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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 SchoolsGovernors’ 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:

• 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 self-

assessment (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

• 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!