1. Good governance: ethical, effective & accountable Emma Knights OBE, Chief Executive, National Governance Association.

2. Annual Governance Survey 2018
5,218 respondents – thank you!
Only source of data on demographics, views & experiences of governors and trustees
Respondents are broadly representative of governing boards in English state schools
So what did it tell us?

3. Annual Governance Survey: key findings
Three quarters of governors and trustees have a negative view of the government’s performance in education over the past year
Governing boards are calling for more funding and more stability in education policy
Funding pressures are still the main concern of most respondents
Just half of schools reported have a balanced budget, with almost a third having an in-year deficit
Funding pressures are increasingly being felt in secondary schools, sixth forms and in early years
Only one in five said their budget could be managed without reducing the quality of education

4. High needs funding is a big concern

6. Staff recruitment is a challenge for many schools

7. …particularly in challenging schools

8. Age profile of governors

9. Everyone on Board - Diversity matters

10. Everyone on Board – governing board diversity
Watch the film and learn more at nga.org.uk/everyone-on-board

11. Why is governance so important?
Governance determines who has the power,
who makes the decisions,
how other players make their voice heard and
how account is rendered
Institute on Governance, Canada

12. Good governance = ethical governance + effective governance + accountable governance

13. Ethical governance and leadership
Boards are the guardians of the organisation’s vision, ethos & values:
“No crooks; no cronies; no cowards”
Put into practice the Nolan principles: the 7 principles of public life
Selflessness; Integrity; Objectivity; Accountability; Openness; Honesty; Leadership
Ethical Framework for Educational leadership: Trust, Wisdom, Kindness, Justice, Service, Courage, Optimism
Decisions made in the best interest of all children and young people
What about the interests of the institution?
Conflicts of interest: declare but if at all possible AVOID
Related party transactions & remuneration
Agree a code of conduct & use it: the role of the chair
Ethical governance and leadership

14. What might be areas of ethical concern?
Admissions & inclusion
Exclusions & pupils otherwise leaving the roll
Which children to prioritise? Expansion of selection?
Teaching to the test: stress for KS2; exam factories for KS4; cheating
Children’s mental health & well being
Broad and balanced curriculum & extra curricula offer
KS 5 options – including at other institutions
Executive pay
Staff welfare & workload
Use of evidence vs what is fashionable
Collaboration & partnership: empires & growth

15. Discuss What are your school’s/trust’s values?
How do they fit with the virtues from the Ethical leadership framework? Trust, Wisdom, Kindness, Justice, Service, Courage, Optimism
Does the way your governing board deals with issues fit with those values and ethos?
When did your governing board last debate an ethical issue: what was it and was it resolved?
When did you last challenge the way the way the board or the school does things because of an ethical concern?

16. Eight elements of effective governance
The right people round the table
Understanding role & responsibilities
Good chairing
Professional clerking
Good relationships based on trust
Knowing the school(s) - the data, the staff, the parents, the children, the community - & ensuring engagement with stakeholders
Committed to asking challenging questions
Confident to have courageous conversations in the interests of the children and young people

17. The core functions of school governance
In all types of schools, governing boards (GBs) have three core functions:
Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
Holding the executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and performance management of staff;
Overseeing the financial performance of the
organisation and making sure its money is well spent
Accountable governance: NGA is asking the DfE to
Include a fourth core function into its 2018 edition:
Ensuring decisions take into account the views and
experiences of stakeholders (pupils, parents, staff and
the community)
This is an important part of governance which is in
danger of being overlooked

18. Accountable governance: NGA’s proposal for a fourth core function

20. Addressing teacher workload

21. Discuss: so what? What did you learn from your stakeholder engagement?
What did you change as a result?
Teacher workload:
how much of a problem is it in your schools?
What do you know? (eg less than a quarter (24%) of respondents’ governing boards were receiving summary reports of exit interviews)
What have you done as a result