Welcome to Manchester Governors’ Association Autumn Conference and Annual General Meeting

1. M.G.Amanchestergovs@gmail.com Welcome to Manchester Governors’ Association Autumn Conference and Annual General Meeting Saturday, 6 October 2012 Mechanics’ Institute, Princess Street, Manchester 9.30 a.m. to I.30 p.m.

2. Programme

3. School Governance The role and responsibilities of governors Manchester Governors’ Association Autumn Conference. Saturday, 6 October 2012 Anne Jackson, Director, System Reform Group

4. High quality governance is crucial To ensure that children get the best possible chances in their education, and in their lives As a key part of the accountability system for holding heads and schools to account To consider what style of school will offer most opportunities To making the most of the time and energy of hundreds of thousands of dedicated volunteers 1

5. Governing bodies carry out three core functions Setting strategic direction • clarity of vision and ethos • engaging stakeholders • meeting statutory duties Driving school performance • accountability for teaching, achievement, behaviour and safety • performance management of the headteacher • contributing to school self-evaluation Ensuring financial probity • solvency and effective financial management • use of Pupil Premium and other resources to overcome barriers to learning 2

6. Academy governors have similar functions, but there are structural differences and additional responsibilities – e.g. on finance The Academy Trust A charitable company limited by guarantee • Members • Strategic and ultimate control over the Academy Trust, e.g. • Achievement of company objectives • Appointing some governors • Signing off company accounts and annual report • Power to amend Articles remove governors/ directors • Governors • Company directors and charitable trustees responsible for operation of the Academy Trust, including: • The 3 core functions common to all governing bodies • Ensuring compliance with charity and company law and Funding Agreement agreed with SoS 3

7. Academies also have a range of structural options Single Academy Trust • One school governed by one set of Articles and a funding agreement between the Academy and the Secretary of State Multi-Academy Trust • One legal entity accountable for all schools in chain, each Academy may have a local governing body or advisory body to which some matters may be delegated Umbrella Trust • Academies as separate legal entities with own Articles and funding agreement, with an Umbrella Trust that ensures collaboration through majority or minority control of individual academies Collaborative partnership • Optional MOU but no shared governance arrangements required between Academies that each have their own Articles and funding agreement 4

8. All governing bodies need the skills to do the job… • Governing bodies / Academy Trusts best placed to determine appropriate constitution – can focus recruitment and training on where skills are missing • New constitution regulations from Sept 2012 for maintained schools - number of governors stipulated in regulations reduced from 9 to 7 • DfE working on further simplification of constitution regulations and Academy Articles of Association • SGOSS helping schools recruit highly skilled new governors 5

9. …they need to be freed from unnecessary rules and regulations… Bureaucracy stifles innovation • Zero-based review underway of all policies impacting governors • All unnecessary rules and regulations to be removed to minimise central prescription • International evidence that strong and autonomous school leadership, with effective accountability, drives education system success • Radical reform to system through Academy programme is delivering results Autonomy drives improvement 6

10. …they need accessible and high quality information and data… On their responsibilities On school performance • Governors’ Guide to the Law to be stripped down to plain English Handbook for all governors • New Academies Financial Handbook • New DfE web portal for all governors • Wide range of resources and good practice for all governors via National College website • Objective, high quality data on school and pupil performance crucial to holding heads to account • Some excellent examples of data usage • Ofsted plans for new data dashboard of essential data all governors should access and understand 7

11. …and they need appropriate support and challenge Peer Mentoring Training Scrutiny Action • For chairs and aspiring chairs • Licensed by National College • Available from October 2012 • 70 National Leaders of Governance • 100 more by March 2013 • 50 more per term thereafter • New explicit focus on governance by Ofsted • Ofsted to recommend external reviews for some Cat 3 schools • National College to pilot external reviews in 2012, full roll out from Jan • Use of IEBs in inadequate schools 8

12. Governors have a crucial role to play in the process of converting to Academy status Setting the vision • Appreciating and communicating to parents and others the benefits of Academy status to realising the overall strategic aims of the school Understanding the implications • Researching and accepting the additional role and responsibilities of governing an Academy Making the decision • Voting by majority to convert, consulting parents, staff and other key stakeholders about the decision Adapting to be fit for purpose • Selecting the most appropriate governance model, and reviewing constitution against necessary skills 9

