Creating robust accountability
• A toolbox for
governors
Pam Langmead
Essex Governors’ Conference 2014
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A renewed focus for governors
The significance of governing bodies’ role has in the past
been under-valued. I have no doubt that governing
bodies are the key strategic decision makers and
vision setters in every school. They are also a key
part of the overall system for school accountability.
Governing bodies have a vital role to play in
driving up school and pupil performance and
ensuring that resources are used well to give every
child the best possible education.
John Nash, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Schools
Governors’ Handbook January 2014
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Objectives of the session
To consider the various aspects that governors are
accountable for and (some of) the tools available to
help:
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Pupil achievement and progress
Quality of teaching
Pupil Premium
Finance
Health and Safety and the premises
Safeguarding
Ofsted
Parents
The Governing Body
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Pupil achievement and progress
Effective governing bodies hold their Headteacher to
account for improving school performance by asking
the right questions.
• How are you going to raise standards for all children?
• How do we compare nationally and with similar
schools?
• Which groups (pupils, year groups, subjects) are the
highest and lowest performing, and why?
• How will we know things are improving?
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What tools do we use?
• Data
• Reports – internal and external
• The school Self Evaluation Form and
the Development Plan
• Asking questions and seeing for
ourselves
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Quality of teaching
How do governors know about the
quality of teaching in their schools?
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Pay and Performance tools
• Performance management reviews –
annual and interim meetings
• (Anonymous) reports from the
headteacher/principal about performance
– linked to appropriate pay decisions
• Policies – Pay and Performance
Management
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Pupil Premium
• Do governors know the Pupil Premium
allocation?
• How does the school spend this money?
• What is the impact of the funding?
• How is this measured and reported to
governors and parents?
Pupil Premium – analysis and challenge tool
for schools - Ofsted 2013
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Finance
• Are we allocating our resources in line with
our strategic priorities?
• Are we making full use of our assets?
• Are other schools buying things cheaper or
getting better results with less spending per
pupil?
• How can we get better value for money from
our budget?
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Finance - tools
• Audited annual reports and financial
statements
• External professional support
• Benchmarking tool
• Schools Financial Value Standard selfassessment (maintained schools)
• Costed school development and asset plans
• Training and development for staff and
governors
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Health and Safety and
the Premises
What areas should governor be
monitoring?
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Health and Safety and
the Premises – tools
• Health and Safety annual audits
• Premises inspections
• Checklists: premises, fire safety,
security, EYFS etc
• Up to date policies
• Regular training for staff
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Safeguarding - tools
• Nominated Governor for Safeguarding
• Regular training and development for staff
and governors
• Section 11 audit tool – being updated by
ESCB
• Annual Report to Governors
• Regular item on Governing Body and
Committee meeting agendas
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Ofsted
Is your Governing Body Ofsted
ready?
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Parents
How does your governing body link
with parents?
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Parents
• The annual governance statement
• The school website – including a
link to ParentView
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Governing Body
How do you monitor and hold the
Governing Body to account?
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Governing Body
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Skills audits
Evaluation tools
Review of structure and organisation
Governing Body Development Plan
Regular training and development
Accountability to stakeholders
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School Governors’
Accountability Toolbox
Scorecard
• Any remedial action required?
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Thank you for everything you do
for your schools and for the
children and young people
in Essex!
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