Chairs’ Briefing Summer 2015 Transition

Agenda 1.An update on national changes and expectations for governance 2.The new Headteacher Standards and future support for Heads 3.An update on assessment without levels 4.Governance in transition - self evaluation 5.Governor Training programme for 2015/2016

Regulatory tidy up The Constitution of Governing Bodies of Maintained Schools – update to statutory guidance – March 2015 The School Governance (Miscellaneous Amendments) (England) Regulations 2015 Deregulation Act th March 2015 National Standards of Excellence for Headteachers - Departmental advice for headteachers, governing boards and aspiring headteachers

Governors hold an important public office and their identity should be known to their school and wider communities. Governing bodies should therefore publish on their website information about their members. The information they should publish should, as a minimum include for each governor: their name; their category of governor; which body appoints them; their term of office; the names of any committees the governor serves on; and details of any positions of responsibility such as chair or vice-chair of the governing body or a committee of the governing body. Governing bodies should also publish this information for associate members, making clear whether they have voting rights on any of the committees they serve on. From 1 September 2015, governing bodies will be under a duty to publish on their website their register of interests. The register should set out the relevant business interests of governors and details of any other educational establishments they govern. The register should also set out any relationships between governors and members of the school staff including spouses, partners and relatives. Governing bodies should make it clear in their code of conduct that this information will be published on their governors and, where applicable, their associate members. Any governor failing to reveal information to enable the governing body to fulfil their responsibilities may be in breach of the code of conduct and as a result be bringing the governing body into disrepute. In such cases the governing body should consider suspending the governor. The constitution of governing bodies of maintained schools Statutory guidance updated March 2015

Publication of Governors’ Details Publication of the Register of Interests Need to change codes of conduct The constitution of governing bodies of maintained schools Statutory guidance updated March 2015

Key points: 1. By September 1 st 2015 all maintained school GB’s must publish on the school website the following information about their governors : – name – category of governor – the appointing body – terms of office – names of any committees the governor serves on – details of any positions of responsibility, such as, chair or vice- chair of the governing body or a committee of the governing body

Key points: 2. By September 1 st 2015 all maintained school GB’s must publish on the school website their register of interests. The register should: ⁻ set out the relevant business interests of governors ⁻details of any other educational establishments they govern. ⁻any relationships between governors and members of the school staff including spouses, partners and relatives.

Amendments to the regulations: allow governing bodies to use associate members (i.e. individuals on the governing body who are not actually governors) on panels set up to deal with staffing matters (e.g. grievance or disciplinary hearings). Allow alternate dates to be set for governor terms of office. Note: This will need to be recorded on the Instrument of Government The School Governance (Miscellaneous Amendments) (England) Regulations 2015

The following no longer apply: the power of the Secretary of State for Education to make regulations requiring maintained schools or local authorities to set performance targets the requirement for governing bodies to establish pupil behaviour principles, on which the headteacher has had to base the school’s behaviour policy the requirement of schools to have home-school agreements Deregulation Act – March 2015 Schools related changes

These standards are designed to inspire public confidence in headteachers, raise aspirations, secure high academic standards in the nation’s schools, and empower the teaching profession. The context for headteachers changes constantly. In most contexts, a headteacher has led one school; in some settings headteachers are responsible for leading more than one school. Job titles are various - including principal, executive, associate and co headteacher – as are the governance arrangements to which headteachers are accountable. These standards are intended as guidance to underpin best practice, whatever the particular job description of the headteacher. They are to be interpreted in the context of each individual headteacher and school, and designed to be relevant to all headteachers, irrespective of length of service in post. National standards of excellence for Headteachers Departmental advice for headteachers, governing boards and aspiring headteachers

The standards can be used to: – shape headteachers’ own practice and professional development, within and beyond the school – inform the appraisal of headteachers – support the recruitment and appointment of headteachers – provide a framework for training middle and senior leaders, aspiring to headship.

Support for Heads Coaching – talking to Heads in June One of many providers: Integrity - Coaching and Leadership Development. (£ £7500)

Floreat Wandsworth A second or new GB role? New free school in Garratt Lane Requesting an LA governor

Transition Planning for development of governance 1.The importance of self review and development 2.Continuing to develop membership 3.Supporting chairing 4.Training offer 5.Clerking offer Wandsworth Governor Services

Self review ‘It is good practice for the governing body to publish an annual governance statement (as academy trusts are required to do through the Accounts Direction) to explain how it has fulfilled its responsibilities – particularly in relation to its core functions, including: the governance arrangements that are in place, including the remit of any committees; the attendance record of individual governors at board and committee meetings; and an assessment of the effectiveness and impact of the board and any committees with details of any particular challenges that have arisen’. School Governance (Roles, Procedures and Allowances) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 Confidentiality

Self review APPG Key questions every governing board should ask itself What inspectors should consider when judging governance Ofsted Governance reviews – SWLSEP and others Achieving Outstanding governance

Mini – review 1.Look at the APPG questions and consider how your GB would rate itself. 2.Work with colleagues on your table to identify key areas that need development. Please write these on the flip charts.

Training Support and training for governors Governing bodies have a challenging job to do. High quality induction and continual professional development is vital to equip governors with the skills they need. Induction, continuous professional development and ongoing training It is governing bodies’ responsibility to identify and secure the induction and other ongoing training and development governors need. Governing bodies should set aside a budget for this purpose. Governors’ Handbook

The governing body’s code of conduct should set an ethos of professionalism and high expectations of the governor role, including an expectation that they undertake whatever training or development activity is needed to fill any gaps in the skills they have to contribute to effective governance. If, in the view of the governing body, a governor fails persistently to do this, then they will be in breach of the code of conduct and may bring the governing body or the office of a governor into disrepute – and, as such, provide grounds for the governing body to consider suspension.

Central training programme National College courses Whole GB training On-line training Other providers

Training questionnaire

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