Global Schools Association
YHGSA Board Meeting Minutes
YHGSA Board Meeting
27th April 2009
1.00pm at the Friends Meeting House, York
Notes of the meeting and action points:
Present:
M. Smith (Board Member) S. Usher (Board Member)
C. Bulman (Board Member) R. Kirtley (Co-ordinator)
S. Tite (Board Member) G. Sanderson (Minutes)
1. Welcome and Introductions
The meeting was chaired by SU who welcomed CB (co-opted from the Consultative Committee) to the Board and introductions were made.
2. Apologies
Y. Fox (Vice-Chair) G. Townsend (Treasurer)
A. Barker (Secretary) M. Brown (Board Member)
C. Hunt (Chair)
3. Matters arising from the minutes of the last meeting (3rd February 2009)
(not included on the agenda).
There were no items for discussion.
4. Reports from the Consultative Committee
Resources and Communications Group: organising the regional conference on 10th July at Friends Meeting House, Sheffield. The group is preparing details for circulation to LAs and schools. The keynote speaker will be John Crooks, QCA plus an input from Yvette Fox (East Riding). The next newsletter is due in June and will include details of courses for the Autumn Term. Board approval was given to RK to call for courses outside the terms of the Working Group. These proposals to be received mid May for inclusion in the June newsletter. R & C group is also looking to making a selection of video clips to be put onto the website. As part of their proposals for 2009-11 the group has also agreed to evaluate and to dedicate resources to updating the databases (resources, Southern artists and YHGSA contacts).
Curriculum and CPD Group: confirmed that interest in the Global School Award is growing, with the several awards in Rotherham and N Lincolnshire in July.
North/South Group: awaiting contact from individual schools regarding information sent out to cluster groups and to other meetings. It was noted by this WG that the curriculum work in these groups should reflect the global dimension as well as being with schools in the developing world. There had been little activity in the West Riding, but the group feels that different LAs support clusters differently and in addition only some of them raise the community cohesion agenda as part of school linking. The Board then considered if supporting community cohesion within should be funded and if so which group would provide the funding: N/S or CCPD. The Board agreed that this point needed further debate but it was an area where the YHGSA could ‘adopt the agenda of schools’.
Local Authority partnerships: The LA Final Reports are due at the end of July. DFID had requested that the evaluation of the LA programme be improved. There will be a dissemination paper produced following the conference.
The Board acknowledged the commitment of the members of the Consultative Committee.
5. Funding update: Working Groups
RK gave an overview of the Working Groups’ expenditure along with the remaining balances. The Working Groups have been asked to give an estimate of their expenditure to 31st July. There was a concern that when the LA proposals arrive they may request funding at a higher level than the previous £20,000. The Board appreciated that this increased expenditure may be necessary, and should be met.
6. Recommendations from DFID re the 2009-10 Annual Plan:
Board’s proposed response to DfID
EES Annual Plan, Yorkshire and Humber: Feedback from DFID - document circulated.
3.1 ‘Please describe in the plan how you intend to evaluate the Local Authority Partnerships which are coming to an end in July 2009. As this approach has been a key feature of the YHGSA approach to ensure the education system takes on the global dimension locally, it would be extremely useful to evaluate its effectiveness and consider whether the GD will now be sustained in these LAs (or conversely, if the evaluation shows it has been less effective in some LAs, this will usefully provide key lessons for the ‘new or stronger’ links you note you will build this year).’
DFID to be informed that we had monitoring visits in June/July 08. There will also be a dissemination paper on leaving the conference.
3.2 ‘Consistent with deepening ongoing evaluation and assessment of impact for the EES, we would like to request that the plan commits the Board to assess the following at one of its meetings in the next half year, and to report back to DFID on this: To make an assessment of the extent to which YHGSA has been successful in getting the statutory education system to take on ‘the agenda’ and deliver on the EES intentions, to identify what the blockages are to the statutory education system taking this further, and to identify what is needed (locally, regionally and nationally) to overcome those blockages?’
A serious study needs to be made on this issue of evaluation. This will be placed on the agenda for the meeting in July, with the action to be carried out in September.
3.3 ‘You note in your situation analysis that YHGSA is suffering from ‘excessive demands’ and that DECs lack spare capacity to deliver on YHGSA objectives. Is your plan therefore a bit too ambitious in its scope- is there a need for a tighter/ narrower range of strategies and projects for YHGSA?’
The situation is improving with a new more streamlined approach and more contingency funding. RK indicated that there could be a little more capacity if needed as he was only working 3 days/week for the YHGSA and Gill could occasionally work additional hours.
4.1 ‘In relation to the GSA ambassadors’ scheme, before we take a decision on whether to agree to the £41k additional funds for this scheme I’d be grateful if you could provide extra clarification.’
RK reported that he has commissioned a survey of existing GSA schools to assess interest in the scheme and provided other information required by DFID.
4.2 ‘I realise that this is consistent with developing further the GSA as a core part of the YHGSA overall approach, but could you set out in a few paragraphs up front an overview of how GSA, ISA, Rights Respecting Schools and Healthy Schools Awards relate to and differ from each other?’
RK has written an article for the newsletter which answers this point.
The Board thanked RK for the hard work involved in producing the report for DFID so quickly.
A paper has been produced by the Sheila Tucker, the East of England EES Co-ordinator outlining the value within education and Local Authorities for support for the Global Dimension. This will be circulated to Board Members.
7. Negotiation and agreement of LA partnerships – update Working Groups: Terms of Reference and allocation of funds, additional priorities.
Discussion followed regarding the flexibility in the distribution of funds for the next two years. The possibility of using the Working Groups’ year end underspends to increase the amount available to the LAs was discussed along with reducing the amount available to the Working Groups, holding some funds aside to be applied for in a new Sustainability Programme. This is a new and important focus for the YHGSA but without any funding stream. Developing this area will benefit all of the YHGSA’s programmes. It was decided that the funding immediately available for the Working Groups would be as follows:
CCPD: £35,000
R&C: £30,000
N/S: £30,000
RK mentioned that both WG and LA bids would be considered by board members on 3rd June.
8. Approval of new YHGSA members by the Board
The new members were approved by the Board.
9. AoB
No items for discussion.
10. Date, time and place of Board meetings
Tues 7th July 2009 1.30pm
Wed 23rd September 2009 1.30pm
The above meetings take place at the Friends Meeting House, York preceded by the Consultative Committee.
