Governing Body Self- Assessment Ruth Agnew ruth@rmagovernance Governing Body Self- Assessment Ruth Agnew ruth@rmagovernance.com @ruthagnew @rmagovernance

What does governing body self-assessment mean to you? Why is it important?

The DfE says… “The board should set and safeguard an ethos of high expectations of everyone in the school community. This includes high expectations for the behaviour, progress and attainment of all pupils and for the conduct and professionalism of both staff and the board themselves. The board should foster a common culture, values and ethos across the whole organisation, ensuring it is reflected consistently in both its policies and its practices.” Governance Handbook

The Dfe Says… Boards should have in place “processes for regular self-evaluation and review of individuals’ contribution to the board as well of the board’s overall operation and effectiveness” Governance Handbook Jan 2017

What should governing body self-assessment involve and what should it focus on?

An additional question… How much CPD/ training do we individually/collectively take each year and how do we keep a track of it?

Look at the National Governance Association’s Twenty Questions – does this cover the areas you were thinking of? Anything missing?

Focus on… 4. Is the size, composition and committee structure of our governing board conducive to effective working?

Questions to ask ourselves…? What is the “right” structure (for our governing body now)? What is the objective of each meeting? How do we structure the agenda and chair/participate in each meeting to ensure it meets its objectives?

Focus on… 15. How well do we understand the school’s performance data (including in-year progress tracking data) so we can properly hold school leaders to account? (and what is “challenge”…?)

What is Challenge?

What is Challenge? “They know what the school does well, but have not provided the necessary challenge for leaders in the areas that have needed improving since the last inspection. Governors have confused asking questions with exercising challenge” Ofsted June 2017

“They make me think more and they make me think differently”

How brave are we? “Confident to have courageous conversations in the interests of the children and young people”

Focus on… 16. Do governors regularly visit the school to get to know it and monitor the implementation of the school strategy?

Questions to ask ourselves… Why do/should governors visit school? What are the benefits for individual governors? the governing body? the school?

Questions to ask ourselves… What link governors do we have? Why? How are they supported? What are the governing body’s expectations? What impact do they have?

‘School Governance Learning from the Best’ Ofsted May 2011 In eight of the 14 schools visited, governors routinely attend lessons to gather information about the school at work. All the governors who were interviewed visit their schools regularly and talk with staff, pupils and parents. Clear protocols for visits ensure that the purpose is understood by school staff and governors alike. Alongside the information they are given about the school, these protocols help them to make informed decisions, ask searching questions and provide meaningful support.

Questions to ask ourselves… Do we have a “clear protocol” for visits What do or should our visits protocols include? ACTIVITY - BRAINSTORM

The additional question… How much CPD/ training do we individually/collectively take each year and how do we keep a track of it?

Ofsted says: “Inspectors will consider … the effectiveness of governors in discharging their core statutory functions and how committed they are to their own development as governors in order to improve their performance”

Governance Handbook 2017: The board’s code of conduct should set an ethos of professionalism and high expectations of everyone involved in governance … If, in the view of the board, an individual fails persistently to undertake the training or development they need to contribute effectively to the board, then they are likely to be in breach of the board’s code of conduct. Where they have powers to do so, the board should consider suspending them on the grounds that they have acted in a way that is contrary to the board’s ethos and has brought or is likely to bring the organisation, the board or their role into disrepute.

The Dfe Says… Boards should have in place “processes for regular self-evaluation and review of individuals’ contribution to the board as well of the board’s overall operation and effectiveness” Governance Handbook Jan 2017

What are the barriers to governor “performance management”?

“We’re just volunteers”

Performance Management Tools: Governor Induction

Performance Management Tools: Code of Conduct

Performance Management Tools: Skills Audit

Performance Management Tools: Chairs’ 3600 review

Performance Management Tools: Governor Objectives

Performance Management Tools: One to One meetings

What is your experience of using one of these, or other tools, to support governor performance management?

What’s it all for?