

The Valley Federation
A few months ago, the Valley Federation Governors decided to have the Chair (me!) write up a short account of each Full Governing Body (FGB) meeting in future. This is the first of these reports, which will be on the website four times a year.
Meeting of FGB on 14/7/25
The Governors met to review Sub-Committee Reports, listen to and comment on the Headteacher’s and Chair’s reports, and review matters arising from these.
Governors reviewed and endorsed a variant of the Federation Vision statement to be used by Edale School in the upcoming (most likely next term) Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS). Governors agreed that the Vision and Strategy documents formulated in summer 2023 will need to be comprehensively revised by summer 2026.
Governors were pleased to note that the SATS tests had run smoothly and were approached positively by students. Data is still being collected on results and county/UK-wide comparisons.
Governors reviewed the need for a school food policy and the success of the move from DCC catering at Edale to a local provider
We discussed the complexities of managing the Federation’s finances. Currently things were tight but in positive balance for the next few years, but a currently projected decline in student numbers would affect finances in FY 28/29. However, funding decisions by Government /DCC in terms of staff salaries, and whether funding for some or all projected increases will come from central additions to our budgets or will need to be found from existing funds, could make a big difference. As an example of this, the DfE has awarded a 4% pay raise for teachers in 2025/26 – 3% of which will be funded by the government, leaving schools to cover the remaining 1% through efficiencies.
Governors thanked Mrs Winfield and all her staff for their hard work this academic year, and for all the ways in which the schools have developed in the last 12 months. Cathy Spingys was also thanked for her work as the Safeguarding Governor for the Federation for the last 8 years
John Payne
Chair of Governors
Please contact our chair of governors John Payne if you would like to read minutes from our previous meetings. jpayne@edale.derbyshire.sch.uk