Re-energising Governing of Colleges and Training

Providers

Module 3: Governor Induction, Senior Staff Performance Management and Stakeholder Relationships 

IntroductionAfter completing this module you will be able to: 

• Review five aspects of support and development for new (and not so new) Governors.

• Focus on the importance of senior staff performance management.

• Review the range and nature of stakeholder relations.

Induction

Becoming a Governor is both exciting and daunting.

It's exciting because of the new opportunity to contribute to the leadership of the college / learning provider.

It's also daunting because there appears to be much to learn.

While you assume the responsibilities of a Governor from day one, it may be some time after that when you feel able to contribute to the achievement of your responsibilities.... so embrace support and be patient!

What do Governors need to know about?1. The Strategic Plan and Strategic Risk

Register2. Senior staff performance management

procedures3. The English Colleges’ Code of Good

Governance4. Likely outcomes of effective governance5. Governing Body review processes

1. The Strategic Plan and Strategic Risk RegisterCentral to a confident and informed Governor is an understanding of the strategic plan and the strategic risk register.

Hopefully, these documents will have been provided to new Governors upon appointment or even before appointment as a Governor. If not, contact the Clerk to the Corporation for copies.

Things to consider

• What do you think would help you (as a Governor or a Clerk) to understand the implications of the strategic plan and risk register?

• With the strategic plan and risk register in mind, it would be very helpful for you to have meetings with the core senior staff to hear their priorities and ideas about the implementation of the plan and how to mitigate the significant risks. 

• Does the senior team seem focused on the plan? If not, what are the main distractions?

2. Senior staff performance management proceduresRemember, senior staff should be expected to be delivering aspects of the strategic plan which will be reviewed through senior staff performance management procedures. You should be familiar with the senior staff performance management arrangements. 

Things to consider

• Research undertaken in 2006* suggested that college Governing Bodies gave very limited consideration to their role as employer of the Chief Executive / Principal.

• This means that linking strategic planning, strategic risk management and accountability to individual senior staff performance may not be an established practice at your college or learning provider. 

• The senior staff performance management scheme should provide you with an understanding of how the Governing Body acts as employer in relation to senior post holders, which includes the duty of care, relationship management, professional development, etc.  

*Hill, R. (2006) The role and performance of college governing bodies in relation to the employment of principals of further education colleges CEL / University of

Lancaster

3. The English Colleges’ Code of Good GovernanceAnother aspect of governing a college / learning provider is the expectation that the Governing Body will comply with, or possibly exceed, the English Colleges Code of Good Governance.

Things to consider

• Do you have a copy of this Code? If not, you should contact the Clerk to the Corporation. 

• Has your governing body formally adopted the Code?

• How well does your governing body meet the expectations of the Code?

• Which areas of the Code need to be improved by your Governing Body, if any?

4. Likely outcomes of effective governanceRather than just 'good' governance, as a new Governor you might wish to think about what 'effective' governance might look like. Things to consider• Ensuring that the strategic plan is achieved.• Ensuring that financial health is achieved (usually part of above.)• Ensuring accountability and regulatory compliance.• Ensuring quality in academic and service provision (usually part of above)

and includes the student voice.• Effectively assessing risk and supporting innovation.• Enhancing institutional reputation and competitiveness.• Providing confidence in institutional governance. • Constructively supporting and challenging the executive as critical friends.• Any other outcomes specific to the college / group and not within the

strategic plan.Allan Schofield (2009) What is an effective and high performing governing body in UK

higher education? Leadership Foundation for Higher Education

5. Governing Body review processesReviewing the performance of the governing body is an important process towards achieving effective governing.

Things to consider

1. Do you know how the governing body will be reviewing its performance? 

2. What criteria will be used? 3. What processes will be used? 4. What evidence will be used? 5. When will the governing body performance review take place? 6. Who will lead the review? 7. How will your performance as a Governor be reviewed?

StakeholdersA stakeholder can be defined as someone or some body with something to gain or lose by association or involvement with a college / learning provider.Stakeholders can be divided into three groups*:1. Contractual stakeholders2. Influential stakeholders3. Interested stakeholders*Hill, R. (2013) Colleges and Stakeholders Working Together : What stakeholders want

and how colleges respond, Association of Colleges

Boards need to make sure that the college / learning provider's processes and practices for working with stakeholders are focussed and productive. Senior staff are usually very active in forming and maintaining relations with stakeholders but is the focus sharp enough?

Stakeholder typesContractual stakeholders Influencial stakeholders Interested stakeholders• Funding agencies• Formal business/ sub-

contracting partners• Staff• Students (especially

given loans and grants for study)

• Customers• Universities (validating

agreements)

• Local and combined authorities

• Ofsted• Quality Assurance

Agency (higher education)

• Significant local bodies / agencies / organisations

• Parents and carers• City Region bodies

(including LEPs and local devolution of central Government powers), secondary schools and academy trusts

• Universities• Relevant Government

agencies

• Employers• Local health authority• Community groups• Special interest groups• Voluntary organisations• Faith groups• Housing associations

Key points about stakeholders• The Board's role is to ensure that there is a clear stakeholder strategy within

the overall college / learning provider.

• The stakeholder strategy will have strategic objectives and the Board should monitor the progress of the implementation of these objectives. In addition, the stakeholder list could be a useful recruitment source for future Governors, especially business and community networks.

• Much Governor interest is naturally directed inwardly towards the functioning and performance of the organisation. Accountability and engagement with stakeholders is about the strategic and operational context of the college / learning provider. 

• Governors may wish to review accountability and stakeholder interests as a precursor to preparing ideas for the next strategic plan for the college / learning provider.

For further details on aspects of college accountability, you may wish to consult Thinking Outside The College (AoC, 2012) by Morecroft, C., Eldred, J. and Hill, R. 

Suggested Activity

Consider how the strategic plan, stakeholder relations, and accountability are presented in your current Governor Induction programme.