GOVERNING BODY STRATEGIC PLAN 2010-13

CHAIRMAN’S FOREWORD

I am pleased to introduce the Governing Body’s Strategic Plan for The Queen’s
School Chester for 2010-13. This plan builds on the conclusions of a Governors’
Away Day in November 2008 on priorities and the resulting outcomes of three
working groups during 2009/10 on strategic matters affecting the School. Working
with the Headmistress, this work has enabled Governors to look closely at what we
do and to identify areas for continuous improvement in our role in helping to
achieve the School’s Vision.

This Plan confirms that Vision, sets out our values, and three year objectives within
our key areas of responsibility. It also sets out our action plan for 2010/11, which
will be monitored by the Strategic Planning Committee with progress reported
against all actions to the full Governing Body in December and March 2011.

LIZ LUNN
CHAIRMAN OF GOVERNORS
THE QUEEN’S SCHOOL, CHESTER

SEPTEMBER 2010
Contents
Page

How this Plan has been formulated 1

The Queen’s School Governing Body, Role and Functions 2-3

Vision, Objectives and Values 4

Key actions for 2010/11 related to objectives 5-7

Appendices

Constitution of the Governing Body and Governance 1

List of Governors, showing representation on Committees/Panels 2
Governors’ Links with Departments 3
How this Plan has been formulated
The Governors’ Plan sets out the actions for the Governors to deliver in their key role
of setting the strategic direction of the School and monitoring achievements against
the objective of continuous improvement. It very much builds on the Development
Plan of the School, which is formulated by the Headmistress and her staff and
covers detailed improvements by Departments.
In developing this Plan the Governors have built in their findings from a Governors’
seminar held in November 2008 and the outcomes of work completed since, by three
working groups appraising the sixth form, public benefit and improvements to
facilities. The Plan has also been informed by work to prepare the School for re-
inspection.
The key influences on the Strategic Plan are set out diagrammatically below:-

1
The Queen’s School Governing Body
The Governors derive their appointments from the terms of a Scheme agreed
with the Charity Commission, which in turn bestows upon the School the
advantages, largely financial, of qualifying as an educational charity. The
Scheme has been modified a number of times since its original establishment,
but in its latest form it sets out the methods by which the present maximum of
18 Governors are appointed. There is one Ex-officio Governor, eight
Governors who represent various bodies and nine co-opted Governors. The
structure of the Governing Body and its governance arrangements are set out
in more detail in Appendix 1. A full list of Governors, showing their
representation on Committees and Panels is shown in Appendix 2, whilst
Appendix 3 gives details of Governors’ individual links with Departments.

Key role and functions

The Queen’s School Governing Body is accountable to the Charity
Commission for the effective strategic development of the School, its
governance, and stewardship of the School’s finances. In order to fulfil these
responsibilities the Governing Body works very closely with the Headmistress
and her Senior Management Team.
The Governing Body exercises a wide range of functions to ensure it
discharges these overarching responsibilities. The key ones are set out
below:-
Strategic Development and performance evaluation
Set the Strategic Direction of the School and develop/monitor a three year
strategic plan with key actions for continuous improvement, which
complements the more detailed School Development Plan
Keep the Marketing Strategy under continuous review to ensure the
School is able to deliver its Vision
Ensure that the Strategic and Development Plan actions are delivered and
that the Queen’s School continues to improve its performance against
these Plans
Maintain excellent relationships with all stakeholders, particularly pupils,
parents and staff, ensure feedback is sought regularly and used to
improve services
Oversee the resolution of any complaints raised with the School and
ensure necessary improvements are made
Oversee the educational curriculum and the delivery of teaching and
learning within the School to ensure the highest possible standards
Continuously appraise and improve the procedures and performance of
the Governing Body.

