Andy - Andy is a National Leader of Governance and also an experienced Chair of Governors. He has facilitated Governor Training Sessions for NCTL, including the Leadership Development Programme and carries out External Reviews of Governance. For a day job, he is Chief Executive Officer of a Multi Academy Trust.
Tony - Tony has over 25 years of practical and technical experience of governance having worked as a Clerk and company secretary in Higher and Further education institutions and schools. A Chartered Secretary by profession, he has chaired governing bodies in schools and charities and currently runs his own governance consultancy business advising governors, clerks and others on all aspects of effective governance and compliance.
Mary - Mary is a retired headteacher who has worked in the field of education for the past 40 years. She has extensive knowledge of education and governance in particular. She has taken a lead role in the local authority training on governance over the past 4 years, headteacher training, termly briefings for Chairs and Vice chairs, producing termly publications for schools on governance and writing training materials for the Leadership Development Programme. She also carries out External Reviews of Governance on a regular basis and supports the writing and reviewing of governor development plans. Her day job involves School Improvement Partner support and inspecting Faith schools under the SIAMS inspection framework.
Ian - Ian has served as a school governor for 25 years in primary, high school and academy establishments. He chaired a primary school Governing Board for six years and was Chair of the Personnel Committee for 16 years at a high school/academy. As well as being an approved Governor Mark assessor carrying out External Reviews of Governance, Ian was a permanent clerk to three Governing Bodies for two years, and still provides ‘stand in’ clerking services as and when required. A member of the NGA Trustee Board, Ian also provides training to governors and Governing Boards to help them be more effective. Away from his work in education, Ian is a leading Business Coach and Keynote Speaker.
Steven - Steven is an education consultant who previously held senior positions for over 20 years. He currently works with governors and headteachers in school improvement. His extensive knowledge of current educational thinking helps governors to interpret school data and identify developmental priorities. He prepares governors so they can support school leaders writing a school evaluation and ensure all safeguarding requirements are fully met. He assists governors so they are fully prepared for their next school inspection.
Ruth - Ruth has over 25 years’ experience in education, 11 in secondary senior leadership, including headship. She has been a member of three governing boards and has advised and trained governors on all aspects of school leadership. Ruth is an associate of the Education and Training Foundation and has worked on a number of DFE commissioned reports around the quality of educational provision.
Ian - I am currently the chair of a governing board at a primary school in Birmingham. In my career I was a teacher for over 30 years culminating in being vice-principal of a large academy in Solihull. I then became a School Improvement Advisor for Birmingham and trained teachers in leadership qualifications. Over the years I have been a school governor at five different schools.
Patrick - Patrick’s professional experience includes senior leadership in schools and supporting and training school leaders. He holds the NPQH and the National Professional Qualification for School Inspectors. He is a school governor and director of a multi-academy trust. In his current role as school improvement consultant he works with a range of primary and secondary schools in Birmingham, supporting head teachers and senior leaders. He is a facilitator and assessor for the NCTL NPQML and NPQSL programmes. He regularly delivers training for school leaders and governors. For the last two years, he has worked closely with the governing body of the school where he was appointed as School Improvement Partner, and leads the head teacher’s performance management with the chair of the governing body.
Angela - Angela is a former Headteacher and School Improvement Partner and is also trained as a school inspector. She is currently an education consultant who has considerable experience of working with schools to evaluate performance and plan for improvement. She works successfully with Governors to promote effective practice, providing advice, support and training. She is also an external advisor for Governors in their annual reviews of Headteacher performance. She is a director of a Multi Academy Trust in Staffordshire.
Lisa - Lisa is an independent governance training consultant delivering a wide range of governor training and leadership programmes including the Governance Leadership Development Programme. She has a wide range of experience in the facilitation of learning, including programme design and delivery and mentoring. In addition to this, Lisa works as an experienced national assessor for the Governor Mark accreditation. A serving Chair of Governors, she has a strong understanding of the challenges facing schools within a range of contextual settings.
Lisa Billingham - is a keynote speaker, trainer, mentor and qualified wellbeing coach. She is passionate about people’s wellbeing by supporting them so that they can be the best version of themselves and live a life they love. She helps individuals and businesses alike using a variety of delivery models.
Giles - Giles is a governor in 2 schools including being chair of one, he combines this with his work supporting trusts and schools focusing on the data and outcomes of the pupils. Giles teaches on the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) and nationally leads the training for schools on understanding the DfE and Ofsted’s data. He is a former Headteacher and Senior University Lecturer in education.
