Thursday 30 June 2016

Being an Effective Governor

The role of a governor is highly responsible and your accountability is significant. This is what the DfE (Department for Education) say about being an effective governor, and note you need to:

Ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;

Hold the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff; and

Oversee the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.

This seems intimidating but you realise that it is the collective role of the governing body to do this and does not fall on your shoulders alone. Phew!
  1.       Governors provide support and challenge at strategic level
This is a collective role, and it is important to have a clear appreciation of the role of governance and that of the head and senior team who ensure the operational function, whilst having an interest in the strategic leadership of the school.
Support and challenge means that governors ask often the tricky questions, and listen to the school’s answers to ensure that pupils’ outcomes are as good as possible. In discussing outcomes, this means progress from starting points (into nursery, middle school, KS2, sixth form and so on); behaviour and attitudes to learning – including attendance, rewards and sanctions; preparation for the next steps in education and training (whatever is suitable for the type of school you are in); and personal development.
It is not for governors to tell the school what and how to do things but to ensure that the outcomes for pupils are of as high a standard as possible. Challenge stereotypes and entrenched beliefs – young humans are immensely adaptable and habits of good learning give an advantage throughout life. Pupils have no limits to their capability, and can achieve almost anything with the right support and time. 


     2.   Building relationships with the staff and students

Get to know the school by attending events, assemblies, special occasions. Perhaps drop in for 30 minutes before a formal meeting or complete a short learning walk with a senior team colleague. If you are asked make time to attend disciplinary meetings or exclusion hearings, this is an important way of supporting the school.

  1. Being part of a team of governors that makes an impact
It is the collective governing board that makes the difference and working as part of a team for the good of a school of children or young people will bring a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction for you. A good school provides on-going training and information for its governors so that new skills and knowledge areas are developed, and takes the external perspective provided by governors into account when making important decisions. For most governors the role enables you to expand your understanding and perspective on education and your expertise from outside school can be brought to make a positive impact.

  1. Challenge when needed for the school, and support too
Governors are often described as ‘critical friends’ to the school. Getting the right balance between criticism and friendliness is key. You don’t want a headteacher and senior team always on the defensive through excess criticism, but at the same time, a strong governing body challenges the school, through its senior staff, to further improve for the benefit of the pupils.

  1. Using external sources to triangulate
Each year a range of data is made available to governors to provide an external check against the information given to you by the head and senior team. Take time to read and understand the RAISEonline report. It has a series of questions that governors can use to help understand how the school is doing compared to other similar ones and national averages. The autumn-published performance tables also allow governors to compare different data between schools.

Check what parents are saying on the ParentView website.

Reviews by external groups or individuals can also provide information to the governing board, such as a multi-academy trust review, or local authority safeguarding visit or Ofsted.

6.                6.  Stay strategic


Governance is about being shrewd, thoughtful, decisive, wise, discerning and prudent. It is about what is best for the pupils, first and foremost.


Dr. Fiona Hammans, Associate Director, Ease Training

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