The following minutes have been adopted unanimously by the Chair. The Chair was the sole attendee at all sessions. The Chair considers this adoption valid. Hate Matters has considered this position and has not formed a contrary view.
Quorum for the School Guidance Working Group is three members. No session recorded in this document achieved quorum. This is noted at the head of each session and is not further commented upon except where it forms a specific agenda item.
The Chair welcomed the working group. The Chair noted that attendance was lower than anticipated. The Chair attributed this to a possible confusion over the room booking and expressed confidence that it would be resolved ahead of the next session.
The Chair presented the draft terms of reference. The terms were adopted. Proposed: Chair. Seconded: Chair. Motion carried.
The Chair presented a preliminary review of existing statutory guidance on schools. She noted the guidance was inadequate. This observation was agreed. The Chair undertook to develop a more detailed analysis prior to the next session.
None.
The Chair confirmed that the minutes of Session 1 had been circulated on 15 March. The Chair confirmed she had received them. The Chair noted the room booking had been confirmed and re-circulated. The Chair noted that attendance had nonetheless not increased. The Chair expressed continued confidence in the working group's direction of travel.
The Chair presented a more detailed analysis of existing guidance. Conclusions were consistent with Session 1: the guidance was inadequate. The analysis was adopted. The Chair noted it would form the basis of a draft guidance document to be developed prior to Session 3.
The Chair proposed that additional members be recruited. This was agreed. The Chair confirmed she held a list of suitable candidates. The Chair confirmed the list existed and that she would be in contact with candidates before the next session.
The Chair brought biscuits. There were biscuits remaining at the close of the session.
The Chair reported on membership outreach. Eleven candidates had been contacted. Two had responded. Neither had confirmed attendance. The Chair noted this as "an ongoing matter" and confirmed she would follow up.
The Chair presented the draft guidance document. She considered it strong. It was adopted on first reading. Proposed: Chair. Seconded: not recorded.
[Not recorded in these minutes.]
Note: No session was held in August or September 2023. The Chair had prior commitments. The Chair noted these were now resolved.
The Chair confirmed the guidance had been circulated. No feedback had been received. The Chair noted this was "consistent with the level of engagement to date" and indicated she would proceed on the basis that the guidance was satisfactory.
The Chair proposed that the matter of quorum be placed on the agenda of the next full trustees' meeting, with a request that the trustees consider whether the working group's terms of reference should be amended to reduce the quorum requirement. This was adopted. The Chair noted she would raise it with the trustees. The Chair noted the trustees were aware of the situation.
The guidance was adopted on second and final reading. Proposed: Chair. Seconded: not recorded. The Chair noted that the guidance was now the official position of the School Guidance Working Group and would be submitted to Hate Matters' trustees for endorsement.
Note: No sessions were held between October 2023 and March 2025. The Chair took an extended period of leave. The Chair noted she was glad to be back. The Chair noted she remained committed to the process.
The Chair formally reconvened the working group. The Chair confirmed the working group's mandate remained active. The Chair confirmed the guidance adopted at Session 4 remained the working group's official position. The Chair noted the guidance had not been implemented by the Department for Education. The Chair noted this was noted.
The Chair presented a revised draft guidance document reflecting developments in the period October 2023 to February 2025. The conclusions were consistent with the guidance adopted at Session 4. The revised draft was adopted. Proposed: Chair. Seconded: not recorded. The Chair noted this was the second adoption of substantially the same document and considered this a mark of consistency.
The Chair noted with regret that quorum had not been achieved at any session to date. She noted she remained optimistic about future attendance.
The Chair confirmed the minutes of Session 5 had been circulated and were not disputed. The Chair noted that the quorum matter, placed on the trustees' agenda at Session 4, had been deferred at six consecutive trustees' meetings. The Chair noted this without further comment.
The Chair presented a further update to the guidance document reflecting recent developments. Conclusions remained consistent with previous sessions. The update was adopted. The Chair noted this was the third substantive adoption of the guidance document and considered the consistency of its conclusions to be a strength.
The Chair noted quorum had not been achieved. This item is carried forward to Session 7.
The Chair noted she had distributed the guidance document at a school governors' training event in October 2025. She had not been asked to distribute it. She had been asked to leave. She confirmed she had left. She confirmed the remaining copies were in good condition.
The Chair noted the minutes of Session 6 were adopted. The Chair noted the prospective new member had confirmed she would not be joining the working group. The Chair noted this with what the minutes record as "composure".
The Chair presented a fourth revised version of the guidance document. Conclusions were consistent with all previous versions. The document was adopted. The Chair noted that the working group's guidance had now been adopted four times and submitted to the Department for Education twice. The Department had acknowledged receipt on both occasions.
The Chair noted that quorum had not been achieved at any of the seven sessions held to date. The Chair noted that this item had been on the working group's agenda, in various forms, since Session 2. The Chair proposed that the matter be placed on the agenda for Session 8. This was adopted. Proposed: Chair. Seconded: Chair. The Chair noted this with "ongoing regret".
The Chair noted she remained committed to this process. The Chair asked that this be recorded. It is recorded.
These minutes cover the full record of School Guidance Working Group sessions to date. They have been adopted unanimously by the Chair, who is the sole member of the working group with a vote. Hate Matters endorses this record. Hate Matters has not audited the process by which these minutes were adopted.