Governing

Volunteers who become a school governor or academy trustee are crucial to the education system. Whether new, returning or wanting to re-focus on the role, I can help individuals or boards to become skilled in the requirements for this position, teaching them how they can effectively work in partnership with their educational setting to achieve sustainable outcomes. 

Focus areas for this training can include:

• the key differences between operational and strategic leadership
• purpose, roles and responsibilities
• planning, monitoring and evaluating improvement
• 'Guided Governance' support for making a school visit
• holding effective and efficient meetings
• Ethical Leadership and the Nolan Principles of Public Life - selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership
• providing for Headteacher / Principal wellbeing

Becoming a Governor or Trustee is a daunting experience, especially for someone without previous experience or involvement in education. However, it is often these people who ask the best questions and provide the most appropriate 'challenge'. Being a Governance Professional, having worked alongside many Governors as a Headteacher and being a Governor myself in different settings, I have seen first-hand that the key quality in this role really is 'integrity'; a sense of being there to contribute time and skills for the right reasons and a willingness to learn. Through a single / series of sessions, I can mentor Governors or Trustees as they enter into, or further develop, their responsibilities. 

Focus areas for this mentoring can include:

• being a new Governor / Trustee
• the role and responsibilities of being a Governor / Trustee
• effectively balancing challenge with support in order to ensure your Headteacher / Principal remains motivated and committed to the education setting
• becoming a Link Governor
• becoming a Chair / Vice Chair

'The supreme quality of leadership is integrity.' Dwight Eisenhower, former President of the United States

Governors and Trustees form part of the overall Leadership and Management of an education setting and are therefore open to scrutiny. The most effective Boards welcome regular external and internal reviews and are confident to self-evaluate themselves to ensure they are:

• meeting statutory and legal requirements
• Safeguarding compliant
• financially competent
• focused on a long-term, strategic vision for the education setting
• aware of current areas for learning and development
• accessing appropriate training
• aware of their vacancies on the Board and the skills they require
• continually planning and motivated as a Board to further improve their impact on pupil / student outcomes

I can provide this service as a 'lead', 'support' or 'facilitator' role, planned in liaison with the Chair of the Board. 

'Leadership should be focused on extending the ladder of opportunity for everyone.' Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

This includes for the Principal Leader themselves, and their appraisal is one of the most important responsibilities held by a Board of Governors or Trustees. The National Governance Association recommends that all Boards appoint an external advisor for this and it is a legal requirement to have one in place for maintained schools. The NGA explains that the role of the advisor is to:

• provide advice and support on the legal process
• support with interpretation of performance data and other information
• advise on appropriate objective setting
• complete the necessary paperwork (reducing administrative workload for the panel)

When I provide this service as an external advisor I include:

• a meeting with the Headteacher / Head of School / Executive Headteacher / Principal / CEO
• a meeting with Governors / Trustees
• facilitation
• a detailed written report

I also offer an interim review service.

Full details of these services are available on the Fees page of the website.