Governance Training Programme September 2018 to July 2019

Transcription

1 Governance Training Programme September 2018 to July 2019 All training courses take place at: The Tomlinson Centre, Queensbridge Rd, London, E8 3ND. 1

2 Table of Contents Training at a glance... 3 Introduction... 4 Why is training for governing boards so important?... 4 How do we deliver our programme?... 4 The Foundations of Strong Governance: Five Steps Introduction Understanding the Education Landscape and Your Role as a Governor Strengthening Governance through Effective Board Administration and Accountability Strategic Assessment and Management of Risk Inclusive Schools and Dealing with Exclusions Engagement of Stakeholders and the Governance of Complaints... 8 Maintaining Strategic Governance... 9 Director s Termly Briefing with Chairs of Governors and school leaders... 9 Annual Conference... 9 Subject Specific Governor Training Inclusive Governance for Social Mobility Organisational Change and Governance of Human Resources Safeguarding and Child Protection SEND Governance of Finance and Major Resources Bespoke Governor Training Connecting Leadership and Governance: Ensuring Clarity of Vision, Ethos and Strategic Direction Understanding School Data Supporting the Governance of Finance Matters Supporting the Governance of Human Resources Matters Preparing for Ofsted Headteacher Performance Management Reviewing the Effectiveness and Impact of Governance in your School Shaping your Governing Board Away Day Training Packages Making the Most of Our Services How to Find Us Prices for Governor Training How to Book

3 Training at a Glance The Foundations of Strong Governance: Five Steps Autumn Term Summer Term 1. Introduction Understanding the Education Landscape and Your Role as a Governor 16/10/18 03/05/ am 2. Strengthening Governance through Effective Board Administration and Accountability 20/11/18 28/05/ am 3. Strategic Assessment and Management of Risk 06/12/18 29/05/19 4. Inclusive Schools and Dealing with Exclusions 17/10/18 06/02/19 5. Engagement of Stakeholders and the Governance of Complaints 21/03/19 05/06/19 Maintaining Strategic Governance Director s Termly Briefing with Chairs of Governors and School Leaders 14/11/ pm 26/03/ pm 20/06/ pm Annual Conference Date and focus tbc Subject Specific Governor Training Organisational Change and Governance of Human Resources 10/01/ am 08/05/19 Safeguarding and Child Protection 10/10/ pm 13/03/ pm 28/05/ am Or Or Or 07/12/ am 10/04/ am 26/06/ pm Inclusive Governance for Social Mobility 05/11/ am 13/02/19 30/05/ am SEND 09/10/ pm 13/06/ am Governance of Finance and Major Resources 11/10/ am 15/05/ pm 3

4 Introduction Why is training for governing boards so important? We have a clear understanding of how governing boards play a crucial executive role in supporting and challenging school leaders, to ensure that no child is left behind their peers. Doing so in an era of uncertainty is complex and requires stronger and more assured governance than ever before to address the greater levels of accountability for educational, operational and financial standards, and the management of key risks. Our training programme is designed to equip governors with essential knowledge and skills to meet these challenges with confidence. The Department of Education Governance Handbook states that the purpose of governance is to provide confident, strategic leadership and to create robust accountability, oversight and assurance for educational and financial performance. All boards, no matter what type of schools or how many schools they govern, have three core functions: 1. Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction; 2. Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils, and the performance management of staff; 3. Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent. Our training ensures that governors are equipped to effectively discharge these core functions. In addition to governor training, high quality, professional clerking is crucial to the effective functioning of the board. The clerk should be the boards governance professional. Their role is not only about good and effective organisation and administration but also, and more importantly, about helping the board understand its role, functions and legal duties and supporting the chair to enable and facilitate strategic debate and decision making. This is crucial in helping the board exercise its functions expediently and confidently, so that it remains focused on its core duties. Clerks benefit from attending governor training, in order to fully and skilfully support governors in their role. Experience tells us that strong and confident school governance and leadership enables and empowers exceptional schools to be meticulous in their process of self-improvement and create first class and inclusive education for every pupil, where no child in is left behind their peers. How do we deliver our programme? All of our training centralised and bespoke is delivered by an expert in the relevant field. This makes our offering unique. We also deliver excellent value, when compared against similar provision (full pricing details on page 16) The programme offers a number of cost effective options for governing boards to support and develop a pipeline of skilful governors, who have the expertise and knowledge to manage the complexities of school governance. The Director s Termly Briefing provides a direct line of information from Hackney Council to school leaders. It is free of charge and open to Chairs of governors and Headteachers of all (and only) Hackney schools. 4

