1. Strategic planning: vision into reality South East Regional Conference 1 st March 2014 Clare Collins NGA Lead Consultant © NGA 2013 1 www.nga.org.uk

2. © NGA 2014 2 www.nga.org.uk Purpose of the session To develop our understanding of the governing body’s role in ensuring our vision becomes reality by: 1.Clarifying expectations of governors and governance 2.Looking at the starting point – articulating the vision 3.Examining how we achieve the vision 4.Thinking about how the strategy should be expressed 5.Discussing options for targets and how these are measured 6.Deciding who does what 7.Determining how to monitor the strategy

3. © NGA 2014 3 www.nga.org.uk 1. The strategic role: January 2014 The ‘board of governors’ should operate at a strategic level, leaving the head teacher and senior school leaders responsible and accountable to it for the operational day-to-day running of the school. The board should avoid its time being consumed with issues of secondary importance, and focus strongly on three core functions: o Setting the vision and strategic direction of school o Holding the headteacher to account for its educational performance o Ensuring financial resources are well spent Departmental advice for school leaders and governing bodies of maintained schools and management committees of PRUs in England The DfE want all governing bodies to operate as non-executive boards

4. © NGA 2014 4 www.nga.org.uk Three core functions  clarity of vision and ethos  meeting statutory duties  engaging stakeholders Setting strategic direction Creating robust accountability Ensuring financial probity  for teaching, achievement, behaviour and safety  strengthening school leadership  performance managing the headteacher  contributing to school self-evaluation  solvency and effective financial management  use of Pupil Premium and other resources to overcome barriers to learning Core Function Ofsted criteria for effective governance

5. © NGA 2014 5 www.nga.org.uk The language we use Vision Aims Mission Values Ethos Priorities Strategy / strategic plan School development plan Targets / key performance indicators (KPIs)

6. © NGA 2014 6 www.nga.org.uk Being strategic The GB determines the vision and ethos … and a strategy for achieving this The vision and ethos describe the sort of school we want to be in three to five years time GBs do this by: Setting goals or aims and agreeing the school’s development priorities For each priority setting targets or KPIs for the short and longer term Structuring most of the GB business towards monitoring progress against these At the end of the year, formally reviewing and evaluating the strategy

7. © NGA 2014 7 www.nga.org.uk 2. Articulating the school’s vision The vision should: Describe what your school will look like in three to five years’ time The school’s ethos should clearly articulate what is valued Describe what the children will have left the school having learned –Does this need to be measured? –Can this be measured? Take account of stakeholder views Be developed by the school Be agreed and owned by the GB

8. © NGA 2014 8 www.nga.org.uk Table discussion What is your understanding of your school’s vision? Look at the handout : Some visions Do these constitute a vision statements?

9. © NGA 2014 9 www.nga.org.uk 3. Achieving the vision In order to achieve the vision, it is necessary to identify: Where the school is now (through self evaluation) Where you want the school to be (the vision) and How the school will get there (by determining the priorities to be pursued and targets to be achieved) which is the … Strategy!

10. © NGA 2014 10 www.nga.org.uk 4. What does a strategy look like Discussion What should a strategy document look like? As a table or a plan? 1 or 3 or 10 or more pages? Is it the same as the school development plan?

11. © NGA 2014 11 www.nga.org.uk The strategy document Your vision Priorities for improvement Targets for each priority Measurable milestones (termly?) Monitoring arrangements (max three pages?)

12. © NGA 2014 12 www.nga.org.uk 5. The targets or KPIs Discussion How many and how detailed should these be?

13. © NGA 2014 13 www.nga.org.uk The targets or KPIs –Need to be high level … so a maximum of about 6 –Must be SMART: specific / measurable / agreed / realistic / timebound –Should not just be hard nosed: value what you measure and measure what you value –Should include one for quality of teaching –Must be broken down into measurable milestones (termly)

14. © NGA 2014 14 www.nga.org.uk 6. Who does what Discussion We’re always being told to stay strategic and not to involved in the operational. What does this mean in practice?

