Governing Board “Fit for Purpose” Training

Governing Board“Fit for Purpose” Training Ensuring your governing board is ready for monitoring next year’s Key Priorities Welcome

Purpose of this session To consider what systems and arrangements to put in place to best monitor the progress of the “Key Priorities” over the next academic year. To look at governor and board self-evaluation, to identify any recruitment and development needs.

A question…. How and when does your board decide what will be the “Key Priorities” for governor monitoring over the next academic year?

Governance arrangements Committee & governor roles Meeting dates Agendas How do we set up our activities to help us focus on the Key Priorities? Key Priorities

Sources of evidence What questions could we be asking to help us focus on the Key Priorities? Surveys Headteacher’s (and other) reports External moderation Data Governor visits Key Priorities

Using triangulation What can we do to improve our triangulation?

Governance considerations Are the terms of reference (scheme of delegation) fit for purpose to support our monitoring of next year’s Key Priorities? TO BE REVIEWED ANNUALLY Are our governors in the right designated roles / committees to fit with their skill-sets? Is any specific training / CPD needed? Does your board hold a ‘Process Meeting’?

Process Meeting To review the board’s systems and processes Elect the chair / vice chair (maybe) Review terms of reference and governor role descriptions (in line with new Key Priorities) Appoint committee chairs and governor roles Annual review of governor code of conduct Agree governor visit programme for next year (maybe)

Electing the chair / vice-chair Academies: how elected/appointed, and how often depends on the articles/scheme of delegation. Maintained schools: not compulsory to re-elect the chair and vice-chair every year; but good practice to discuss the succession plan and expectations. In maintained schools it is a statutory requirement to have a vice-chair, to deputise for the chair as required. Do you have a succession plan for your board’s chair and vice-chair roles?

Governor roles – training dates Safeguarding governance – 9th October 2019 Finance governance – 23rd October 2019 Pupil premium governance – 27th Nov 2019 Health & Safety governor briefing – 22nd Jan 2020 SEND governance – 4th March 2020 Curriculum governance –11th March 2020 Headteacher’s appraisal panel – 6th May 2020

Annual review of terms of reference Taking each Key Priority: is it clear in the terms of reference / governor role descriptions how that Key Priority will be monitored through the year? Eg: Key Priority ”to accelerate progress and attainment in Maths at Key Stage 2” Will a committee or governor have a remit to monitor the progress towards targets set? How and when will they do this? How and when will they report back to the board?

Annual review of the code of conduct Has your governing board’s code of conduct been updated recently? The latest NGA model code of conduct (2018):https://www.nga.org.uk/Knowledge-Centre/Good-governance/Ethical-governance/Model-Code-of-Conduct-2018.aspx Good practice to review (and re-sign up) annually.

School visits programme What will be the key priority-based objectives for our up-coming governor visits? Do we have a clear protocol for school visits – and are all governors and staff aware of it?Would a governor-staff joint training be useful? Do all governors feel confident to carry out their school visits? Consider visiting in pairs? Do governors have the visit report pro-forma?And do they know the process once it’s written?

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

Governor and board self-evaluation • Grouped into the sixfeatures of effective governance • 16 competencies in total – each is broken down into knowledge, skills and effective behaviours. The governance competency framework (Jan 2017) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/governance-handbook

Governor and board self-evaluation These two relate to how well the board carries out the three core functions of governance Strategic Leadership and Accountability

Governor and board self-evaluation These two relate to ensuring and improving the quality of governance Compliance and Evaluation

Governor and board self-evaluation These two relate to the effective organisation of governance. Looking at these further…. People and Structures

People section … how well does your board work together as a team?

Structures section …does everyone on the board understand the remit and boundaries of their role(s) and responsibilities?

Evaluation section …do the governors on your board improve their own impact through seeking feedback and undertaking training and CPD?

Governing board skills audit • When did your board last do a collective skill-set audit? • The National Governance Association have produced a skills audit template which can be used: https://www.nga.org.uk/Guidance/Workings-Of-The-Governing-Body/Governance-Tools/Skills-Audit.aspxModel 1 is for single schools (maintained/academies)Model 2 is for MAT boards • Use to identify gaps on the board and therefore what looking for during governor recruitment.

Any questions? ??? Rebecca.Walker@achievingforchildren.org.uk Clive.Haines@achievingforchildren.org.uk

Governing Board “Fit for Purpose” Training