Achieving outstanding governance Inspiring Leadership Conference Southwark

Objectives Understand the implications of Ofsted’s emphasis on governance Have an increased range of strategies to enhance governing body effectiveness

Cardinal Newman reports/find-inspection- report/provider/ELS/111456

Key strategies 1. Skills based membership of GB 2. Staff as well as governors understand the core strategic functions 3. Distributed leadership cross referenced to Ofsted Evaluation Schedule 4. Efficient use of meeting time 5. A good clerk!

Skills based membership How have you approached identifying the skills needed for an effective governing body? What strategies have been effective in finding people with the right skills? Would the governor’s profile be useful?

Core strategic functions 1. Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction  Engaging with stakeholders  Strategic planning including succession planning  Meeting statutory duties 2. Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff:  Self evaluation including monitoring visits and responding to reports  Performance management 3. Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent  SFVS or annual report  Pupil premium and Primary PE and Sport budgets N.B. GOVERNORS’ HANDBOOK

Reality check How do you help to ensure that your staff: know who is on the governing body understand the responsibilities of governing bodies are proactive in ensuring that governors are able to deal with those core functions?

Distribution of leadership ‘Committees were typically seen as the ‘engine room of governance’ where in- depth discussions, challenging questions and thorough debate of proposals took place. The skills and knowledge of the chair of a committee were crucial to success’. Ofsted

Reality check How do the models provided compare with what is in place in your governing bodies? What other approaches have worked for you?

Efficient use of meeting time ‘ Time is used efficiently because there are clear procedures for delegating tasks e.g. to well organised committees that have clear terms of reference, provide high levels of challenge and use governors’ expertise to the full. Systems are in place for sharing information and reporting back to the FGB. This does not merely reiterate what has already been discussed in committee but focuses on the key points and decisions’. Ofsted

Effective reporting to the governing body Complement, not duplicate reports from committees Tell governors what they NEED TO KNOW –KPIs Written report provided in advance of meeting Range of contributors Strategic, concise, analytical and evaluative -e.g. key data plus commentary, noting trends over time Forward looking -proposing responses to issues identified Invite engagement by GB

KPIs (Examples) % of children working at/above/below target by key stage/year group/FSM/LAC % making average/above average progress in English and maths no on roll and trend exclusions, rewards and trends racist incidents and trend attendance, punctuality and trends no of lessons observed and % good and outstanding. Trend. Complaints reaching head (analysis not detail) Take up and impact of interventions to support children in poverty including use of charging policy Pupil/staff mobility % budget spent/% year expired

So what? What if anything do you want to do differently about reporting to the GB and committees?

Evaluating governance How easy is it to think of sound examples of decisions and actions by the GB that have had a positive impact on outcomes for pupils?

Governance. Sources of evidence a discussion with one or more members of the governing body minutes of governing body meetings. A GOOD CLERK IS KEY!!!! references to the work of the governing body as part of more general discussions with key staff, for example, the headteacher; the special educational needs coordinator; the child-protection officer; staff with links to particular governing body committees; or governors with designated responsibilities discussions with other members of staff and, where relevant, pupils about the impact of the governing body on the work of the school. Ofsted