15. © NGA 2014 15 www.nga.org.uk Senior staffGB/board Strategy origination Strategy approval Monitoring Review and amendment Framework for strategy development Source: Caroline Copeman, 2011 Strategy implementation

16. © NGA 2014 16 www.nga.org.uk Quick quiz Strategic or operational … Writing the prospectus Attending a parents’ consultation evening Going into class to observe the quality of teaching Taking part in staff interviews Undertaking a health and safety audit Listening to children read Writing tenders and bids Checking the single central record

17. © NGA 2014 17 www.nga.org.uk Strategic (i.e. governance)Operational Monitoring reports on quality of teaching against pupils’ outcomes Making judgements about the quality of teaching Receiving financial audit reportGovernor coming into school to supervise book-keeper Ensuring necessary audits have been carried out by qualified professionals Governors undertaking audits e.g. health and safety Interviewing senior leaders Interviewing teachers Agreeing to invest in school busesOrganising the bus routes Agreeing to a building projectObtaining quotes for cost Ensuring school is marketed wellWriting school prospectus

18. © NGA 2014 18 www.nga.org.uk Staying strategic Distinguish when you are governing and when you are volunteering in another capacity Use your time to best effect - on the key school priorities, not just compliance and ‘policies’ … differentiate ‘principle’ from ‘procedures’ Ensure the school improvement plan has a limited number of high level targets / KPIs with measurable milestones against which the GB can monitor progress Check that school leaders are equipped to do their jobs (including HR, procurement, health and safety) to avoid operational support from governors Do not do someone else’s job: see the joint statement with ASCL and NAHT: “What governing bodies should expect from school leaders and what school leaders should expect from governing bodies”

19. © NGA 2014 19 www.nga.org.uk 7. Monitoring the strategy

20. © NGA 2014 20 www.nga.org.uk The GB needs to decide What is monitored … and by whom How often to monitor What will be monitored What evidence will be required to back judgments How this will be reported

21. © NGA 2014 21 www.nga.org.uk Key documents Strategy framework which includes the vision / school aims / key priorities / KPIs or targets School development plan HT reports on progress being made Questions: 1.What evidence should the headteacher bring to the GB to back judgements on progress being made? 2. How does the GB monitor?

22. © NGA 2014 22 www.nga.org.uk The headteacher’s report - strategy Governing bodies should play a strategic role and leave the running of the school to the headteacher they have appointed (Governors) should check on progress and review regularly their strategic framework for the school in the light of that progress (both from the DfE Governors’ Handbook) GBs need information and updates on how the strategy is being implemented and that the expected progress is being made. The HT should report on: Progress towards achieving KPIs / targets: evidence (data) must be provided 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 strategy necessary for targets to be met

23. © NGA 2014 23 www.nga.org.uk Visiting the school Is the purpose of school visits clear? –In order to get to know the school and / or –To monitor the strategy Is there a policy and protocols which have been agreed and shared with staff? How do governors report on visits? © NGA 2013 23 www.nga.org.uk

24. © NGA 2014 24 www.nga.org.uk Governance making an impact Set the vision and ethos, including what the children should leave the school having learned Stay strategic and focused on improvement priorities: leave the operational to school leaders, and delegate Don’t get overwhelmed by compliance and reviewing policies: focus on principles, delegating procedures Recruit good school leaders (a future challenge) … and trust them to recruit good staff Ensure school leaders are equipped to do their jobs, including HR, procurement, legal advice, and CPD

25. © NGA 2014 25 www.nga.org.uk Reviewing the session The session has covered … 1.Clarifying expectations of governors and governance 2.Looking at the starting point – articulating the vision 3.Examining how we achieve the vision 4.Thinking about how the strategy should be expressed 5.Discussing options for targets and how these are measured 6.Deciding who does what 7.Determining how to monitor the strategy Has it developed your knowledge and understanding of making vision reality?

26. © NGA 2013 26 www.nga.org.uk governorhq@nga.org.uk www.nga.org.uk governorhq@nga.org.uk 0121 237 3780 © NGA 2013 26 www.nga.org.uk