2
Governance
Appoint an effective Head and to assist in the appointment of the Senior
Management Team
Appoint the School’s Development Director and monitor the activities of
the Development Department with regard to the procurement of bursary
funding and capital project funding
Ensure compliance with the requirements of charitable status as
determined by the Charity Commission, in particular the public benefit test
With the Head, prepare for inspection by the Independent Schools’
Inspectorate and comply with their requirements
Operate effective risk management and in particular ensure the effective
operation of Health and Safety, Child Protection and safe recruitment/
employment procedures within the School
Maintain and improve the School’s facilities

Financial management
Set the School’s annual budget and fees, in the context of three year
financial projections
Ensure arrangements are in place for proper financial management
Monitor financial performance in year against the budget
Approve and publish the annual accounts

3
Our Overall Vision
To ensure The Queen’s School provides for girls the highest quality education
in its widest sense, comprising excellent academic teaching and learning and
a stimulating range of extra curricular activities, so that each girl is able to
develop all her abilities and talents to the full in a happy and caring
atmosphere. To ensure pupils are confident, highly motivated, capable and
well poised to succeed in the 21st century.

Our Objectives for 2010-13

1 To set, monitor and evaluate the Strategic Development and performance of
the School
2 To ensure The Queen’s School attracts the most academically able girls
within travelling distance of Chester, by ensuring effective marketing to
maintain, and where possible increase, pupil numbers
3 To ensure the School provides excellent teaching and learning
opportunities, which enable each girl to achieve her maximum potential, by
attracting and retaining well-qualified and well-motivated staff
4 To provide increased access for able girls through augmented provision of
bursary support for those who need it
5 To ensure the School provides a highly nurturing and caring environment to
encourage pupils to grasp new opportunities and tackle new challenges
6 To work in partnership with other state and independent schools and the
Community for mutual benefit and enrichment
7 To continue to improve the School’s facilities, where possible, through
internal and external funding
8 To ensure effective governance of the School
9 To ensure effective financial management of the School

Our Values
Honesty and Integrity: In conducting business, Governors will comply with
the Code of Conduct and the Scheme of Governance and serve the School’s
interests with the utmost honesty and integrity
Inclusiveness: The Governors will work in partnership with the Headmistress
and her staff, public and private bodies and the community to deliver its aims
and ensure the success of the school

Accountability
The Governors are accountable to the School’s parents, pupils and staff, to
the Charity Commission and to the wider community

4
Action Plan for 2010/11 linked to Objectives
Three year objectives
1 Strategic Direction and
Performance Evaluation
3 year rolling plan to be in
place,. after reviewing priorities
with incoming Headmistress on
4 September 2010
Ensure School Development
Plan is updated by incoming
Headmistress by Oct 2010.
2 Marketing
Maintain and if possible
increase pupil numbers by
effective marketing.
3 Teaching and Learning
Ensure the School provides
excellent teaching and learning
opportunities, by attracting and
retaining well-qualified and well
motivated staff.
Actions for 2010/11
Update and approve 3 year plan by
September 2010.
Monitor progress against Governors’
action plan and School Development
Plan at each Strategic Planning meeting
with onward report to full Governing
Body.
Review Marketing Strategy through
reconfigured Governor/Staff Marketing
Forum, to continue to ensure strategic
focus on retention and new entry at key
points.
Quarterly report back on progress to be
made to the full Governing Body.
Establish an effective Education
Committee to oversee the quality of
teaching and learning within the School
and strategic curricular developments to
enable girls’ potential to be maximised.
Report back on progress to be made to
the Strategic Planning Committee with
an onward report to full Governing Body.
5
4 Bursary funding

To increase the provision Development Committee to keep under

of bursary funding to continuous review the progress of the
meet specific targets. Commemoration Appeal launched in May 2010,
in delivering agreed targets.

Quarterly report back on progress to be made

to the full Governing Body.

5 Nurturing and caring Governors linked to Lower School and Pastoral

environment Leads in Senior School to monitor progress
through meeting those staff and to report
quarterly to Strategic Planning Committee.
6 Partnership with other Progress to be monitored by Marketing Forum
schools and the and reported quarterly to Strategic Planning
community Committee.

