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CoSST Governor and SLT conference. 14 July 2014 Facilitator: Chris Beswick. COMBINED FORCES OF CoSST. 50 teaching assistants. 810 children. 38 teachers. 54 other support staff. Income of £4,188,802. Read all about it. Levels go in new national curriculum
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CoSST Governor and SLT conference 14 July 2014 Facilitator: Chris Beswick
COMBINED FORCES OF CoSST 50 teaching assistants 810 children 38 teachers 54 other support staff Income of £4,188,802
Read all about it...... Levels go in new national curriculum Ofsted to stop grading lessons SEN Reforms mean big changes for schools
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Working together – three sources of ideas (1) Learning from the best • Ofsted national report 2011 • Still quoted by senior HMIs • 14 schools with outstanding governance • Few absolutely common features but some key characteristics highlighted as effective practice
Some of the key characteristics of effective governing bodies highlighted in the 2011 Ofsted national report • Positive relationships between governors and school leaders are based on trust, openness and transparency. Effective governing bodies systematically monitor their school’s progress towards meeting agreed development targets. • Governors are well informed and knowledgeable because they are given high- quality, accurate information that is concise and focused on pupil achievement. • Outstanding governance supports honest, insightful self-evaluation by the school, recognising problems and supporting the steps needed to address them.
The role of the clerk to the governors is pivotal to ensuring that statutory duties are met, meetings are well organised and governors receive the information they need in good time. • The governing bodies constantly reflect on their own effectiveness and readily make changes to improve. They consider their own training needs, as well as how they organise their work.
Source 2 – Research with governors NFER 2011 REPORT • The views of 1600 governors on the ten most important factors underpinning effective governance in no particular order • Ensuring all governors are well supported • Including governors from the community in which the school is based • Having a productive relationship between the governing body and senior leadership team • Having a clerk who effectively supports the governing body • Governors having a clear understanding of their role and its limits • Governors having access to and a clear understanding of relevant data • Having an effective chair of governors • Having expert governors with specialist skills • Ensuring all governors are well trained • That the size of the governing body is appropriate to the school
“Above all else, governors need the ability to stay focused and never lose track of why they are doing it”
Getting the blend of skills right • Latest Ofsted guidance – expect that governors evaluate their own effectiveness and plan for improvement of their performance • Skills audits are one part of this evaluation process • 80% of GBs now regularly undertake skills audits • Some issues to take care over – not least moderation of individual governors’ self-assessments
Thank you..... • For coming • For making your contributions the ‘core’ of the day and the basis for action in the coming year • For your caring stewardship of all the children’s futures in the Trust • For your integrity, passion and hard work • For making a difference to children’s lives and widening their horizons They'd cut me out for baking breadBut I had other dreams insteadThis baker's boy from the West CountryWould join the Royal Society