Agenda item

Ian Pearson explained that the Heads Funding Group (HFG) is a working group of the Schools’ Forum. Its terms of reference have not been reviewed or updated for several years and there was a need to do so now to reflect the work that the group currently do on behalf of the Schools’ Forum. The proposed terms of reference in respect of the work that the group is tasked with and how the group operates were agreed, though there was much discussion on the membership of the group. Ian explained that the core membership is taken from the Schools’ Forum Head members, but that there would also be an opportunity for Heads not members of the Schools’ Forum to attend when they had a particular interest in a topic. Keith Watts queried why there was not a balance in the core membership between primary and secondary, and Claire White explained that the primary School Forum membership included a School Business Manager (SBM). To make the core membership of the HFG proportional the group could either invite the SBM to join or select an additional Head. Several members also queried who the additional Heads would be – would they change every meeting to bring in experts on particular topics, and would they have voting rights. It was agreed that the optional members could join the group debate but would be non voting members 

DECISION: The Terms of Reference were agreed subject to the following amendments:

·         The School Forum Primary SBM be added to the core membership

·         The optional members are to be non voting

ACTION: The Terms of Reference to be amended accordingly

Action

C. White