7 Improved facilities

Sixth form facilities. Oversee effectively, through quarterly feedback

from the Clerk to the Governing Body, the
improvements to sixth form facilities and by
conducting post implementation and
satisfaction reviews.

Other facilities. Oversee replacement of the senior school

boilers and fulfil 3 year scheduled maintenance
plan

The Governing Body will consider during the

2010/11 academic year any further
improvements to facilities and the means of
funding, so as to inform budget and fee setting
in Spring 2011.

6
8 Governance

Ensure successful Chairman to meet regularly with Headmistress

integration of new to lend support and advice to enable her to
Headmistress. meet her personal objectives.

Succession plans. Succession plan for new Chairman of

Governors to be in place by December 2010
and for the Director of Studies’ maternity leave
by September 2010.

Inspection: Ensure by the start of the Autumn Term 2010

that all school staff and governors are as well
prepared as possible for an Inspection by the
Independent Schools Inspectorate and that all
preparatory work, briefing and training is
completed promptly and to good standards.

Governor oversight. Ensure by start of Autumn Term 2010 that

Governor oversight of complaints, safe
recruitment of staff, and child protection is
adequate and effective, and Governors have
been adequately trained.

Self evaluation learning Strategic Planning Committee to develop

and development. during Autumn Term 2010 formalised process
for Governing Body self evaluation and
improvement.

9 Financial management

Financial rigour without Finance Committee to consider all aspects of

jeopardising quality of the cost base and income of the School to
education and minimising maximise savings/income. To provide a 3 year
fee increases. financial plan to the Governing Body in March
2011 for the purposes of efficient and effective
medium term budget and fee setting.

7
APPENDIX 1
CONSTITUTION OF THE GOVERNING BODY AND
GOVERNANCE
CONSTITUTION
The Chairman, Deputy Chairmen, and Clerk to the Governing Body, in
September 2010, are set out below.
Chairman: Mrs E J Lunn BA CPFA
Deputy Chairmen:
Mr S Denton BSc CEng FIMMM
Mr E A Elliott BSc MRICS
Clerk to the Governors: Mr B Dutton FCA

Governors comprise
One Ex-officio Governor, who is the Lord Bishop of Chester for the time being.
The present Bishop is the Rt. Rev. Dr. Peter Forster. He is also President of
the Council of the University of Chester.

Eight Representative Governors, who are appointed to serve for three years,
one from each of the following institutions, except the Parents’ Association
which appoints two:
The Educational Foundation of Dr. Robert Oldfield has appointed Father
David Chesters, Rector of Chester (St Peter with St. John the Baptist) and
Writer to The Queen's Remembrancer, Queen's Bench Division, Royal
Courts Of Justice.
The Council of the University of Chester has appointed Ms Sara
Shepherd-Walwyn, Faculty Administrator for the Faculty of Education and
Children’s Services.
The Council of the University of Liverpool's nominee is Mrs Elizabeth
Lunn, a former pupil at the school, now a parent; she is Treasurer to the
Cheshire Police Authority.
Cheshire West and Chester Council has appointed Councillor Adrian
Walmsley as its representative governor.
The Chester Municipal Charities have appointed Mr Mark Fearnall, a
Freeman of the City of Chester and a commercial property consultant.
The Dean and Chapter has appointed the Reverend Canon Professor
Loveday Alexander, a lecturer in biblical studies at the University of
Sheffield.
The Queen’s School Parents’ Association has appointed Mr Nicholas
Canning, a director of a major national food retailer, and Mrs Marion
Ardron, a portfolio director for a private equity fund.
There are nine Co-opted Governors, appointed by the Governors for a term of
five years. Co-opted Governors currently serving are:
Mr Steve Denton, a mining engineer who currently works for the Health
and Safety Executive as HM Inspector of Mines.
Mr Euan Elliott, a Chartered Building Surveyor with a Chester practice.
Dr Christine Laine, a retired consultant radiologist.
Dr Mary McDonald, a retired Deputy Headmistress.
Mr David Mason, a solicitor with a Chester Practice.
Mrs C M E Mosley, a director of a local company and a former City
Councillor.
Mrs Margaret Yorke, formerly Head of Health and Hospitality at Deeside
College and a past Chair of the Queen’s School Association.