David - David has 40 years’ experience in education starting as a MFL teacher and eventually becoming Director in West Sussex. He has been on the governing bodies of a number of schools and has recently been Chair of Governors in two secondary schools that needed support to emerge from special measures. Both these schools are now “good”. He has also been contracted by the DfE to support academy trusts to take on struggling schools, including ensuring that governance arrangements are compliant and effective.
David - David is an experienced Education and Governance Consultant with over 12 years experience in the fields of law, education, governance and compliance. He has also worked within other sectors at Board level. Working with educational establishments and local authorities nationwide, he has extensive knowledge of the educational standards and improvement, governance, safeguarding and employment. David is educated to postgraduate degree level is currently pursuing a PhD in Law.
Tony - Tony has had over 20 years of experience of school governance. Starting, in the last century, as a teacher governor he has been involved in governance as a senior leader and secondary headteacher and, for the last 10 years, as a co-opted governor in two very different schools, one a maintained first school and the other a middle school that is now developing as a MAT.
Pat - Pat has extensive clerking experience within schools of many types including primary, middle and high schools as well as special and Church. Over recent years she has supported MAT boards and is permanent clerk to 13 schools and 2 MAT Boards. Before becoming an agency clerk Pat worked in a large high school and supported the board in its transition to become a federation of 3 schools.
Sherry - Sherry is a former secondary teacher with considerable experience of schools in challenging circumstances. Since leaving headship, Sherry has established herself as an independent education consultant for organisations such as the National College for Teaching and Leadership and Ofsted. Sherry has experience as an Ofsted Lead Inspector, as a Governor and also Vice Chair of Governors. She’s currently studying part-time for an MSc in Child and Adolescent Mental Health.
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GovernorSpace provides governors and clerks with a range of training and development opportunities – from online training to remote one-to-one mentor support.
This programme works on a credit system. Once you have completed your self-evaluation, you will be assigned credits based on your programme. These can be used flexibly to develop a tailored package of support to meet your needs.
All of our training is based on the DfE Competency Framework for Governors or Clerks.
There are five options when selecting your training package:
Interactive training where you can ask questions and hear new ideas. Book at a time to suit you.
1 credit = 1 place for you or a member of your board session
On demand pre-recorded sessions delivered by our governance and clerking experts and downloaded by you to watch anywhere, any time.
1 credit = 1 session
One of our courses delivered online to your whole governing board.
6 credits = 1 private session for your whole board
A session tailored to your needs on a topic of your choice delivered online to your whole governing board.
15 credits = 1 bespoke session for your whole board
Individual support, advice and challenge to support you or one of your governing board in their role.
3 credits = 1 mentor call
45-minute personal development coaching session for yourself or anyone on your Board from an expert educational leadership coach.
3 credits = 1 session.
45 minute telephone consultancy session from a professional governance consultant.
3 credits = 1 session.
If you use all your credits and still need further support, or you identify a project and need some advice, don’t hesitate to pick up the phone. Our Governor Services Team offer several support packages that will help you to continue your drive for improvement.
Some of most popular support packages and training include:
Contact us for further details at GovernorSpace@entrust-ed.co.uk
This training session explores both aspects of Governor accountability and the vital role that each Governor plays in a school's corporate compliance. Testimony: ‘The session was at the right pace and was suitable for both new and experienced governors’- SERCO
This training introduces the Chair’s responsibilities for setting direction; culture and values, decision making; data analysis, financial frameworks; staffing and performance management; building an effective team and statutory requirements. Testimony: ‘Very focused on real issues. Flexible and useful tool to keep updated’- Hillview Nursery School.
This session provides an introduction to the role, responsibilities and expectations of a governor whilst providing an understanding of the education context. In addition, it explains how effective governance can contribute to school improvement.
This training explores the school community and how Governors engage with community groups, stakeholders and partners. Testimony: ‘This was an excellent presentation. Very thorough covering a lot of information. It has certainly given me a huge ‘to do’ list and has enthused me to carry out next steps’- Rossington Tornedale Infants.
This training explains the roles and responsibilities of Academy governors in relation to finance, how Academies are funded and talks through the budget process. Testimony: ‘Very informative presenter knowledgeable and helpful’
This training is aimed at new and existing maintained school governors. It explains the roles and responsibilities of governors in relation to finance, how schools are funded and talks through the budget process. Testimony: ‘The training provided was extremely relevant to the role of the finance governor and I felt met the aims set out at the beginning.’
