Minutes from board of Govs meeting

[Fisharefriendsnotfood]

Has anyone a right to a copy? Please

Yes, the minutes are generally public documents. However sections may be redacted if the information is confidential. Definitely worth asking for.

Thanks cakes. They are being very difficult, they know I am on bed rest following an operation and they say I can't have a copy, I can only view in school and that I have to give 10 days notice so any confidential info can be removed..

I was just wondering how normal this is or if they are really trying to be as awkward as possible

Not normal at all. Anything confidential should be decided on at the meeting and minuted separately. They should be able to send a copy of the general minutes by email.

I warn you, they are usually pretty bland, though.

They were discussing a change of uniform policy I requested. They refused to change the rule (back in June) to allow girls the option of wearing trousers, and refused to tell me why, saying I would have to wait until the minutes had been signed off on in autumn term..

The Minutes for a meeting would usually be accepted as a true record at the following meeting. Only then will the Minutes become a public document. There should be no need to go through and remove confidential matters in the Minutes as there should be a separate confidential Minute taken at the meeting - as Hak said above. The Minutes should be made available on request to the Clerk. Ours go on the school website.

Has the full Gov Body met yet this term?

I remember your previous threads Fish and I can't believe they are still dragging this out.

JWIM is right, I could lose my job for sending out draft minutes (I'm a Clerk to the Governors) and they will only become an official document once they have been approved by the Board and usually signed by the Chair. So I wouldnt expexct to get them until after the Autumn term Governors' meeting. In most schools this is usually after half term.

However "only viewing in school" seems somewhat draconian. I guess they don't want you taking copies and spreading them around...

They have met, I waited until after the meeting to request the minutes. Can I challenge this somehow??

If the minutes have now been approved and they are still being obstructive then I think you can put a Freedom of Information request in. Which might jolt them into action.

Blimey - I remember this discussion too. I can't believe the school are being so obstructive about this, rather than just accepting gracefully that their policy is outdated and agreeing to change it. Astonishing.

Oh I am tearing my hair out! It's unbelievable

I remember it too!! Could not believe that a school would not let girls wear trousers. At ours even more are wearing them this year than last, now the weather has turned. Most are wearing with ankle boots / closed shoes etc as it's rainy. I have even seen girls at our local RC school wearing them although it's not strictly in their uniform policy. That means all in our local area (about 8) allow it.
Our minutes are on the web site - but only after the following meeting. The latest ones we can see are from March. I assume June ones will appear later this term. All very archaic - why can gov body members all approve by email??!?!
However if a change is agreed at a meeting eg change of policy, a letter would go out sooner

"Dear School,

As you well know, I am on bed rest following an operation, and am therefore completely unable to come into school to view the Minute of the Governors' meeting. I would therefore be grateful if you could email me either a copy of the full Minute, or of the relevant section.

Love 'n hugs,
Fisharefriends"

The ten days notice period they require to prepare the minutes for viewing means technically I will be up and about. I wrote them a formal letter requesting policy change, had to ask for a reply, this reply said wait until minutes available and now this

There must be some one you can complain to, but I am at a loss as to who

Me too

Contact the Chair of Governors directly. It may be that this is somehow getting stuck at the Clerk to Governors level.

DS's old primary school had a view on premises policy too. You could try offering to pay for photocopying & postage.

Yes you can put a formal FOI in if you want. I would suggest that you write to the clerk and ask for a copy of the minutes, explain that you have been trying to get this information for some time, and indicating your intention to put in a formal FOI if they do not. If it is a Local Authority maintained school, that is not a Free School or Academy you should copy your letter to your local councillor.

Ask the Clerk for the copy but, you may find the reason for the decision is not recorded, only the decision. It could just say "Governors discussed the proposal to change the uniform for girls but it was decided that no change would be made". That is all it needs to say.

I forgot to add that you are entitled to see the supporting papers that the Governors may have had for this topic. All interested parties are able to see the minutes and they have to be made available in a reasonable amount of time. 10 days is ludicrous and reasonable, for signed minutes, should mean no more than a couple of days because the school must have a copy of the minutes and just has to do a quick photocopy.

I've drafted a formal complaint against the school, the head and the board for their handling of the entire matter. I've had enough

They HAVE to let you see the Minutes - all confidential info re- individuals such as teachers and dc, etc go in Part B and if they're not doing that then their Clerk to Governors (and Governors) need some training. Having said that most schools have a readily available file in the office or post the Minutes on their website. As you are unable to go in to school then they need to supply you with a copy under their FOI Policy and you might have to pay a per sheet fee.

Here's a link to the legislation and below that, the applicable part (part 3):

www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2003/1377/made

Minutes and papers

13. (1) The clerk (or the person appointed to act as clerk for the purpose of the meeting in accordance with regulation 8(4)) shall ensure that minutes of the proceedings of a meeting of the governing body are drawn up and signed (subject to the approval of the governing body) by the chair of the next meeting.

(2) Subject to paragraph (3), the governing body shall, as soon as reasonably practicable, make available for inspection by any interested person, a copy of—

(a)the agenda for every meeting;

(b)the signed minutes of every such meeting; and

(c)any report or other paper considered at any such meeting.

(3) The governing body may exclude from any item required to be made available in pursuance of paragraph (2) any material relating to—

(a)a named person who works, or who it is proposed should work, at the school; or

(b)a named pupil at, or candidate for admission to, the school; or

(c)any other matter that, by reason of its nature, the governing body is satisfied should remain confidential.

Thanks all

Sorry, haven't seen previous threads but Fish is something like this seriously worth getting so stressed about? Is it purely about gender equality? Because unless it's very medical/ psychological on the part of your daughter the plain fact is that almost no boy in any school anywhere actually has a free choice of wearing a skirt. So is it really worth all the hassle? Incidentally, is this primary or secondary? (If primary I'd think even less sensible to make such a fuss). Unfortunately it sounds as though the school just thinks you're a pain :(

It's hardly the same thing Molio is it? Male teachers don't wear skirts to school, pupils dads don't go off to work in skirts and boys don't go home from school and put on a skirt.

I don't care if they think I am a pain. But thanks for pointing that out