What to do this month
(LA maintained schools)
On this page you will find month by month tasks that need to, or for best practice should, be done. Not necessarily by the Headteacher but by a leader of some kind. Heads are ultimately responsible for ensuring these things are done, so do it, or delegate it, but get it done.
Before the end of the Summer Holidays
Write up your SEF
Draft your School Development Plan
Plan your key dates for the whole year
Check staff users on internal systems for leavers and joiners
Update school website
Update the class cascade
Safeguarding updates (eg OperationEncompass contacts)
Update staff sickness absence insurance with current staff
Update GovernorHub/Sharepoint with the clerk
September
Check and change permissions for staff on Safeguarding system (eg CPOMS)
Dates for leadership team meetings
Set up appraisals for all staff, and update any toolkit you might have.
Liaise with governors to do Headteacher performance management early so the HT objectives can cascade through to other staff
Check or write SDP actions with the other leaders
Learning walk to check on set up across the school
PTA AGM
DSLs meeting
Make a document of the highlights for the SDP for the school website
Check the SCR especially for leavers and joiners
Check Y7 safeguarding records have been sent
Update all safeguarding leaflets and information posters
September budget monitoring (after payroll/overtime has been reconciled)
October
Carry out any staff appraisals that you are responsible for
Meet with your finance team/person/SBM and do any interim budget changes
Ensure the Clerk to Governors/Governance Professional has set up a Pay Committee meeting & that pay recommendations are received
Check with your employer/HR provider for an updated model pay policy.
Check the website is up to date
Get all publicity about prospective parents for reception next year out
Update the prospectus
Plan the Staff Christmas Do and book something
October budget monitoring (after payroll/overtime has been reconciled)
Check the calendar of Christmas events and put the dates out to all
End of term 1 - evaluate SDP so far
November
First week after half term: Clerk/Governance professional, HT & CoG meeting (prep agendas)
Prep FGB papers
Check policies for review
Prospective parent events
Remembrance day - poppies? Assembly? Local event?
Other November charities (Children in Need..etc)
Volunteer Training
Monitoring of learning and teaching
Organise collections for any staff leaving at Christmas (and the buying of the gift)
Review snow plan
Check DfE dates & arrangements for all statutory assessments
DSLs meeting
October budget monitoring (after payroll/overtime has been reconciled)
December
Evaluate SDP at the end of term 2 and make any necessary adjustments.
Ensure all support staff appraisals/performance management reviews and new targets are set by 31/12
Ensure your HT appraisal has occurred before 31/12
SLT night out?
Christmas cards - if, when and how
Are you giving cards?
Shared staff lunches/secret santa...etc organise (or delegate)
Staff panto?
THE CHISTMAS FORMULA (click here for more details)
DSLs meeting
November budget monitoring (after payroll/overtime has been reconciled)
Plan time for rest in the holidays.
It is so important, especially when the holiday is so full of celebrations and events.
Please take time to rest and recharge.
January
First week back: Clerk/Governance professional, HT & CoG meeting (prep agendas)
Did you need to make changes to SDP after term 2 review?
Prep FGB papers
Check policies for review
Last minute prospective parent events?
Check permissions for any new staff on systems
Check induction arrangements for any new staff
Ensure all staff who have left are not on the system any more
Check all training is up to date e.g. First Aid
Plan Safeguarding Self-Audit. If your LA/Trust doesn't do one, do your own. Click here for NSPCC version
Online safety audit. Click here for free online version
Plan dates to review the Schools' Financial Value Standard with finance governors (Link here maintained schools only)
Put in dates for budget setting (2 whole days and 2 half) with relevant people
Start a list of things to consider for next year's budget
School census - VERY IMPORTANT for future funding
Parents' evening - consider online in winter months for staff wellbeing, and parental availability
Keep an eye on morale and wellbeing (and your own!), this is the sickness term for everyone
Any INSETs or twilights this term?
DSLs meeting
December budget monitoring (after payroll/overtime has been reconciled)
February
Check mid-year review for teacher appraisals/performance management are going to happen around half term.
KCSiE check in (it's been half a school year since they read it most probably - click here for more information on this).
Check the SFVS has a date and time to be done (maintained schools only).
Parent's forum.
Maintained schs - have you set date for budget setting yet? (used to take me, my SBM, my 2x HoS and a governor 2.5 days)
If you're a maintained school, close your budget to anything but urgent orders by the end of Feb (gives the finance people time to do year end without unnecessary faff)
Policy reviews?
Depending how you manage your budget - now is the time to meet subject leaders to discuss priorities, action plans and budget requirements.
DSLs strategy meeting.
January budget monitoring (after payroll/overtime has been reconciled)
March
Check mid-year review for teacher appraisals/performance management have happened.
Check the SFVS has been to governors and submit by 31/3 (maintained schools only).
