Governors adopt a supportive but consistently robust approach, building on our extremely constructive and transparent relationships with our highly experienced and skilled school leaders.
This year our particular areas of focus have included:
Governors completed their annual review of the school’s values, vision, mission and strategy, largely reconfirming the key elements but agreeing refinements with school leaders where needed. The school’s Strategic Risk Register was reviewed, confirming risk assessments and considering mitigating controls in place.
Within our Curriculum and Standards Committee, we explored progress data using national benchmarks across all Key Stages, including that for our vulnerable students at critical points during the year. We listened to school leaders and understood the opportunities and challenges they faced, providing challenge to their thinking as they continue to evolve a broad curriculum providing stretch and challenge to our students.
We again completed an extensive monitoring visits programme, covering our statutory responsibilities and departmental visits with a focus agreed with school leadership. This included the core subjects of Maths, English and Science, as well as Modern Foreign Languages and Design Technology.
Governors received and reviewed reports covering safeguarding each term, which covered a broad spectrum of policy and practice. Governors were keen to understand the various interventions used by the school across a broad safeguarding, emotional coaching and counselling programme.
All safeguarding reports were also discussed in detail between our Safeguarding Governor and the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) before each meeting. Both of them also presented to the Governing Body at the start of the year, and the DSL attended a question-and-answer session with governors exploring how the school satisfied itself about the quality and effectiveness of key aspects of its safeguarding activities.
Our focus is on both the substance and systems supporting effective safeguarding.
Supporting the school’s continuing expansion programme, teacher and specialist support staff recruitment has again been a key focus for our Senior Leadership team. This issue continues to present challenges, but a number of positive appointments have been made in important positions. Governors have spent time understanding both our needs and our recruitment processes, and have been encouraging the school to explore all available options and to further consider innovative approaches.
During the year governors received a presentation on the school’s Middle Leader Development programme (including an opportunity to question the school on how Middle Leaders were being encouraged and supported in sharing good practice).
Governors discussed the staff structure including its implications for workload and resilience.
The key focus this year was supporting our school leaders as plans were advanced, which culminated in the refurbishment over the summer of the external fabric of a major part of the main building at the Tunbridge Wells campus. This included windows and roofs and, with significant support from our parents, the complete renovation of two science laboratories.
Our thorough review programme continued to include monthly monitoring throughout the school year and stringent review of budgets, out-turns and procurement. Scenario planning has provided further insight to support the school’s spending decisions.
We continued to work closely with the school to monitor and seek to mitigate inflationary pressures, especially in the school’s continuing premises improvement programme and in energy supply.
We held our third Governor Day in February 2025. This year the day included a session on the progress of the school against the Ofsted judgement areas and, as noted above, the development of our Middle Leaders. We also considered the opportunities presented by the school’s continued expansion. In addition, we met staff, Sixth Form and School Council members to listen to their views and help us to understand their perspectives.
We conducted our annual comprehensive skills audit and governance self-evaluation. Our Board was largely stable this year but we were delighted to welcome a new Associate Member (subsequently appointed governor), further strengthening our skills, experience and breadth of perspectives.
We continue to be immensely appreciative of the contribution of everyone at the school including all our governors and associate members. The whole team sits at the centre of caring, safe and vibrant community.
Philip Drew, Chair of Governors
October 2025