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Strong governance for good schools

Strong governance for good schools. Heads and chairs working together.  An executive agency of the Department for Education. Housekeeping. • Fire exits • Toilets • Refreshments • Smoking • Mobiles. Facilitators: Paul Bennett – Director, Primary School Leadership

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Strong governance for good schools

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  1. Strong governance for good schools Heads and chairs working together  An executive agency of the Department for Education

  2. Housekeeping • Fire exits • Toilets • Refreshments • Smoking • Mobiles Facilitators: Paul Bennett – Director, Primary School Leadership Sarah Ray – Senior Manager, Chairs of Governors’ Team

  3. Welcome Purpose: To ensure the head and chair have the opportunity to: • explore together what constitutes effective governance and how Ofsted will judge it • share the expectations of each other and the rest of the governing body • hear about and learn from other governing bodies • reflect and plan together how to improve governance at your school

  4. Profile of governance has never been higher Ministers and DfE • Ofsted • National College •

  5. National College “I see a very strong relationship between governorship and leadership and expect the College to take a role in supporting chairs of governing bodies to make sure that they have the skills, knowledge and confidence to undertake their role. Chairs of governing bodies must be able to provide strategic direction; as a ‘critical friend’ to the headteacher and ensure accountability.” Michael Gove, Secretary of State Chairs of governors’ leadership development programme National Leaders of Governance Reviews of governance • • •

  6. Chair of governors’ leadership development programme Developed in consultation with national and local stakeholders Piloted across 8 local authorities across England 3 units designed to develop chairs’ knowledge, skills and understanding of: - The role of the chair - Effective governance - Improving the school National delivery available through 11 licensed organisations • • • • £350 RRP for all 3 units • Scholarships available for chairs in • - Small schools (100% subsidy) - Schools that are ‘satisfactory’ or ‘require improvement’ (50% subsidy)

  7. National leaders of governance A designation for system leaders in governance • Highly effective chairs of governors who use their skills and experience to support chairs in other schools and academies • Purpose is to increase leadership capacity to help raise standards so that improvements can be sustained •

  8. Agenda 3.45pm Message from Sir Michael Wilshaw Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector (HMCI) 4.00pm Understanding roles & responsibilities, and staying strategic Emma Knights, Chief Executive, NGA 5.15pm Buffet and refreshments

  9. Agenda 6.00pm Strong relationships based on trust • Working together: National Leader of Governance • Knowing your school • Effective challenge and scrutiny • Reflection and planning in pairs 7.45pm Concluding remarks 8.00pm Close

  10. Sir Michael Wilshaw Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector Ofsted

  11. Strong governance in good schools Emma Knights Chief Executive National Governors’ Association

  12. Core responsibility of the governing body The core responsibilities (as defined in law) of GBs are: The GB is responsible for the conduct of the school • The GB must work to promote high standards • The governing body is a LA maintained school’s accountable body. In academies, there is a different legal framework, including a trust as the accountable body. Directors and Trustees have defined legal responsibilities, but the business of governing is very similar. Interim Executive Boards have additional roles.

  13. Table exercise In your table groups consider: What is the role of the governing body? What are the key components? 10 minutes • • • Report back: Up to six key components of the role of the governing body

  14. Elements of effective governance 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. The right people round the table Understanding role and responsibilities Good chairing Professional clerking Good relationships based on trust Knowing the school – the data, the staff, the parents, the children, the community Committed to asking challenging questions Confident to have courageous conversations in the interests of the children and young people 7. 8.

  15. Inspectors’ expectations From guidance given to Ofsted inspectors on the Sept 2012 framework – they will consider whether governors: • carry out their statutory duties • understand the strengths and weaknesses of the school, including the quality of teaching • ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction • understand and take sufficient account of pupil data, or whether they are misled by ‘headlines’ • are aware of the impact of teaching on learning and progress in different subjects and year groups • are challenging and supporting leadership in equal measure

  16. Inspectors’ expectations • provide support for an effective headteacher, or whether they are hindering school improvement by not successfully tackling key concerns • understand how the school makes decisions about teachers’ salary progression • performance manage the headteacher rigorously • are failing to perform well and contributing to weaknesses in leadership and management • ensure that the school’s finances are properly managed • have a role in deciding how the school is using the Pupil Premium

  17. GBs must understand roles and responsibilities Induction for new governors (including staff governors): Welcome to Governance Code of practice for GBs Training and development budget for GB Ensure GB has access to independent advice A focus on the strategic, leaving the operational to the school leaders Ensure time is spent on the key school development priorities, not just compliance and policies Differentiate ‘principle’ from ‘procedure’ • • • • • • •

