2018 when it was also found to be ‘Good’.

Inspectors found it to be a ‘friendly and welcoming school’ and ‘an inclusive place in which to learn’. Pupils’ politeness and consideration of others was also noted.

Headteacher Lucy Ottaway said “Ofsted recognised that we have high expectations of our pupils’ achievements, including those with special educational needs and disabilities, and that everyone is supported to achieve well. Our ambitious curriculum has reading at its heart and provides the stepping stones for building understanding and deep learning.”

“We are currently in the process of refining assessment in foundation subjects so that we can identify early knowledge gaps and to this end deepen children’s knowledge.”

“As a result of our staff developing caring relationships with our children, Ofsted reported that our pupils said they feel safe, happy and supported when they might have any worries or concerns.  It’s very heartening to hear this from our pupils.”

Ofsted commented that through a raft of opportunities both inside and outside of school St James pupils learn how to be thoughtful, responsible members of the community, ‘buddying up’ with younger pupils, raising money for charity and proving themselves to be good role models.

Ms Ottaway added “I am extremely proud of them all, as I am of my staff, governors, parents and the community that surrounds St James CE Primary. We’ve all played our part in achieving our ‘Good’ grading.”

St James Church of England Primary Academy has a vacancy for a foundation governor. While the whole governing body has agreed to uphold the Christian foundation of the school, a foundation governor has a special responsibility to ensure the Christian ethos, vision and principles are supported and developed in all aspects of school governance and life. Foundation governors are likely to be part of their church community. No experience of the education sector is required.

Become a governor at St James Church of England Primary Academy
“There are immediate and lasting benefits to becoming a school governor. In volunteering your time, you are making a positive contribution to the success of your school and are therefore having an impact on the lives of its pupils, staff and the local community.”
 

About the school

St James Church of England Primary Academy is part of the Vale Academy Trust, a family of state funded primary and secondary schools, all located in south Oxfordshire. The Trust is a ‘Multi-Academy Trust’ and as such provides non-selective education for children in the catchment areas served by its schools.

St James Primary is located between East and West Hanney and provides education for up to 210 pupils from age 4 to 11 plus a nursery. It was last inspected by Ofsted in 2018 when it received a ‘Good’ rating and it received a positive Church (SIAMS) inspection in 2023.
The Local Governing Body

The Local Governing Body (LGB) of St James is comprised of 2 foundation governors appointed by the Oxford Diocese, 1 staff governor, 2 parent governor places, and 3 director-appointed governors. The term ‘director-appointed’ refers to governors that are officially appointed by the Board of the Trust, rather than through parent or staff elections. Regardless of type, all governors have exactly the same powers.

What does the LGB do?

The LGB has three core functions:

1. Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction for the school

2. Holding the Headteacher to account for both the educational performance of the school and the performance management of staff

3. Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent

The Headteacher is responsible for the internal organisation, management and control of the school and the implementation of the strategic plan agreed with the LGB.

Do I need education sector experience or have children at the school to be a governor?

Absolutely not. You do need to be committed to your school, willing to ask questions and offer appropriate support and challenge to the Headteacher. As well as the support you’ll get from fellow governors, the Trust runs a full programme of induction, training and tools, and provides ongoing assistance from our dedicated governance team, all designed to help make being a governor as straightforward as possible.

How much time would I have to commit?

Governors are expected to attend circa 6 evening meetings of the LGB each year. These typically last around 2 hours each. In addition, the Trust runs governance development sessions on about 4 evenings each year, and encourages all governors to attend as many as possible. These events are a great way to network with governors from other schools, learn about new ideas and receive training in governance matters. Other time commitments will depend on whether you step up to additional roles on the LGB, which could, for example, see you visiting the school on a normal school day to monitor activity and meet with school leaders.

OK, I’m interested. What next?

Further information and an application form can be found on the Oxford Diocese Board of Education website:

Appointing Governors - Oxford Diocesan Board of Education (odbe.org.uk)

Alternatively contact the school to arrange a conversation: office@stjamesce.vale-academy.org

We look forward to seeing how our winning teams get on at our Trust event at Williams towards the end of next term.

For Helen & Douglas House, a charity that is so important to our community, we raised a massive £1084.30 from Festive Film Club and the Santa Run
From our Number Day for the NSPCC we raised a brilliant £271.50

Thank you to everyone for all your support!

Highlights from the report include:

“The vision underpins the decision making of leaders. This inspires and supports all pupils, enabling them to feel cherished and successful.”

“ There are strong partnerships which enhance the vision of the school, supporting the wellbeing of children and adults. These provide a secure foundation for leaders when making courageous decisions”

“It is clear there is a shared determination to ensure the vision has an impact on pupils’ abilities and character.

“In line with the vision, all leaders consider the wellbeing of pupils and adults as a matter of great importance”

“Such care is an example of the vision at work, helping all reach their potential.”

“Individual pupils who require specialist activities are guided to learn and are valued for their uniqueness. Leaders promote inclusion and equality for all pupils, reinforcing the vision of all being part of ‘the one body.”

“The school benefits from the strong relationship with the parish of St. James the Great. The clergy team provides weekly ’Open the Book’ inclusive worship that shares a variety of Bible stories. As a result, pupils are able to name their favourite stories and how they relate to being kind.”

“Through engagement in the trust’s Character and Citizen Award, pupils develop a knowledge of themselves and how they can be courageous advocates. Pupil leadership is strongly encouraged, which develops kindness between ages. For example, new reception children delight in seeing their ‘Year 6 Buddy."

“St.James Church of England Primary is clearly a place where all are cherished to enable them to flourish. The vision of ‘being one body’ provides all with the strongest possible foundation.”

A massive thank you to the wonderful members of St James CE Primary School for putting on such an amazing community event! Not many primary schools can claim to have put on a music festival! A massive thank you also to the wonderful members of the Hanney community for the brilliant support that was given to make this event such a brilliant success!