 For the attention of:
- Headteachers/Principals of all LA Maintained Schools within Devon Local Authority
- The Board of Directors of all Academy Schools within
Devon Local Authority
(please forward as necessary)
4 September 2017
Dear Colleagues
Devon Education Forum (DEF):
Appointment of Schools (LA Maintained) and Academy Members (Casual) and named Substitutes effective from 1st September 2017 to 31 August 2018
In accordance with Schools Forums (England) Regulations 2012 and further EFA Guidance: Schools Forums: operational and good practice guide (March 2015), the membership of Devon Education Forum (DEF) must include both schools members (LA Maintained) and academies members. Additionally, the membership structure of schools members on a Schools Forum should reflect most effectively the profile of education provision across the local authority i.e. must be broadly proportionate to the pupil numbers in each category as well as each of the constituent phases with no in-built bias towards any one phase or group.
This guidance sets out the procedures for the nomination and election of Schools Members (LA Maintained) which is determined from the representative constituent groups i.e. headteachers within DAPH and DASH but excluding those from academies.
The above guidance also provides that Academy members must be elected by the proprietor bodies of the academies within the local authority’s area.
For the avoidance of doubt, Free Schools, University Technical Colleges and Studio Schools are classed as academies for this purpose. There is no distinction between sponsored, non-recoupment and converter academies.
As in previous years, in the absence of an umbrella academies group, it has been agreed by Devon Education Forum (DEF) that nominations for Schools (LA Maintained) and Academy membership would be put forward by the respective Devon Phase Associations and shared with Headteachers/Principals and the academy trusts thereby providing the opportunity to either approve the nominations or submit an alternative candidate to stand for election.
The DAPH Office is administering this process on behalf of both the DAPH and DASH Executive Committees and any nominations or ballot (if necessary) will be conducted within the ring-fence of each individual phase association.
Following a review of pupil numbers across the phases, there will be no change to the existing proportionality of representation between the primary and secondary phases. Furthermore, there will no change to the membership ratio across LA Maintained schools and academy membership within the primary phase.
However, owing to the number of academy conversions and associated pupil numbers the following ratio will now apply to the membership within the secondary phase for the remainder of term i.e. until 31/08/18:
L/A Maintained Schools – 1 Member (reducing from 2)
Academy Schools – 3 Members (increasing from 2)
As a result, Daryll Chapman, Okehampton College will stand down from 31/08/17 and it is proposed by the DASH Executive Committee that Matthew Shanks, Director of Education, Education South West will stand as the new Academy member in respect of the secondary phase until 31/08/18.
During 2016/17, there have been some changes to the named substitute for secondary L/A Maintained school membership which also need to be ratified. Gareth Roscoe, The Park Community School was nominated following the resignation of David Fitzsimmons.
A summary of the current DEF membership and proposed nominations in respect of any vacancies (shown in red) are outlined below:
 On behalf of the DASH and DAPH Executive Committees, we are therefore writing to advise that, in the absence of any additional nominations being submitted by schools or academy trusts before the advertised closing date, the above named candidates will be put forward by the respective phase associations and will be appointed as Members on DEF from 1 September 2017 until 31 August 2018.
The current DEF Constitution states that schools and academy members must be substantive headteachers or principals and currently serving within Devon local authority.
In the event that the total number of nominations exceeds the number of vacancies in each category then a ballot will be necessary and further details about this process will follow as soon as possible after the closing date.
Any further nominations should be submitted by schools (LA Maintained) and/or academy trusts via this NOMINATION FORM and returned electronically to be received no later than 12.00pm on 18 September 2017.
To provide for effective representation on Devon Education Forum, it is expected that any nominated schools or academy member would attend the Executive Committee meetings of their respective phase association (DASH or DAPH) in order to understand fully the wider context of representing the schools community in Devon on DEF and the work undertaken by its constituent sub-groups.
Yours sincerely
Clare Coates
Business Manager | Devon Association of Primary Headteachers
(sent on behalf of the DASH & DAPH Executive Committees)
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