1. Chair’s Report 2009

2. Vision 2008 (From 2005) What do we look like as an organisation ? –Seconded full-time basis; National Secretary; –Professional Association; Individual membership. –Better Accreditation; Inclusive; –Fully integrated with Children’s Services; –COGs being able to take on roles regardless of LEA; –Some paid positions in NCOGs; Regional & National; –More professional; More partnerships; –Broader base remit; –Equality of status with other School Improvement Services; –Part of influential body; Linked with Children’s Services; –Quality assurance organisation;‘Champion of the governors’; –Brokers of services; Commissioners of other work

3. Annual Report 2009 Ministerial Review Benchmarking Trust & Foundation: Decision Making Toolkit BTEC Level 3&6 Review of Governor Mark Recruitment partnerships NCOGS/NGA regional reps NCSL – support of succession planning TDA - Extended Services meetings

4. Ministerial Review 21 st Century Schools White paper – –Importance of governance emphasised –Collaborations –Accountability for an area –Trained clerks –Trained Chairs –Improved training –Recruitment of people with greater skills Review document

5. Partnership & Collaboration Shared experience – LA Children’s Trusts Definition of a partnership: (Newcastle Partnership Handbook 2008) A relationship between two or more independent organisations which is based on trust, openness and honesty and where parties are working together in a mutually agreed way to achieve agreed outcomes based on their key objectives, which they believe they cannot reasonably achieve alone Partnerships often require protocols as an aid to clarifying mutual expectations True collaboration marked by trust …..

6. New ways of working Continuum of practice in LAs as we move from service provision to services being commissioned Greater diversity; opportunities for enhanced capacity & choice Issues: Intellectual property; fear of change; loss of job; quality assurance; greater use of IT

7. High quality services Importance of the Service Standards and using them to support continuous improvement – deliberate reqorking of the Strategic Plan Need to raise the Standards profile further & to push forward with BTECs to aid recognition of our professional approach to self & service improvement

8. Vision 2012 ? What do we look like as an organisation? Higher profile locally, regionally and nationally – and are acknowledged as central to the continuing development and understanding of governance in its widest context. Highly effective and efficient making best use of technology Balanced priorities between national, regional and local aspirations. Democratic with a flat hierarchy – excellent teamwork Strong regions with national focus Wider range of employment profiles operating to build capacity within the system Ethically entrepreneurial, innovative, positive and solution focussed Brilliant at achieving positive outcomes on a shoestring! “ A complicated central heating system where water flows in and out between radiators (representing the different regions) - without airlocks! - with a small central control panel (NCOGS). The energy - wind, solar, wave, hydro is supplied locally by each COG....and we do not blow hot and cold: the temperature is always just right!”

9. Strategic Plan 2009-12 Governance of Collaborations Clerks training/accreditation (BTEC?) New Level 3&6 BTEC for Governor Service professionals New training programme development Recruitment partnerships Website developments to further aid sharing/ improved communication Greater distributed leadership/accountability Further embed Service Standards & Governor Mark ( Link to 21 st Century school white paper)

10. hlrichardson@live.co.uk