Headteacher mid year performance management/appraisal review. Consider inviting the independent advisor from September if you think it might be tricky.
Maintained schs - is your budget done yet? It's always easier if you do it before you have to, and before end of the finacnial year.
What are you doing for Easter or for Eid? (if you're a church school please click here for more on Holy Week - it is the biggest Christian festival but often takes second place to Christmas).
DSLs strategy meeting.
February budget monitoring (after payroll/overtime has been reconciled)
if you want any additional info on any of these issues please email kate@kateowbridge.co.uk
April
REST.
It is nearly the holidays. This holiday is always less frenetic than Christmas, use the time to recharge. You know how rubbish your phone is if you don't recharge it enough?
Well, that's you.
Find time to recharge.
KCSiE training? What did your survey say?
Staffing? What does it look like? Get any recruitment in earlier rather than later.
Set your release time for subject or other leaders now your budget is known, according to need.
What are you doing about end of year reports? Decide with your leadership team (or whole staff if you're a small school) and put the timeline in.
Review SDP.
Policy reviews?
Attendance review and strategy meeting for end of Term 4.
DSLs strategy meeting.
March budget monitoring (after payroll/overtime has been reconciled)
What are your Reception admissions numbers looking like for next year? Start your admissions process as soon as the parents know - don't be caught on the hop - some will be expecting to hear from you straight away. Be ready!
Assessment arrangements - click on these links for the DfE guidance. Read these before you get going:
EYFS, Y1 phonics, Y4 tables, Y6 SATs
First week back: Clerk/Governance professional, HT & CoG meeting (prep agendas)
Did you need to make changes to SDP after term 4 review?
Check permissions for any new staff on systems
Check induction arrangements for any new staff
Ensure all staff who have left are not on the system any more
Check all training is up to date e.g. First Aid
As always, if you want any additional info or support for any of these issues please email kate@kateowbridge.co.uk
May
Have you aligned your RPI policy with DfE guidance?
Recruitment should be underway by now if you need to do it.
New starters: have you got your definitive list form acceptances yet? When are you starting nursery/child minder/other setting visits?
Timeline for new starter key dates and send them out. Decide how welcoming you're going to be - you can be a school who sends out gifts and golden tickets, but this might not be your style. Do it YOUR way.
SATs KS2: READ the guidance document, that really is all your need. Ensure everything is done in accordance with that. Governors do not HAVE to check the administration of them but it can help to have an independent person come in.
What other assessments for end of year are coming up and what is the timeline for them? (not just Y4 MTC, but EYFS, and the other year groups, especially end of Y2)
In case you missed these last month: Assessment arrangements - click on these links for the DfE guidance. Read these:
EYFS, Y1 phonics, Y4 tables, Y6 SATs
DSLs strategy meeting.
End of year budget review with SBM or equivalent (after year end has been completed). What have your learned?
What are your dates for budget setting? The return to the LA will need to be done this month after approval by governors (maintained schools only)
Class allocations for next year: pros and cons to doing this early and late. But now is the time to ask staff what they'd like to do. Blog on this here.
Are there any curriculum changes for next year? Get these sorted before the end of the year so once people know where they're teaching, they can start looking at the curriculum they'll be teaching.
Dates for all your Y6 leavers events in the diary and out to parents - the ones they need time off work for need arranging now.
June
DO NOT leave anything important until July. You will not have time for it. July is full of events and you will be shattered.
Budget monitoring for April with your new budget! Year end should all have been sorted now, and period 13, worth checking.
EYFS submission window opens on 1st June. More info here and here.
Y4 Multiplication check is in June. You should know this. Click here for the arrangement docs from DfE.
Y1 phonics is in June too! You should also know this! Click here for DfE arrangements doc.
Have you moderated your KS2 writing? How confident are you?
Set a date for your Self Evaluation meeting for once results are in. Ideally your SLT or wider leadership team, and a governor. I used to invite my LA advisor as well. If you're a tiny school, do it with everyone! I can support with this but I have extremely limited availability. kate@kateowbridge.co.uk
What end of year events do you have that need planning? Awards assemblies..etc get these in the diary and prep them now.
Set the new classes and year groups and agree when you're telling everyone. Then tell everyone when they will be told. Stops them fussing about it.
Any monitoring that still needs doing in term 6? Plan it.
Have you got your TA hours sorted for next year? Do this now, and tell them. They only have to give a month's notice so you might find you get a resignation or two that will need addressing.
Do you know who is leaving? Organise the leavers' gifts.
DSL strategy meeting - are any DSLs/DDSLs leaving? Succession plan?
Any governor prep for term 6? Policy reviews? If there are big policy reviews to be done for September eg Teaching and learning or behaviour, do them now. So then they're agreed and ready for INSET roll out in September.
Make sure your July dates are all set and ready.
As always, if you want any additional info or support for any of these issues please email kate@kateowbridge.co.uk