Mrs Anna Unett, a past pupil and former Head Girl, who is a solicitor

GOVERNANCE
The Governing Body has a comprehensive committee structure which
enables it to fulfil its wide ranging roles.
The Governors meet as a full body four times a year to review and approve
reports and recommendations put to them by individual Governors and by a
variety of working parties and sub-committees. They are assisted at these
meetings by the Headmistress, Deputy Headmistress and the Clerk to the
Governors.
In addition a number of standing sub-committees, held on a regular basis,
provide the opportunity for Governors to meet with appropriate members of
staff to review a range of issues. Governors’ sub-committees are Finance;
Strategic Planning; Audit and Risk Management; Foundation; Design Liaison,
while staff sub-committees on which the Governors are represented deal with
Marketing and Health & Safety. In addition, the Governors meet regularly with
representatives of staff through the Joint Consultative Committee, with the
parents through the Queens School Parents’ Association (QSPA), and with
former pupils through the Development Department.
There are link arrangements in operation whereby each Governor has a
particular contact with one or more of the school departments. Finally,
individual Governors are responsible for relations between the school and
Cheshire West and Chester Council, the City MP, local industry and
commerce, the QSPA and the Development Department, as well as other
entities external to the school.
APPENDIX 2
LIST OF GOVERNORS

Term Date Term Committee

(Years) Expires Background Membership

The Right Reverend The Ex Officio Lord Bishop of

Lord Bishop of Chester - Chester and
Dr P Forster President of the
Council of the
University of
Chester

Representative Governors

Cheshire West and Chester 3 February Fellow of the Audit and Risk
Council 2013 Chartered Institute Management
Cllr A P Walmsley of Personnel Committee
Management and
Development
Dean and Chapter
The Reverend Canon 3 December Lecturer in biblical
Professor 2011 studies at the
Loveday Alexander MA DPhil University of
Sheffield

Oldfield Charity
Father David Chesters OBE 3 February Rector of Chester
FRSA FSA Scot BA (Hons) 2012 (St.Peter with St.
John the Baptist)
and Writer to The
Queen’s
Remembrancer,
Queen’s Bench
Division, Royal
Courts of Justice
 Term Date Term Committee
(Years) Expires Background Membership

University of Liverpool
Mrs E J Lunn BA (Hons) 3 June 2012 Chairman of Governor
CPFA Governors Appointments
Committee
Former pupil of (Chairman)
the school and
now a parent of a Finance Committee
girl at the School. (Chairman)

Treasurer to the Joint Consultative

Cheshire Police Committee
Authority (Chairman)

Strategic Planning
Committee
(Chairman)

University of Chester
Ms S Shepheard-Walwyn 3 June 2013 Faculty
BA(Hons) MSc Administrator
Faculty of
Education and
Children’s
Services

The Queen’s School

Parents’ Association

Mr N Canning BA 3 February Director of a major Finance Committee

2012 national food
retailer School Marketing
Committee

Mrs M E Ardron BA (Hons) 3 February Portfolio director Finance Committee

Oxon 2013 for a private equity
fund

Chester Municipal
Charities 3 June 2011 Freeman of the Strategic Planning
Mr M Fearnall FNAEA FICBA City of Chester Committee
and a commercial
property School Marketing
consultant Committee
 Term Date Term Committee
(Years) Expires Background Membership

Co-opted Governors

5 February Vice- Chairman Governor

Mr S Denton BSc C Eng 2011 of Governors Appointments
FIMMM Committee
Mining engineer
who currently Audit & Risk
works for Health Management
and Safety Committee
Executive as HM (Chairman)
Inspector of Mines
Finance Committee
Joint Consultative
Committee
Strategic Planning
Committee

