It is essential that governing boards have high expectations for staff and pupils, with a commitment to continuous improvement. To achieve this there is a requirement to have a clear understanding of the views and needs of pupils, staff, parents, carers and local communities and an objective view of their own competencies.
Regular evaluation of the effectiveness of governance and the performance of schools is an important step in improving the quality of leadership of the Governing Board.
The programme is suitable for those in governance leadership roles, such as chairs, vice chairs or committee chairs. One funding application can be made per Governing board.
The DfE is funding this programme for state funded schools. There are 2 funding rates.
The standard rate will cover the full £500 cost for each eligible participant board.
Some may be eligible for a higher level of support, with up to £2000 available for boards or local governing boards that are either:
The higher rate of funding enables Governing boards to receive additional mentor support and credits.
Therefore these programmes are free to you and your school.
If you have already completed the funded programme, or are ineligible, you can still access training and development activities through GovernorSpacePlus.
For MAT boards we are able to co-ordinate a whole trust approach including Trust-wide training delivery and a single point of contact. This will provide consistency and ensure that the programme compliments your existing development plan and strategic aims for your trust. For examples of how this has been done and for more information, please get in touch.
The self-evaluation tool, based on the DfE Competency Framework for Governance, is easy to use and can be completed at a time and place that suits you. The GovernorSpace self-evaluation tool allows you to clearly identify strengths and areas for development that feed into your Governance Development plan.
The self-evaluation uses using a simple RAG rating. The RAG system is a popular method of rating for issues or status reports, based on Red, Amber and Green colours used in a traffic light rating system. It is a way of tracking progress and seeking support and guidance from sponsors and senior stakeholders.
The self-evaluation will be completed by you, with reference to your Governing Board, to give you an objective view of how to further develop your knowledge and skills. This will provide the basis for you to complete a Governance Development plan, identifying key actions, professional development activities and success criteria.
To help you, we will assign you an expert Governance Mentor to support you in the development planning process, identifying success criteria and development activities. You will receive two one-to-one telephone mentoring sessions from one of our trusted experts – many of whom are national and local leaders of education and/or governance and who can evidence the impact they have in schools. They will support you in effectively developing your board.
If you are eligible for the higher rate of funding, you will receive an additional mentoring call to review your progress mid-way through the programme.
To provide flexibility you will receive 6 or 18 credits (dependent on your funding rate) to use on development activities including online training and mentoring. Find out more about the credit system and development activities on our Training page.
All training is linked to the DfE Competency Framework for Governance and these sessions will support you to achieve your Development plan objectives.
When training and development activities have taken place, you and your assigned mentor will review progress against your Development plan to provide evidence of improvement and impact. The process concludes with a second self-evaluation, evidencing development in Governance over time and highlighting any remaining development needs.
Taking two to three terms to complete, GovernorSpace will become a key driver for change, creating vital networks of support and promoting long-term development for both you and your school.
Expected outcomes:
The Governance Leadership Development Programme can be purchased as GovernorSpacePlus.
GovernorSpacePlus includes:
- Access to all of the recorded training titles with one new training title added each term.
- Email advice and guidance provided by experienced Governance professionals.
- Access to the premium resource area containing useful guidance on procedures, forms and templates.
- The popular Governor Information pack at the beginning of each term. This comprehensive booklet contains updates, links and appendices of sample materials, all in one place.
- The option to purchase additional mentoring support.
- The option to purchase GovernorHub (an online platform to help you manage your administration) at a special rate of £250 per board.
You will also benefit from continued access to the free online materials including:
- Online Self-Evaluation Tool to support annual board self-evaluation.
- Access to monthly thought leadership pieces.
- GovernorConnect and GovernorRecruit.
The cost of an annual board subscription to GovernorSpacePlus is £99.
To purchase GovernorSpacePlus click here
Don’t have an account? Register now to access training, peer-to-peer and mentor support, self-evaluation tools, useful resources and much more – all free of charge to you and your school!