5 The Central Governance Training Package includes The Foundations of Strong Governance: Five Steps, as well as all of the subject specific governor training. The package also includes attendance at the Annual Conference. Governors who haven t subscribed to the Central Governance Training Package choose to attend as many sessions as they which. They can purchase any of the courses, including the conference, for 90 per session. Those schools that buy into Human Resources, School Finance and Bursarial Support, Leadership and Management Support or clerking packages can take of advantage of the relevant bespoke training, included within as part of the cost of those packages. Bespoke training also available to purchase for the wider group of schools. We host morning and evening sessions to accommodate the working pattern of governors who volunteer their time and skills. Effective learning within each session requires a minimum number of participants. Where the number of requests to attend is too low, we will postpone the session with advance notice and endeavour to reschedule the session to a more suitable date and time. See below for full details of the sessions and packages available, including The Foundations of Strong Governance: Five Steps; Director s Termly Briefings, Annual Conference, subject specific training, and bespoke training. The Foundations of Strong Governance: Five Steps These courses can be taken as separate modules but, for new governors, you may wish to consider taking all five modules to get a good overview of strategic governance. Note that all five modules are included in the Central Governance Training Package. 1. Introduction Understanding the Education Landscape and Your Role as a Governor This training is suitable for all school phases, as an induction for new governors, as well as a refresher for more experienced governors. It is also useful training for clerks. COURSE OVERVIEW This session will give you an insight into the crucial role of governance in supporting and challenging school leaders to develop and sustain excellent educational/wellbeing outcomes for all pupils. It will also illustrate how governance is becoming more complex, requiring greater accountability of educational standards and management of key risks. This course will focus on how governing boards ensure they: Create the vision, ethos and strategic direction that leads to exceptional outcomes for all pupils Develop a culture of high expectations, aspirations and excellent all round achievement Take account of how national and local developments could impact on the future of schooling. Effectively discharge their core statutory functions 5

6 Harness and further develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed for effective governance as detailed in the DFE competency framework 16 October 2018 N/a 03 May Strengthening Governance through Effective Board Administration and Accountability This training is suitable for governors and clerks at all school phases. COURSE OVERVIEW This session will reflect on ways to enhance governance effectiveness and impact through stronger board structural arrangements, clear terms of reference and delegation of responsibilities. The session will consider how governance annual work plans, aligned to the school development, monitoring and risk management can provide a mechanism to ensure statutory compliance and robustness in holding school leaders to account for the educational and financial performance of their school(s). It will also illustrate how governing boards can play a crucial role in supporting and challenging the school improvement journey which reaches far beyond assurance of compliance with regulations. The session will furthermore provide insight into how governors might amplify board accountability in ensuring challenge and support of policies, rituals and routines focused on improving outcomes for all children. This session will focus on: Considering the structural design of governance and committee arrangements to make them fit for purpose and appropriate to the scale and complexity of the organisation Understanding how governance functions are organised through terms of reference, delegation of responsibilities to enable strong lines of management, of challenge and of accountability for the educational and financial performance of their school(s) Establishing the use of tools such as work plans, policy review schedules, structured agendas and reporting dashboards to ensure compliance of all statutory requirements, monitoring progress of school developments and the management of key risks Highlighting key themes across the educational landscape for which schools are responsible and accountable Exploring how boards might amplify the accountability of school leaders by objectively scrutinising the school s policies, rituals and routines, the quality of delivery and the impact on improving outcomes for all children within the context of fairness, good value for money and financial/ organisational sustainability 20 November 2018 N/a 28 May