Mr E A Elliott BSc MRICS 5 February Vice- Chairman Governor

2012 of Governors Appointments
Committee
Chartered building
surveyor with a Design Liaison
Chester practice Group
(Chairman)
Finance Committee
Foundation
Committee
(Chairman)
Joint Consultative
Committee

Strategic Planning
Committee

Dr C H Laine MSc FRCR 5 September Consultant Audit & Risk

2013 radiologist at the Management
Wrexham Maelor Committee
Hospital
Finance Committee

Strategic Planning
Committee
 Term Date Term Committee
(Years) Expires Background Membership

Co-opted Governors

Dr M McDonald BSc PhD 5 November Retired Deputy Audit & Risk

2013 Headmistress Management
Committee

Mr D G Mason LLB 5 December Solicitor with a

2012 Chester Practice

Mrs C M E Mosley MA LLB 5 July 2014 Director of a local Strategic Planning

BA (Hons) DIP M company and a Committee
former City
Councillor

Mrs M R Yorke M.Ed 5 December Formerly Head of Governor

2014 Health and Appointments
Hospitality at Committee
Deeside college
and a past Chair Foundation
of the Queen’s Committee
School
Association School Marketing
Committee

School Health &

Safety Committee

Mrs A L Unett 5 March 2015 Former pupil and

Head Girl
Solicitor with
private client
experience
APPENDIX 3

GOVERNORS’ LINKS WITH DEPARTMENTS

Subject Head of Department Governor

Lower School Mrs F A Taylor Mr N Canning/Mrs C M E Mosley

Mathematics Mr I J Armstrong Mr D G Mason
English/Drama Mr R P Ainsworth/ Mrs K T P R Mrs C M E Mosley
Larder
Modern Languages Ms L A Ketchell Mrs M E Ardron
Chemistry Mrs F A Costigan Mrs A L Unett
Biology Mrs J C Dillamore Dr M McDonald
Physics Mrs P Steventon Mr S Denton
Psychology Dr J Russell Mr S Denton
History Miss N Jarvis Mrs M R Yorke
Geography Mr E Palfreyman Ms S C Shepheard Walwyn
Music Mrs J Healey Mr M A H Fearnall
Classics Mrs P A Tolley Dr C H Laine
Religious Studies Ms H Daniels Father D N Chesters
Information Mr D McKeown Dr M McDonald
Technology
Design Technology Mrs S Bright Mr S Denton
Art Mr A Tucker Father D N Chesters
Food and Nutrition Mrs G J Hoyle Mrs M R Yorke
Physical Education Mrs C E Moore Mr M A H Fearnall
Business Studies/ Mrs B Edwards Mr N Canning
Economics
Careers Mrs V Carpenter Mrs C M E Mosley
Personal and Social Mrs G J Hoyle Mr M A H Fearnall
Education
Head of Sixth Form Mrs J Coupland Dr M McDonald
Special Needs Mrs S Hazzledine Mrs E J Lunn
Gifted and Talented Mr E Palfreyman Mrs E J Lunn
Library Ms G Mayes Mrs M R Yorke
Catering Mrs L Aspden Mrs M R Yorke
Administration Mrs M E Kelly Mr E A Elliott
Maintenance Mr B Weaver Mr E A Elliott
Technical Staff Mrs T Powell Mr D G Mason
Director of ICT Mr P R Foster Dr C H Laine
Development Mr P Virgo Mrs M R Yorke
Director
Child Protection Mrs I Jones Dr M McDonald
Health and Safety Mrs I Jones/Mrs T Powell Mrs M R Yorke
Pastoral – Years Mrs G J Hoyle Revd Canon Professor L C A
7/8/9 Alexander
Pastoral – Years Mrs S C Chafer Dr C H Laine
10/11