1. Training for Chairs of Governing Bodies

2. Education (Wales) Measure 2011 September 2013
Prescribed training for chairs of governing bodies.
Also recommended that vice chairs of governing bodies attend this training.
Mandatory training for new governors and clerks to governing bodies and for governors on data.

3. The aims of the presentation is to focus on :
Key roles and responsibilities of governing bodies
The role and skills of the chair
Key relationships
How to be an effective chair?
Other statutory duties of the chair
Where to access further advice and support?

4. What are the three statutory roles of a school governing body?

5. Three statutory roles of a school governing body
With school senior staff set the strategic plans to include aims, objectives and targets.
Challenging the school management team in a supportive manner on running the school and the overall performance and targets.
Being accountable, explaining actions and decisions to all school partners.

6. Core Responsibilities
Standards
Targets
Curriculum
Determining the aims, policies and priorities of the school
Finance

7. Core Responsibilities (continued)
Staffing
Providing parents with information.
Inspection preparation and follow-up.
Wellbeing and safeguarding.
Awareness of responsibilities in relation to matters of equality
Evaluation of performance of the governing body.

8. Skills of the Chair Clear communicator with good listening skills.
Recognise boundaries between governance and management.
Ensure all governors are fully informed and involved in decision making as appropriate.
Demonstrate impartiality, reasonableness and fairness.

9. Skills (continued) Ability to adopt an impartial position.
Ability to deal with issues sensitively and objectively and address difficult issue.
Recognise and use skills and expertise of individual governor.
Lead role in organising the governing body.

10. And more . . . Ability to prioritise.
Ensure the governing body work as a team.
Encourage governors to attend training.
Provide/facilitate mentoring support for new governors.
Good time management skills.

11. 3 areas to cover Key relationships
Effective organisation and management of meetings
Inducting new governors

12. Relationships: with Headteacher
Prepare the agenda for a governing body meeting in consultation with the head and clerk.
Regular timetabled meeting between the chair and head to discuss the work of the school.
Meeting between the chair and head to deal with an emergency.
Why / when else could you meet?

13. What to expect at meetings with the Headteacher
Issue(s) which need addressing as identified by the chair and or governors.
Issues which need addressing as identified by the head.
Curriculum issues, especially updates or information on initiatives.
Finance

14. What to expect at meetings with the Headteacher? (cont.)
Extra-curricular activities
Health and safety, and the environment
Staff and pupil welfare, including staff continuing professional development
Briefing on educational attainment – examination / test results.

15. Meeting with the Chair, Head and Clerk
Set agenda.
Consider setting the calendar for the year ahead.
Agree papers for distribution.
Consider membership, training, vacancies, non-attendance issues, confidential items etc
Discuss presentation of correspondence eg letters, requests etc

16. Main Duties of the Clerk to the Governing Body
Convening meetings of the GB
Distribution of papers for GB meetings
Taking and distribution of GB minutes
Maintaining membership register and notifying LA of updates
Offering procedural guidance/advice
Ensure all follow up actions completed

17. Working with the Vice Chair
Share information as may be appropriate.
Update on school issues.
Mentor the Vice Chair and encourage attendance at Chair training.

18. Working with others
Parents and the Community eg Communities First, Flying Start, local police etc
Local Authority eg advisors, School and Governor Support, Access to Learning etc
Inspectors – it is usual for the chair to meet with the lead inspector during the inspection week
Spokesperson for events, media/ publicity etc

19. Effective organisation and management of meetings
GB is a team and needs to be an effective team.
Plan meetings – including agenda and items for discussion.

20. Agenda Items Date, time and venue of meeting Apologies for absence
Minutes of the previous meeting including sub-committee meetings
Matters arising from the minutes
Headteacher’s report – termly
Finance report
Date and time of next meeting

21. Additional agenda items
Examination results / KS assessments
Pay policy
Review of policies
Target setting
Admission Arrangements
School development plan
Exclusions
Complaints
Annual report to parents
Governor training update

22. Annual General Meeting
Appoint chair and vice chair
Setting up statutory committees
Setting up other committees
Review instrument of governance
Issue and collect declaration of business interests

23. Holding meetings Room and layout Attendance/apologies recorded
Quorate – 50% of Governing Body present excluding vacancies
Confidential items eg pay, discipline
Removal of a governor eg conflict of interest, financial gain
Timing (between 1.5 and 2 hours max)
Decision making

24. Engaging governors and managing conflict
Balance of engaging all governors and not letting a governor/s take over or manipulate.
Governors with specific responsibility eg CP, LAC, SEN should be encouraged to report back to the GB.

25. Engaging governors and managing conflict
Governors with specific responsibility should be encouraged to attend specific training.
Not all governors will always agree on all decisions – necessary to agree to majority decision.
Use strategies/techniques to avoid conflict and aggression

26. New governor induction
Governing bodies should adopt a system to mentor new governors. Good practice guidelines:
Telephone/write to invite to meet with chair.
Telephone/write to invite to meet with the headteacher and visit the school.
Provide copies of school prospectus, latest inspection report and any other relevant literature.

27. First Meeting
Consider meeting with the new governor prior to the first meeting they attend to go through the papers and headteacher’s report.
Arrange to meet the governor about 10 minutes before the start of the meeting.
Introduce the new governor at the start of the meeting.
Emphasise the need to attend new governor training and if possible arrange the date.

28. It must be remembered that -
Authority rests with the whole governing body.
Collective responsibility should be taken for the outcomes.
How individual governors vote is confidential.
The chair can act in an emergency, but must inform the whole GB at the earliest opportunity.
Your actions should be fair, reasonable and impartial.

29. Useful Links Governors Wales www.governorswales.org.uk
Welsh Government
My Local School
ERW