Governing Bodies Association
AGM
24 April 2015
Chairman’s Report
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GBA
Priorities
Modus Operandi
GBA Director
Opportunities ahead…
GBA
Governing Bodies Association
GBAssociation
• Established 1940’s, 54...now 50...One third of
all Post Primary School Children
• To ‘foster & develop close working
relationships among VG’s and other Ed Bodies’
• Advance interests & well being of VG’s
• Resource for the Governing Bodies
– Much in common but distinct differences
...one size doesn’t fit all
Common Characteristics
• Owned by Trustees..foundation doc’s or deeds
of trust expressing values..to promote &
protect
• Run By Boards of Governors
• Trustee members comprise the largest group
• Recurring and Capital Funding comes direct
from Dept of Education
• Employ ALL members of staff...recruit, deploy
materials, equipment, insurance etc…
Abbey Grammar. Aquinas Grammar Belfast, Assumption Grammar Ballynahinch
Ballymena Academy, Bangor Grammar, Belfast High School, Belfast Royal Academy
Campbell College, Christian Brothers' Grammar School, Omagh, Coleraine Academical Institution,
Dalriada School, Dominican College Belfast, Dominican College Portstewart, Foyle & Londonderry
College, Friends' School Lisburn, Hunterhouse College, Larne Grammar School, Loreto College Grammar
School Coleraine, Loreto Grammar School Omagh, Lumen Christi College, Methodist College Belfast,
Mount Lourdes Enniskillen, Our Lady and St Patricks, Knock, Our Lady's Grammar School, Newry, Portora
Royal School, Rainey Endowed School, Rathmore Grammar, Royal Belfast Academical Institution, Royal
School Armagh, Royal School Dungannon, Sacred Heart Grammar School Newry, St. Colman's College,
St. Columb's College, St. Dominic's Belfast, St. Joseph's Grammar School, Dungannon, St. Louis Grammar
School Ballymena, St. Louis, Kilkeel, St. Malachy's College, St. Mary's CBGS Belfast, St. Mary's Grammar
School, Magherafelt, St. Michael's College, Enniskillen, St. Michael's Grammar School, St. Patrick's
Dungannon, St. Patrick's Grammar Armagh, St. Patrick's Grammar School, Downpatrick, Strathearn
School, Sullivan Upper School, Thornhill College, Victoria College Belfast, Wallace High School
Management of GBA
• Executive Nominated/Elected by VG Schools
– 12 school governors
• Max 6,Co-opted members to supplement skill set
Eg QC Brett Lockhart, Prof R. Hutchinson
• 1 Chairperson, 2 Vice-Chairs, 1 Treasurer
• P/T Director
Executive Members 2014-15
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Mary Lou Winchborne
John MacCrossan
John Adrain
Dr Bryan Gregory
Sir Gerry Loughran
Ian Noad
Eimer Cleland
Maeve Toner
Sheila Crea
Stephen Gowdy
Brett Lockhart
John Stuart
Ronnie Hassard
Jacqueline Weir
Prof Hutchinson
Carol McCann
Scott Naismith
John Young
Dalriada
Thornhill
Bangor Grammar
Victoria
St Malachy’s
Strathearn
Our Lady’s Grammar
Our Lady and St Patrick’s
Assumption Grammar
Belfast Academical Institution
Methodist College, Belfast
St Louis, Ballymena
Campbell College
Belfast Royal Academy
Dalriada
St. Dominics
Methodist College, Belfast
Campbell College
Priorities
• Legislative Changes : Education
Bill 2015
– Voluntary principle
• Teachers’ Negotiating Committee
– Sub-Committees
Priorities
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Exam Changes
Consultation Documents
Transport to School
Area Based Plans
Amalgamations
Governor Appointments
International League Tables
Priorities 2014/15 +
• Exam Changes
• Consultation Documents
S Naismith
N O’Neill/Prof R
Hutchinson
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Transport to School
Area Based Plans
Amalgamations
Gov Apptmts
International League Tables
J Stuart
J Mac Crossan
N O Neill/various
G Loughran
C. Mc Cann
Looking Ahead
• Education Authority
B Lockhart/G
Loughran
– Bedding in/Op issues/Delivering planned admin savings
• School Financing
– Restructuring/Redundancies/Redeployment
– Pupil- staff ratios…Entitlement Framework
– Staffing/development/skills training
• Area Local Planning,
BD/DMc G/JMac
- school amalgamations, re-locations and restructuring
• Shared Education
• Transport
I Noad
J Stuart
Modus Operandi
• Voluntary Professional Support
– Legal Advice
• Eg B.Lockhart, S.Gowdy
– Sponsorship of Priorities
• Eg J.Stuart, S.Naismith
– Membership of Bodies
• Eg LRA, Court of Ulster: MLW, RTU: Dr E.Dermot
– Queens Ed Employers Stakeholders: S.Naithsmith
• Representation of VG’s interests Eg:– SEELB ‘AP : D. Mc Govern
– WELB’AP : J.Mac Crossan,
– TNC: J.Stevenson, G. Adams & N.O’Neill
Modus Operandi
• Specialist Advice
– Legal....B.Lockhart, S. Gowdy
– Political Lobbying.. Sir GLoughran
– Educational Sector
• Head T’s : SN, C Mc C, JS, RH…DM
• F/HE :Prof RH
• General Business Experience..Various Exec
– Bank Mgmt, Strategic Business Skills, NGO’s
Accountancy, SME’s etc etc
Work Streams for our Director
• Internal
– Response to all school queries
– Communication/Website
Publications
– Mgmt of Accounts, Coordination of levy etc
– Preparation of all materials for
Meetings
– Development & Dissemination
of position papers,
questionnaire, surveys &
follow-up
– Interaction with GBA
nominated Reps...TNC’s, LRA,
ABP etc
• External
– First point of contact for all
queries, media, politicians,
interest groups
– GBA Rep on TNC’s
– Lobbying
• Minister of Ed
• Education Committee
• Political parties
• Education Spokespeople
Issues
• Scale/scope of current role
– Diverse range of activities...administrative to
strategic
• Increasing workload
– Amalgamations, new campuses..interim Boards
– Educational initiatives
– School Budgets in Decline
Options……
• Increase Subscriptions
Eg To Fund additional
resource
• Rationalisation of Subs
already undertaken
• Schools struggling as
budgets decrease in
real terms
Options..
• Optimise Exec
• Invite specific skills
through nomination
process
• Encourage Full
Attendance
• Leverage Exec as
advocates/delegates
• Develop regional
satellite model
Options..
• Further leverage of the willing and talented
– Eg.TNC’s
Appointment of another HT to work alongside JS.
providing knowledge and experience and continuity.
Freeing Director, to focus on other priorities..
Options
• Selective use of temporary resources under
supervision, to address specific research
needs…
– Eg Intern to undertake analysis of PISA
performance tables
Options
• Increased Collaboration with related
organisations including eg
– Bursars Association
– Controlled Grammars
– Catholic Heads Association
– Independent Schools Council
– Etc..
Leverage the Association
• 50 Independent Operating Units
the whole is greater than the sum of the parts
• Explore Economies of Scale
Opt-in basis
Eg Procurement
• Oil
• Electricity
• Materials
Election of New Members
- John McDowell, Bishop of Clogher, Portora,
Chairman Board of Governors
- Eimer Cleland, Our Lady’s Grammar School
Board of Governors
- Stephen Black, Ballymena Academy
- John MacCrossan, Thornhill Grammar School,
Chairman Board of Governors
- Ronnie Hassard, Campbell College Board of
Governors