Governing for Real PaJeS Wednesday 21 October 2015 © NGA

© NGA NGA is a membership organisation Representing the governors and trustees in all state funded schools in England Our aim to improve the effectiveness of governing boards by providing expert and tailored information and advice, and challenge when appropriate Standard governing body membership is £75 GOLD governing body membership is £260 and includes an advice line

© NGA Purpose of the session The purpose of the session is to practice being a governor. It will cover: 1.Principles and starting points 2.Tips and pointers 3.Example School - introduction 4.A practice governing body meeting 5.Review of the session

© NGA Principles and Starting Points

© NGA Governors are holders of public office The seven principles of public life, also known as the Nolan principles: 1.Selflessness 2.Integrity 3.Objectivity 4.Accountability 5.Openness 6.Honesty 7.Leadership How governance is conducted says a lot about an organisation

© NGA Starting points 1.Set the vision, ethos and strategic direction for the school 2.Stay strategic and focus on improvement priorities: delegate the operational to school leaders 3.Don’t get overwhelmed by compliance and reviewing policies: focus on principles; delegate procedures 4.Recruit great school leaders … and trust them to recruit great staff 5.Ensure school leaders are equipped to do their jobs, with outstanding HR, procurement, financial and legal advice 6.Make sure the CPD budget is overspent every year – you can’t afford not to invest in your staff

© NGA The NGA’s Eight Elements of Good Governance 1.The right people round the table 2.Understanding role and 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 * “Challenging” does not mean aggressive or threatening. It means searching, rigorous, thought provoking

© NGA Tips and Pointers

© NGA Questions a new governor might ask When will I receive papers for a GB meeting? Where and when will the meeting be held? Will have I have difficulty with the venue such as steps? hearing? Will the meeting start and finish on time? Will there be refreshments? Where should I sit? Who else will be at the meeting? Will I have to speak?

© NGA QuestionSuggested answer When will I receive papers for a GB meeting? Should be 1 week in advance; should never have tabled papers Where and when will the meeting be held? Room should be appropriate for a board meeting, at a reasonable time for most members Will have I have difficulty with the venue such as steps? hearing? Should be fully accessible and encourage governors with disabilities Will the meeting start and finish on time? The chair is in charge of the clock – some GBs have time limits (eg 90 minutes only) Will there be refreshments?Yes – you should look after your volunteer governors Where should I sit? Let the chair sit in the middle of the long side in order to facilitate eye-contact Who else will be at the meeting? Make sure there are proper introductions, and consider name plates Will I have to speak? Oh yes! So read the papers, and if in doubt ask for a briefing before the meeting

© NGA Chair and Clerk Chair – elected annually, trained, subject to annual appraisal (if it is good enough for the staff, it is good enough for the Chair) … and does not hang around too long (4-6 years is long enough) Clerk – paid and trained to give proper advice to the GB as well as take the minutes. A clerk can be put in a difficult position if he/she is asked to serve two bosses – so try to find a clerk who does not have another job in the school.

© NGA If a GB meeting were an orchestral recital …  Governing Body Chair Head teacher Clerk Governor Orchestra Leader of the Orchestra Principal Soloist Conductor Trombonist Some other role

© NGA Knowing the school Try to triangulate from (at least) 3 sources: What the head teacher and senior staff tell you What you see or hear with your own eyes and ears What you are told by trusted third parties

© NGA The headteacher’s report – or is it? “The headteacher must give the governing body any information asked for to help it carry out its functions.” (Governors’ Handbook) The HT should report on: Progress towards achieving targets Reasons for targets not being met as expected - with particular reference to budget allocation and staffing structures and specific initiatives Actions taken to address issues raised Adjustments to the plans in order for targets to be met The HT should provide evidence (data) for progress towards and achievement of targets REMEMBER – the report is by the headteacher, but it is for the governors.

© NGA Visiting the school Is the purpose of school visits clear? –Getting to know the school and / or –Monitoring improvement priorities Is there a policy and are there protocols which have been agreed and shared with staff? Do all governors visit? How do governors report on visits?

© NGA What sort of questions, and why? Monitor What is happening? What are the facts? Evaluate Is it good news? What might the future hold? Act What next for the SLT? What next for governors? Holding the headteacher to account How many teachers on the intensive support programme? How many do you expect to exit the support programme this term? Do we need to praise the headteacher? Financial resources well spent How much was spent on supply teachers? Is that over budget? Alter budget, or control costs?

© NGA Do we need a courageous conversation? S.W.O.T. (Where are we now?) Our vision (Where do we want to go?) Our priorities for improvement (How are we going to get there?) SMART targets for each priority (How will we know when we have arrived?) Termly milestones (Are we nearly there yet?) Monitoring arrangements (Are we happy with the progress we are making?)

© NGA NGA training …. Observe somebody else’s governing body (or similar board) meeting ? “Borrow” an experienced chair or clerk from another GB until you have sufficient experience to fly solo ? Appoint an additional governor with particular skills and experience for a fixed period ? Ideas to consider

© NGA When is the dress rehearsal? If you were putting on the school play, you’d have rehearsals, including a full dress rehearsal If you were coaching the school first team, you’d have training sessions before the big match If you were teaching a GCSE class, you’d have mock examinations If you were holding a governing body meeting ….

© NGA A practice governing body meeting The rest of our session will be a “walk-through” of a governing body meeting Some of you will take on roles of the governors, principal etc The rest of you will observe At each stage we will pause, reflect, hear from the observers, take questions and discuss any learning points

© NGA Example School - introduction

© NGA Example School Example School opened as new free school in September The School is a Jewish school, and has a strong and committed group of trustees and governors who have seen the school through founding and early growth The School will be an all-through school, taking ages This year there are only year groups R, 1 and 2 in the primary section and years 7, 8 and 9 in the secondary section The current Principal took up post in September 2014 following the departure of the founding Principal.

© NGA Practice governing body meeting See handouts: Setting the scene In your folders are a governing body agenda and papers There is further information and/or instructions for those with active roles and observers in the envelopes (not in your folders) First we will have reading time Second we will have preparation time Third we will hold a practice governing body meeting, pausing to discuss learning points, and taking feedback from observers I will be on hand to keep to time and facilitate

© NGA Reviewing the session The session has covered … 1.Principles and starting points 2.Tips and pointers 3.Example School - introduction 4.A practice governing body meeting 5.Review of the session

© NGA Remember … –Set the vision, ethos and strategic direction for the school –Recruit great school leaders … and trust them to recruit great staff –Triangulate at least 3 views of the school –Give praise and thanks where it is due OR have the courage to intervene when necessary

© NGA © NGA 2015