Ruth Agnew NLG Advocate and Governance Consultant and Andy Kent NLG Advocate and Lead Facilitator from Governors’ Network North West share their take on opportunities and challenges facing School Governors.

1. #governorlive
February 27th 2014
Ruth Agnew NLG Advocate and Governance
Consultant
Andy Kent NLG Advocate and Lead Facilitator,
Governors’ Network North West

2. What’s new?
•
•
•
•
Developing Ofsted Handbook
New Governors’ Handbook
New Non-statutory guidance
Consultation on further changes (for
maintained schools)
• Approaches to academisation
• What’s new at the National College?

3. What’s not new?

5. Training: A focus of
the Select Committee Inquiry
“Too many governors have not had suitable
training. The Government says this can be
encouraged through Ofsted. Ofsted should report
back in due course whether their intervention is
effective. If it is not, mandatory training should
be considered again. The Government should
require schools to offer training to every new
governor.”

6. School Inspection
Handbook – January 2014
• the effectiveness of governance including how
well governors:
– ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic
direction
– contribute to the school’s self-evaluation and
understand its strengths and weaknesses,
including the impact of their own work
– support and strengthen school leadership,
including by developing their own skills

7. “The education system is changing rapidly and
school governance needs to change too to play
its part. My ambition is that every school has a
dynamic governing body. That means one that
understands its responsibilities and is focused
tightly on its core strategic functions. One that is
no bigger than it needs to be with all governors
actively contributing relevant skills and
experience. One that operates efficiently and
effectively through appropriate structures and
procedures.”

9. The board
GBs as non-executive leadership
focused on enhancing the
effectiveness and efficiency of the
school / charitable company
The
localising
influence
GBs as guardians of local vision that
filter national policies and bring local
knowledge to bear on what schools do
The vehicle
for
democracy
GBs as mechanisms for representing
local people in decisions about the local
delivery of education

10. Governors’ Handbook
“Governing bodies, not headteachers, should
determine the scope and format of
headteachers’ termly reports. This will mean
that they receive the information they need in
a format that enables them to stay focused on
their core strategic functions and not get
distracted or overwhelmed by information of
secondary importance.”

11. Governors’ Handbook
“Through pre-arranged visits that have a clear
focus, governors can see whether the school is
implementing the policies and improvement
plans they have signed off and how they are
working in practice. Visits also provide an
opportunity to talk with pupils, staff and
parents to gather their views.”

12. Governors’ Handbook
“Governors are not inspectors and it is not their
role to assess the quality or method of
teaching or extent of learning. They are also
not school managers and should make sure
they do not interfere in the day-to-day
running of the school. Both are the role of the
headteacher. If governors wish to spend time
within a classroom, they need to be very
clear why they are doing so.”

13. Non-Statutory Guidance
• It is good practice for the board to publish an
annual governance statement …including:
– the governance arrangements that are in place,
including the remit of any committees;
– the attendance record of individual governors at
board and committee meetings; and
– an assessment of the effectiveness and impact of
the board and any committees with details of any
particular challenges that have arisen

15. Consultation
• New skills-based eligibility criteria for
appointed governors
– ‘in the opinion of the appointing body’ “the skills
required to contribute to the effective governance
and success of the school”
• 2007 Regulations to be revoked from 31/8/15

16. Consultation
“every member should actively contribute
relevant skills and experience. Governing
bodies should conduct regular skills audits and
use the process of filling governor vacancies as
an opportunity to address any skills gaps”.

17. Consultation
• Well run elections offer candidates for election
the opportunity to publish a statement of
sufficient length to set out:
– Evidence of the extent to which they possess the skills
and experience the governing body desires;
– Their commitment to undertake training to acquire or
develop the skills to be an effective governor;

18. Consultation
• Well run elections offer candidates for election
the opportunity to publish a statement of
sufficient length to set out:
– If seeking re-election, details of their contribution to
the work of the governing body during their previous
term of office; and
– How they plan to contribute to the future work of the
governing body.”

19. Approaches to Academisation
• New Ofsted focus from Sept 2014 on academy
freedoms;
• Regional commissioners;
• MATs as favoured model;
• Scrutiny of sponsors / sponsor supply

20. What’s Happening at the National
College for Teaching and Leadership?
• Chairs’ Development Programme
• Workshops for Governors
– Performance Related Pay (Feb/March 2014)
– RAISEonline (Feb/March2014)
– Efficiencies in Schools (March 2014)
– 3 free places per school

21. What’s Happening at the National
College for Teaching and Leadership?
• Clerking Programme from July 2014
• National College Membership
– www.nationalcollege.org.uk
• National Leaders of Governance

22. National Leaders of Governance
• What are they?

23. National Leaders of Governance
What about you?
www.education.gov.uk/nationalcollege

24. National Leaders of Governance
• Speak to Local Authority / NCTL associate /
NLG
or
• Email governors.mailbox@education.gsi.gov.uk

25. Keep in touch
Andy Kent
andyiankent@yahoo.co.uk
Ruth Agnew
ruth@rmagovernance.com
www.ruthagnew.com
Governors’ Network North West
admin@gnnw.org.uk
www.gnnw.org.uk