Introduction to Governance
We all recognise the importance of support and development for new governors and they will be well catered for. We offer support in a number of ways with a day conference, and a choice of two-hour lunchtime or evening sessions covering the main roles.
An Introduction to Governance: Day Conference - This day conference will give an oveerview of governors' work, responsibilities, roles and how to develop in their work. We strongly recommend that all new governors attend and that you will encourage them to do so.
The day conference is offered to new governors, at no additional charge, and is therefore not included as part of the subscription to the training programme.
In addition to the day conference, there are two sessions within our main programme which will look in depth at the specific roles:
Planning for Improvement (Strategic Role) - This session gives governors the opportunity to learn about the importance of school planning and their role in the process of developing the strategic framework. This is done by involving governors in establishing the framework for the school and development planning while focusing on the key issue of raising standards.
Support, Challenge and Accountability (Critical Friend/Being Accountable) - This session gives governors the opportunity to develop their role as critical friend, checking on the progress of the school and supporting school improvement. The session will also explore the ways in which the governing body keeps the broader community informed of the school's progress and development.
This programme of sessions provides a chance to learn more about what governors do. It gives support and encouragement to new governors, and with all the current changes, it also allows more experienced governors a chance to keep up to date, if they wish to attend. This training course is strongly recommended for new governors.
To book your place either complete an Online Booking Form (see menu link) or telephone Mary Hillery (see Contact Us menu link)
School Based Induction
The Introduction to Governance sessions provide the background with some details of issues that new governors will face. In short, it is part of a toolkit, which builds on the new governors' pack, which the Governor Support Team sends to each new governor.
Each school and its governing body will want to build on this toolkit by helping governors to pick up their work in the local context. Whilst it is not appropriate for the Governor Support Team to prescribe what should happen, the following suggestions may help your governing body consider the arrangements it makes.
The link governor plays a crucial role in supporting new governors, and ensuring that the development needs of the governing body are met.
The following suggestions drawn from experience, the work of the School Governance Executive Group and the DCSF, will give your governing body the chance to review its support for new governors:
- Are the issues of confidentiality and loyalty to corporate decisions, clearly explained to new governors?
- Does your governing body allocate a mentor or support to each new governor?
- Do you have a comprehensive school-based induction that gives governors information about the school, as soon as they start being a governor?
- Is the governors' induction programme evaluated at the end?
- Is there an early meeting with the headteacher and chair, as an introduction to induction?
- Do new governors have the chance to feed back to the governing body on their induction training?
- Do you find out what strengths, skills and knowledge new governors bring with them, so the governing body can make best use of them?
- Do new governors have a school visit as part of their programme?
- Are new governors linked with a class, year group or a department?
- Do new governors have a chance to attend meetings of all committees before they are appointed to be members of particular committees?
- Do you allocate new governors to committees based upon the skills they bring, or where there is a vacancy?
Governing bodies are teams made up of people from diverse backgrounds with various levels of skill, knowledge and expertise. Although it is vital that individuals attend sessions for new governors as well as those designed to support particular roles such as those of the link, special needs or nominated safeguarding governors, it is also important to develop the governing body as a team. Many of the sessions in the development programme prove more valuable if attended by several governors from each school or it is often of even greater support if the whole governing body, with members of staff as well where appropriate, work together on developments.