1. The School-led system and NLG
Bernard Tomkins
Good morning
Congratulations again on progressing to today’s induction. Thank you for the work you’ve already done in your own schools to raise standards.
Your job, as strategic leaders of our schools, has always been crucial, and never more so than now where there is an increasing focus on governance.

2. What is a school-led system?
“We have many excellent schools in this country
But there are still too many that are falling behind and failing their children - large numbers of whom are leaving school without basic literacy and numeracy skills. “
Improvement driven from within
Outstanding school leaders are the most effective agents for positive change in education
Working in partnership to build capacity and raise standards across the system
We recognise that we have many excellent schools in this country, but there are still too many that are falling behind.
We are confident that improvement driven from within – a school-led system – is the most effective approach to addressing this.
In the purest form, a school-led system is one where the processes by which educational standards are raised, and outcomes for pupils improved, are fully the responsibility of schools themselves. This is a system where teaching schools and the best system leaders – including NLGs - at the hub and where the role of Government is to support rather than lead.
Improvement driven from within
will allow the very best teachers and school leaders to become effective agents for positive change.
they will be able to model excellence in practice, and work in partnership to build capacity and raise standards across the system.
this recognises that outstanding school leaders – not Government ministers and officials – are the most effective agents for positive change in education.
The rationale for this approach is that the system knows what it needs to do to improve itself. And the core strategy is system leadership.

3. How will it be achieved? System leadership Teaching schools – 351
Teaching school alliances - 298
National leaders of education - 863
Local leaders of education – 1,894
Specialist leaders of education – 2,536
National leaders of governance
System leadership is the core strategy for driving improvement from within.
Listed here are the designations for system leaders, including NLG.
Your own headteacher or principal might well be an NLE, LLE, or your school might be a designated teaching school or part of a teaching school alliance.
So what is system leadership?

4. What is system leadership?
System leaders care about, and work for, the success of all children not just those in their own school
Some system leadership roles are undertaken by those with formal designations. For example SLEs, LLEs, NLEs and NLG are designated against strict criteria
Some leaders undertake system leadership roles at the request of the local authority, diocese or another school
System leaders care about, and work for, the success of all children not just those in their own school
Some system leadership roles are undertaken by those with formal designations. For example SLEs, LLEs, NLEs and NLG are designated against strict criteria
Some leaders undertake system leadership roles at the request of the local authority, diocese or another school

5. System leadership isn’t parachuting in to take over
recognises the importance of leadership in school improvement
System leadership:
Isn’t parachuting in to take over
It recognises the importance of leadership in school improvement
It marks a decisive break with the ‘super head’ or ‘super chair’ model

6. System leadership is structured on:
School leaders AND their schools being the agents of school-to-school improvement
Peer to peer support
Working together
System leadership is structured on:
School leaders AND their schools being the agents of school-to-school improvement
Peer to peer support
Working together

7. Increasing focus on governance
Governance often found wanting in weak schools
In around 40% of schools, governance is not as strong as it should be . (based upon 9 criteria)
High quality governance is crucial
External review of governance
National College is now an executive arm of the DfE
We know from Ofsted, that where schools are weak, governance is also often to be found wanting. Ofsted found that, in around 40% of schools, governance is not as strong as it should be, so it’s right that Ofsted has sharpened its focus in this area.
High quality governance is crucial as a vehicle for raising school performance, and so to improve governance, Ofsted may recommend that a school has an external review of governance.
This has been the case for schools judged as requiring improvement where governance is weak, since September 2012.
(NB The DfE Governors’ handbook is due to be published 13th January 2014, and might indicate that schools judged good but with weak governance could be recommended an external RoG.)

8. DfE input for improving governance
Introduction of new regulations for constitution of governing bodies - Sept 2012
Piloting external reviews of governance and release of resources to open market - Feb 2013
Introduction of Ofsted school data dashboard to provide stakeholders with access to data - Feb 2013
An expanded NLG and National College training offer, including free training workshops for governors and  a training programme for Clerks - Jul 2014
Over the past 16 months, the Department has had a focus on equipping governors to undertake their strategic role, and listed above are some of those initiatives.
(NB The DfE Governors’ handbook is due to be published 13th January 2014.)
However, we recognise that we can’t do it alone, and that’s why the Government’s vision for raising standards in education is centred on the notion of a school-led system. 2

9. What does an NLG do?
“National leaders of governance are highly effective chairs of governors, who use their skills and experience to support chairs of governors in other schools and academies.”
NLG is requested to assist by school, GB, LA or Diocese.
NLG deals with COG only.
Pre – agreed outcome. (not pathway)
Both supported COG , and the COG providing support raise standards.
Providing support can be some of the best personal development available as it requires you to reflect on your own practice, and observe both good and bad practice in other schools.
Reviews of Governance.
There are significant benefits of system leadership, to both the supported school and the school providing support:
Both supported school, and the school providing support raise standards
Evidence indicates that standards in both schools improves
Providing support can be some of the best personal CPD available as it requires you to reflect on your own practice, and observe both good and bad practice in other schools
NLG report that deployments help them to reflect on their practice as chair, and they can bring good practice back to their own context
Supports succession planning activities, and enables staff to “step up” and “step out” of their school, in structured and supported manner
Enables staff to work in greater numbers of schools, in differing contexts, and with different structures, thus enabling them to broaden their experience
Gives individuals the opportunity to celebrate their success and their achievements
The engine of the self-improving system are Teaching Schools.

10. NLG as system leaders NLG are making a difference
Since April 2012, NLG have supported 371 schools; 209 of these deployments are now complete.
91% supported chairs were satisfied or very satisfied with the support they received from the NLG
The role is part of the school-led, self-improving system
agents of improvement in governance
NLG are system leaders who fit at the heart of this picture.
NLG are making a difference
Since April 2012, NLG have supported 371 schools; 209 of these deployments are now complete.
91% supported chairs were satisfied or very satisfied with the support they received from the NLG
In taking on this role, you are part of the school-led, self-improving system
You are in the best position to be agents of improvement in governance
Thank you for the work on which you’re about to embark, and for the difference you will make to the lives of children.
[Hand over to Alistair Shaw]

11. Thank you for listening. Any questions?
Alistair: Thank you Sinead for your overview and input.
I’d now like to give colleagues an opportunity to process the morning so far by discussing on your tables the following :
“If there was one question you would be disappointed leaving without the answer to, what would it be?”
Please discuss in your groups and write down your questions on a post it note. We’ll aim to address these between now and 3.45pm when you depart.
If you haven’t already introduced yourselves to each other round the table you may wish to do that now.