Update for chairs

1. Update for chairs National initiatives

2. Autonomy • “The new theology of the Coalition government is autonomy and choice…Governors are more important in a more autonomous system. Their ability to challenge and lead is the key.” • Sue Hackman • Chief Adviser for School Standards, DfE • 13.10.2011 www.thegovernor.org.uk

3. Some important developments • New executive agencies • Changes to Ofsted inspection • National College: National Leaders of Governance (NLGs)and training for chairs • The muddle in the middle • More changes and developments www.thegovernor.org.uk

4. Bonfire of the quangos • Four new executive agencies responsible for key delivery functions: • Standards & Testing Agency (wef 1.10.11) • From 1 April 2012: • Teaching Agency • National College • Education Funding Agency www.thegovernor.org.uk

5. Are governors the problem? • "If local democracy had worked, if local governing bodies had worked in the most challenging schools and for the most disadvantaged children, we would never have needed academies" • "Often governing bodies are the problem, actually“ • Sir Michael Wilshaw www.thegovernor.org.uk

6. Ofsted – new and newer • January 2012 • September 2012 www.thegovernor.org.uk

7. Inspection focuses on.. • Overall effectiveness • Inspectors evaluate the quality of the education provided in the school. In doing this, they consider the evidence gathered to support their evaluations of the four key judgements: • „ achievement of pupils at the school • „ quality of teaching in the school • „ quality of leadership in and management of the school • „ behaviour and safety of pupils at the school. • They also consider: • the extent to which the education provided meets the needs of the range of pupils at the school • how well the school promotes all pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development www.thegovernor.org.uk

8. Ofsted: September 2012 • “We need clear and demanding criteria for a school to be judged ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’.  A good school should have at least good teaching, and an outstanding school should have outstanding teaching. Good and outstanding leadership of teaching and learning drives improvement and knows that the culture of the school and the progress of pupils depend on it.” • Sir Michael Wilshaw • HMCI • 9 Feb 2012 www.thegovernor.org.uk

9. September 2012 • schools cannot be judged ‘outstanding’ unless their teaching is ‘outstanding’ • schools will only be deemed to be providing an acceptable standard of education where they are judged to be ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’  • a single judgement of ‘requires improvement’ will replace the current  ‘satisfactory’ judgement and ‘notice to improve’ category • schools judged as ‘requires improvement’ will be subject to a full re-inspection earlier than is currently the case • a school can only be judged as ‘requires improvement’ on two consecutive inspections before it is deemed to require ‘special measures’ • inspections will be undertaken without notice being provided to the school • inspectors should undertake an analysis of an anonymised summary, provided by the school, of the outcomes of the most recent performance management of all teachers within the school, as part of the evidence for a judgement on Leadership and Management. www.thegovernor.org.uk

10. National college • National College responsibility for training Chairs of Governors • Chairs’ training • NLGs www.thegovernor.org.uk

11. Nc Support for chairs Additional training Licensed delivery Core / targeted offer Licensed delivery Free to all members

12. Universal offer • Free membership of the National College for all governors • Resources available as part of an online group • Provide advice and ‘how to…’ as part of a central set of resources • Signpost supporting organisations and bodies • Access to Good Practice for Leaders and Leadership Library • Online discussions, networking and hotseats

13. Core offer - Chairs programme • Online diagnostic: generic leadership with chairs context • The units are designed to develop chairs knowledge, skills and understanding of: • the leadership role of the chair of governors • effective governance - leading and developing teams • improving the school – leading change and continuous improvement • Participants undertake only the elements of learning which are relevant to them (as indicated within the diagnostic)

14. Possible delivery structure Targeted offer for new and inexperienced Chairs Universal offer Diagnostic to identify individual training needs Leading governors booklet Unit 1: The role of the chair Unit 2: Effective governance Unit 3: Improving the school How to…… Links to partners resources Governors online community Face to face session Face to face session Face to face session Central source of key policy updates • Extend learning through: • Work based activities • Online activities • Extend learning through: • Work based activities • Online activities • Extend learning through: • Work based activities • Online activities Shared resources Free Licensed

15. Additional training – Subject workshops • Additional subject specific training • Taking existing College content and amending to reflect the chairs’ role • Delivered through licensees with initial funding to provide places • Could be available during the 2012 Spring term • Schools Financial Value Standard (SFVS) • Academy Governance • Financial Reporting for Academies • New heads and Chairs • Plus more?

16. National Leaders of Governance • highly effective chairs of governors who use their skills and experience to support chairs in other schools/academies • deploy the first cohort of NLGs by 31 March 2012: a ‘test and learn’ phase • NLGs will undertake deployments of up to 20 days. Examples of the focus for a deployment might be supporting the chair of a school/academy … • ... where the chair, headteacher/principal and/or leadership group are improving working practices • … in an Ofsted and/or LA category or at risk of going into one • … where attainment is below the floor standards in challenging circumstances • … where the school/academy is changing status www.thegovernor.org.uk

17. What are the criteria? • At least 3 years’ experience as a chair in the last 5 years • Able to demonstrate the positive contribution their leadership of the GB has made to school/academy improvement • Be judged to be part of a good leadership team • Have the full support of their GB • Show consistently effective leadership skills • Able to commit up to 20 days a year to the NLG programme and prepared to travel when necessary www.thegovernor.org.uk

18. What is the role of the broker? • Receive a request from a Local Authority, diocese or headteacher/principal for support from a National Leader of Governance (NLG) • Liaise to agree what the deployment entails, including desired outcome and timescales • Liaise with the NLG to agree the deployment • Point of contact for the client or NLG during the deployment • Participate in a review at the end of the deployment • Inform the College of key outcomes and learning points www.thegovernor.org.uk

20. What will an NLG do? • School performance: • Supporting the chair to focus more closely on raising standards and leading improvement • Helping the chair to understand and interpret strategic school/academy data • Head/chair relationship: • Coaching a chair in developing solutions to identified problems or in providing more effective challenge to senior leaders • Helping the chair build his/her relationship with the headteacher/principal • Process: • Helping the chair to better evaluate his/her own performance and develop his/her leadership, effectiveness and confidence • Observing a GB meeting and providing advice to the chair on procedures, protocols and behaviours • Helping the chair identify priorities for GB development and draw up an action plan • Mentoring a chair to provide support through a particular process • Providing expertise to help with an aspect of a GB’s work • Signposting or brokering additional training and support www.thegovernor.org.uk

21. Benefits • Host school/academy has a more effective chair who ensures the GB makes a difference to school/academy improvement • The system recognises the important role of leading governors and the impact that effective governance can make on school/academy improvement • The NLG receives recognition for his/her skills, the opportunity to develop them further and is able to contribute to a better understanding of effective governance • The NLG’s school/academy receives a grant that could be used to further develop the GB as well as reimbursing the NLG’s expenses www.thegovernor.org.uk

22. The muddle in the middle • LAs declining – year on year budget cuts • More Academies and Free schools outside LA control – responsible to Sec of State • Academy chains growing • Private companies – for and not for profit • For profit companies running schools? www.thegovernor.org.uk

23. What’s next? • New National Curriculum - delayed • New assessment regime and methodology – in line with new NC • Progress measures • EBacc and its effects • How well deprived groups do • What happens when they leave? • Floor standards – enforced academisation • Value for money – results vs expenditure • What are your internal school performance indicators? www.thegovernor.org.uk