1. Taking the Chair
A National Development Programme for Chairs, Vice-Chairs and Chairs of Committees
Module Five
Activity 5.1
OHT 1
Taking the Chair

2. The Chair’s Role in Ensuring Accountability
Module Five
The Chair’s Role in Ensuring Accountability
Module Five
Activity 5.1
OHT 2
Taking the Chair

3. Introductory activity
The aims of this activity are to:
Introduce the module
Review monitoring, evaluating and accountability in relation to the school improvement cycle
Module Five
Activity 5.1
OHT 3
Taking the Chair

4. The Governing Body’s role in School Improvement
Who do we ask and how?
What is the evidence?
Do we understand the information?
To whom are we accountable?
How well are we doing?
How do we compare with similar schools?
Pupil Achievement and School Improvement
Taking action
and reviewing progress
What more should we aim to achieve this year?
How do we know it’s happening?
What kinds of achievement do we value?
What must we do to make it happen?
What targets should we set?
Are the resources available?
How do we contribute to planning for it?
Module Five
Activity 5.1
OHT 4
Taking the Chair

5. Evidence of school improvement
The aims of the activity are to:
Explore the Chair’s role in enabling the Governing Body to account for school improvement
Identify evidence for monitoring and evaluating school improvement priorities
Identify sources of evidence and how evidence is obtained
Module Five
Activity 5.2
OHT 1
Taking the Chair

6. Ensuring it happens The aims of this activity are to:
Identify how the Chair can support Chairs of committees
Identify the information needed by the Governing Body to fulfil its role as critical friend
Explore an issue that might arise for a committee in gathering and using evidence
Module Five
Activity 5.3
OHT 1
Taking the Chair

7. Using Pupil Data The aims of the activity are to:
Develop confidence in understanding and using pupil attainment data
Practise analysing data and summarising it for others
Practise the skills of framing critical questions
Module Five
Activity 5.4
OHT 1
Taking the Chair

8. Monitoring and evaluating progress
The aims of this activity are to:
Explore the Chair’s role in supporting the Governing Body in monitoring and evaluating the achievement of school improvement priorities
Module Five
Activity 5.5
OHT 1
Taking the Chair

9. Accountability to stakeholders
The aims of the activity are to:
Develop awareness of the Chair’s role in leading and supporting accountability to stakeholders
Review the stakeholders and ways in which the Chair encourages the Governing Body to demonstrate accountability to them
Module Five
Activity 5.6
OHT 1
Taking the Chair

10. Stakeholder involvement in school improvement planning
In your groups decide:
How each stakeholder can be consulted on what the school does well and what it needs to improve
How each stakeholder can make an input to the school improvement plan
What the Chair can do to ensure there is involvement
Module Five
Activity 5.6
OHT 2
Taking the Chair

11. Managing complaints The aims of the activity are to:
Understand the role of the Chair when acting in an emergency
Develop strategies for handling people in sensitive situations
Understand the importance of ensuring the Governing Body has appropriate policies in place
Module Five
Activity 5.7
OHT 1
Taking the Chair

12. The Annual Parents’ Meeting
The aims of the activity are to:
Develop an understanding of the needs of parents as stakeholders when preparing the Annual Report for Parents
Consider the role of the Chair of governors at the Annual Parents’ Meeting, if held
Module Five
Activity 5.8
OHT 1
Taking the Chair

13. Showing evidence of accountability
The aims of the activity are to:
Consider the evidence that could be produced to show that the Governing Body is accountable for its work
Encourage Chairs to plan the action they need to take where evidence is lacking
Module Five
Activity 5.9
OHT 1
Taking the Chair

14. Plenary Session The aims of the activity are to: Reflect on learning
Evaluate the programme
Module Five
Activity 5.10
OHT 1
Taking the Chair

15. Reflection Please spend 5 minutes
Recording your key learning points on your Learning Record
Module Five
Activity 5.10
OHT 2
Taking the Chair