  18. Strategic v Operational Strategic (i.e. governance) Operational Monitoring reports on quality of teaching against pupils’ outcomes Making judgements about quality of teaching Receiving financial audit report Governors coming into school to supervise book-keeper Ensuring necessary audits have been carried out by qualified professionals Governors undertaking audits eg. Health & Safety Interviewing for teachers Interviewing for senior leaders Agreeing to invest in school buses Organising the bus routes Agreeing to a building project Obtaining quotes for a cost Ensuring the school is marketed well Writing the school prospectus

  19. Table exercise In table groups discuss: What tactics have we developed for ensuring the GB stays strategic and focused on school improvement? As head and chair, how do we make sure that we work well together to realise the above? • • Report back: One top tip on how to keep GB activity strategic

  20. Working together With ASCL and NAHT: “What governing bodies should expect from school leaders and what school leaders should expect from governing bodies.” What questions does this raise for you? To what extent does this reflect what you expect from each other? • •

  21. Refreshments break Please return at 6pm

  22. Strong relationships based on trust Trust, honesty, respect and integrity are a necessity Within the GB: use the Stronger Governance Systems material Chair and head relationship is central: - must see your roles as complementary and having a positive impact on the organisation - must not exclude the rest of the GB - must be professional, rather than ‘cosy’ - do the arrangements for keeping in touch suit both of you? - do not take each other by surprise and address disagreements - maintain a united front on fundamentals and priorities - two-way feedback, 360 reviews, mentors • •

  23. National leader of governance Harry Ziman • Kelsall Community Primary School, Tarporley • Chair of governors • National Leader of Governance

  24. Knowing the school • Is the school self-evaluation fit for purpose? Do all governors know the key issues facing the school? • Is the head’s report to the GB focussed on the key priorities? • How does the GB use RAISEonline data and/or similar performance data? • Does the GB receive regular internal pupil progress data for all year groups, and know which groups of children are not progressing well? • What does the GB know about staff performance and pay?

  25. Knowing the school How does the GB know about the quality of teaching? How does the GB seek views from parents? How does the GB seek views from pupils? How does the GB seek views from staff? Is the purpose of school visits clear? - Do you have a protocol for school visits? - Are governors monitoring development priorities? Are link governors used effectively? Did governors receive a report from Ofsted inspectors? • • • • • • •

  26. Table exercise In table groups, choose some of the bullet points on the previous two slides and discuss: • What information does the GB receive? How frequently? • Does it help you govern? Is there any challenge as a result? • How could the information/governors’ knowledge be improved? • What impact has it had? • How do you feed back impact to stakeholders? • 20 minutes Report back: One tip of something which worked well and one request for something which would further improve the GB’s knowledge

  27. Effective challenge and scrutiny Research – and Ofsted reports - show GBs are more effective at support and compliance duties than challenge • As well as the knowledge, skills and time, there must be a confidence, courage and culture of the importance of challenge - encourage other senior and middle leaders to volunteer as governors at other schools Are identified issues followed up? e.g. - why didn’t the interventions have the desired impact? - how is teaching ‘good’ but progress low? - why isn’t pupil premium spending closing the gap? Is the GB equipped to carry out the head’s performance development and appraisal well? • • •

  28. Governance making an impact • Is it strategic and focussed on improvement? • Is self evaluation robust? • Is it encouraging and monitoring CPD for all? • Are school leaders equipped to do their jobs (including HR aspects, procurement, etc) without operational support needed from governors? • Is there access to support and expert advice, both for the GB and for senior leaders? • Is collaboration encouraged and federation explored? • Carry out an impact assessment of the GB itself: For example, ‘20 questions’, GovernorMark, Target Tracker’s GSET and performance reviews for governors • Bottom line: targets are being met and children’s outcomes are positive

  29. Reflection and planning in your pairs • Do we both feel comfortable about the element of challenge in our relationship and by other governors? • Are there any conversations we haven’t had which we should have had? • Are we as a pair – and as a GB – making an impact? What are we doing well? • What could we do differently? • How could we go about changing this? • How would we know if it made a difference? • What should we take away and address?

  30. Thank you For more information please contact: Chair.ofgovernors@nationalcollege.gsi.gov.uk Or visit: http://www.education.gov.uk/nationalcollege/governors-role.htm Become a member: www.nationalcollege.org.uk

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