13. Experience suggests some top tips for conversion • Start early! • Talk early to the LA – openness and transparency really help with transfer of contracts, staff information etc • Land holdings can be complicated – know the history of your school’s legal status • Work closely with others on the school site, e.g. community centres, Sure Start centres, etc • Consider carefully the benefits of different governance models – multi-academy trust; umbrella trust; single academy trust • Involve your DfE Project Lead 10

14. For more information please visit www.education.gov.uk/governance

15. Crompton house Church of England School Sarah Calvert – Head Teacher Manchester Governors’ Association Autumn Conference Dr Paul Needham – Trustee Governor Loving God Caring for each other Achieving Excellence

16. Crompton house school • Founded in 1926, with an initial intake of 25 pupils • Today it is a 11-18 co-educational comprehensive school with academy status. We have about 1370 pupils including a Sixth Form of 370. • With 100 teaching staff and 120 non-teaching staff • We are situated in Shaw, Oldham between the Metropolitan Boroughs of Oldham and Rochdale with a large catchment area Oldham, Rochdale, Middleton, Alkrington, Bamford, Littleborough and Saddleworth.

17. Crompton house school • The school has an excellent record of examination results well above the National Average, consistently ranked in the top 75 UK State schools at KS3, KS4 and KS5. • Most of our Sixth Formers go on to University, including Oxbridge, to follow degree courses. • The school became a specialist Arts School in recognition of its outstanding achievements in Music, Drama and Art. • Affiliated Woodard School • Pupils and staff join in events such as Master Classes at Oxford University. • The school is in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Huddersfield. Around 100 trainees work alongside our staff and pupils each year.

18. Converting to an academy • Governors sub committee was formed • Visiting 3 schools that had converted, find best practice • Essential to use solicitors • Ensure the Articles and Memorandum are correct • We used AVEC as advisors • Answering questions from staff • Allaying fears • Practical aspects such as tendering for insurance and accountants

19. Finance and funding • Academy received £350k+ in the first year • In lieu of services provided from the LEA • Additional costs were estimated to be around £100k+ • These were circa £50k • Access to Academies Capital Maintenance • The first big maintenance grant to the school in 10 years

20. Impact on Governance structure • After conversion the Academy is a company limited by guarantee (£10 for each member) • The Members own the company (at least 3 members) • Governors are not all members but they are automatically directors of the company • The structure of the governing body may change • No more than one local authority governor • No more than 1/3rd of governors can be academy staff

21. Governors structure

22. Impact on Governance structure • Responsible for the: • Company accounts • Health & Safety legislation • Employment disputes • Pension payments • Tax NI etc… • Previously managed by the LEA , these can be bought in from the LEA if the academies want to

23. Staff support • Some staff were against this and went on strike • All staff are currently engaged • We did have the support of the finance staff • This is important as the extra work falls to them • We employed extra support staff to assist

24. Local authority Assistant Director attended the governors meeting and spoke against the conversion Today, the relationship with the local authority has remained healthy and we are actively collaborating in the Oldham schools networks.

25. Impact on Students This was seamless due to good communications from the senior leadership team. Students did not see a difference apart from more funding. Full consultation with parents

26. Questions http://www.crompton-house.oldham.sch.uk/

27. University Staff as School Governors Stephanie Lee & Alison Gregory The University of Manchester

28. Our work with schools Student Recruitment & Widening Participation Pre-16 activities Target groups How to get involved with our schools and colleges work www.manchester.ac.uk/undergraduate/schoolsandcolleges

29. Access Agreement 2012/3 • A major new development to enhance the role of University staff in the governance arrangements of local schools • Aim to increase number of staff working as Governors by 50% over next 5 years

30. School Governors One Stop Shop • a new partnership with SGOSS to increase the contribution of University staff to the governance of local schools in the most challenging circumstances.

31. Initial Developments On line survey to Establish how many staff were already working as governors Created an internal network to bring our governors together Raised awareness of SGOSS and the network to encourage other staff to get involved Developed a HR policy to support the work Use LinkedIn to keep us all in contact

32. What we do • 3-4 network meetings per year – a mix of established and new governors • Regular contact with SGOSS to see how recruitment and placement of governors is progressing • Use discussion forums to keep in contact with our governors

33. Future Developments • Recruitment event in November 2012 • Links with MGA and other bodies • Network Meetings and internal support are ongoing • Work with university alumni • Summer Conference 2013

34. How can you benefit from our initiative? Advertise your vacancies with SGOSS Specify University of Manchester staff in the specific skills section

35. Contact us stephanie.lee@manchester.ac.uk alison.gregory@manchester.ac.uk