This training explores the signs and symptoms of stress and the impact stress can have on schools. It also considers how you can support a good work life balance for executive leaders. Testimony: ‘The training will inform my response to issues raised in Pastoral Committee meetings.’
This session will give new and experienced governors a thorough understanding of the new Education Inspection Framework requirements and possible implications for schools.
This session will enable you to increase your knowledge and understanding of risk management, to recognise good practice and to identify different classifications of risk.
This session identifies methods of self-evaluation leading to the development of an effective team who will ensure effective support and challenge. It focuses on the variety of skills required both individually and collectively to be effective. Testimony: ‘Good opportunity to consolidate my knowledge and focus on some specific improvements’
This training focuses on increasing Governor skills with regard to the appointment of staff and also provides clarity on the role Governors play in Headteacher performance management through increasing understanding of statutory requirements.
This session provides an overview of legislation and statutory guidance relating to Governance in Maintained Schools and Academies. This training session offers signposting for Governors to understand their corporate compliance duties and obligations.
This session focuses on how Chairs can work with senior leaders to ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction whilst also identifying what an effective vision looks like. Testimony: ‘An effective tool to enable governing bodies to develop their understanding and effectiveness’- St. Thomas Primary School
This session focuses on how governing boards can ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction through good practice and effective decision making and robust risk management. Testimony: ‘The main learning point was to ensure that we revisit the strategic priorities more regularly so as to sustain the appropriate sense of direction to move forward.’
This session covers the role of governance in school improvement including setting and monitoring the strategic plan; understanding the importance of high quality teaching and assessment as well as guidance on key data and questions to challenge senior leaders. Testimony: ‘Very useful overview’
Carrying out Link Governor activities demonstrates the Governors' role in the strategic management of the school by helping to hold the school to account and evaluate its progress. This supports one of the key roles and responsibilities for the Governing Board in being able to effectively monitor the progress and performance of the school. This course aims to provide a better understanding of the Link Governor role and it's impact in supporting school improvement, as well as improving Governor skills in sustaining core functions such as challenge and support.
In this session we explore the duties of the SEND Governor, including outlining the requirements of the 2015 SEND Code of Practice and suggestions of ways to effectively challenge and support schools in meeting those requirements.
This session looks at the skills required to ensure your board’s meeting runs smoothly including key administrative functions. Testimony: ‘I am quite an experienced clerk but still managed to pick up some useful information which will sharpen up my practice’- Passmores Co-operative Learning Community.
This training explores the scope of constitutional and governance knowledge required to support the provision of advice and guidance. It also covers the clerk’s role in the procurement of specialist advice and guidance when that is judged necessary. Testimony: 'Good training with lots of practical application, thank you'- Telford College.
This session provides information on good practice in regard to panel meetings and some tips on how to ensure they run smoothly.
This session looks at a range of hard and soft skills and offers an opportunity for reflection. It also considers how professional clerking relationships support the core functions of Governance. Testimony: ‘Really useful and insightful, I feel I have little more confidence in my role as a clerk to at least ask the questions I am thinking! It is the only way I will learn after all!- West Somerset Academies Trust.
This training explains the roles and responsibilities of Academy governors in relation to finance, how Academies are funded and talks through the budget process. Testimony: ‘Very informative presenter knowledgeable and helpful’
This session explains the roles and responsibilities of governors in relation to finance, how schools are funded and talks through the budget process. Testimony: ‘The training provided was extremely relevant to the role of the finance governor and I felt met the aims set out at the beginning.’
This training explores the signs and symptoms of stress and the impact stress can have on schools. It also considers how you can support a good work life balance for executive leaders. Testimony: ‘The training will inform my response to issues raised in Pastoral Committee meetings.’
This session will give new and experienced governors a thorough understanding of the new Education Inspection Framework requirements and possible implications for schools.
This session will enable you to increase your knowledge and understanding of risk management, to recognise good practice and to identify different classifications of risk.
This session focuses on the principles of effective Governance in Academies as well as a review of the purpose of clerking. The training looks at some of the key functions of a clerk in ensuring effective practice.
This session focuses on the principles of effective Governance in Maintained Schools as well as a review of the purpose of clerking. The training looks at some of the key functions of a clerk in ensuring effective practice.
This session will enable you to understand the role effective minutes play in supporting effective governance, to improve understanding about the role and purpose of minutes and explore the role of the Board in producing effective minutes.