7 3. Strategic Assessment and Management of Risk This training is suitable for governors and clerks at all school phases. COURSE OVERVIEW This session will explore how school leaders and governors manage risks associated with all aspects of the school s core operations e.g. progress & achievement, quality of teaching, behaviour of pupils, safeguarding to protect all students and to protect staff, safety and security generally throughout school premises. It will further look at how schools establish adequate systems to ensure sustained service quality and development and how they might mitigate any disruption if and when significant risks. This session will focus on: Understanding how schools / governors might identify risks, evaluate to quantify the severity and assess the level of priority of each risk How to identify effective reduction, avoidance or mitigation of key risks by addressing the underlying causes of common and significant risks Considering effective risk management controls that help prevent problems, detect them when they occur and ensure they are dealt with correctly. 06 December 2018 N/a 29 May Inclusive Schools and Dealing with Exclusions This training is suitable for governors and clerks at all school phases. COURSE OVERVIEW This session will help governing boards to understand issues related use of exclusions as well as the longer term impact of on children who are excluded from school. It will reflect on how governing boards fulfil their responsibility to ensure that all fixed term and permanent exclusions comply with the law and address changes to new DfE guidance on Exclusions implemented from 1 September This session will further explore how governing boards can ensure school policies impact to avoid a child being permanently excluded and in doing so, change the life chances particularly for those children facing the greatest challenges, those most at risk of being excluded from schools. This session will focus on: 7

8 Contextualising exclusions of young people across the educational landscape Understanding how governing boards ensure their school provides an inclusive education for every child, including those pupils requiring specialised support to self-moderate their behaviours Considering how governing boards might test school policies in action and have regard for the law when exclusions are considered by the pupil disciplinary panels Reflecting on what happens when a parent requests an Independent Review Panel (IRP) 17 October pm 6 February 2019 N/a 5. Engagement of Stakeholders and the Governance of Complaints This training is suitable for governors and clerks at all school phases. COURSE OVERVIEW This course will help governors to handle complaints as they arise and minimise risk of complaints through more effective engagement with stakeholders - an excellent way for governors and trustees to get to know their school; its strengths, weaknesses and its community. A governing board will want to solicit the views of parents to inform its strategic planning and give parents the opportunity to help shape their child s education, as well as being reflective about school performance and its own effectiveness. This course will focus on: Gathering stakeholder views, acting on them appropriately and reporting results Governance of the complaints process, and ensuring robust complaints handling mechanisms N/a 21 March :00 8:00pm 05 June

9 Maintaining Strategic Governance Director s Termly Briefing with Chairs of Governors and School Leaders Invitation to attend these briefings will be open to all (and only) Hackney schools. However, places will be restricted to Chairs of Governors and School Leaders (Headteachers, Executive Headteachers, and CEOs). OVERVIEW These sessions will focus on sharing direct information from Hackney Council to school leaders, as well as London and National headlines about educational matters and best practice. They will also serve to enable greater networking and collaboration amongst colleagues. These sessions are free of charge to all schools. 06:00 07:30pm 14 November :00 07:30pm 26 March :00 07:30pm 20 June 2019 Annual Conference Invitation to attend the conference will be open to all school and free of charge to schools that purchase the Governors Training package. The allocation per school will be limited due to restricted space and attendees from organisations that do not subscribe to the training package will be charged at 90 per governor. OVERVIEW The theme of this conference will be confirmed shortly. DATE The conference will take place during the ; Date to be confirmed 9

10 Subject Specific Governor Training Inclusive Governance for Social Mobility This session is suitable for all school phases, and is recommended for clerks as well as governors. OVERVIEW This session will develop the governing board s capacity to be inclusive in the discharge of all their governance functions, to support the most vulnerable and disadvantaged young people - those who are poorest, who grow up in care, have special needs, suffer mental health problems and, live within unsafe/unstable domestic and social contexts. The session will present strategies to reach a new level of ambitious governance and leadership of inclusive education which will make a real difference to social mobility. This session will focus on: The most effective use of Pupil Premium The correlation between social disadvantage and poor outcomes for children Summarising existing research into improving educational outcomes for disadvantaged student Sharing school strategies Exploring the role of governance in the process of breaking the link. 5 November February May 2019 Organisational Change and Governance of Human Resources This session is suitable for all school phases, and is recommended for clerks as well as governors. OVERVIEW This session will broaden your understanding of Human Resources and Performance Management of staff. It will cover the principles behind effective performance management and the relevance of certain policies and procedures within the school context. The course will also identify the role and influence governors may have when dealing with staffing matters such as capability and employee engagement. This course will focus on how governing boards can ensure: 10

11 Strong leadership at all levels of the organisation, including the use of performance management to promote effective practise across the school High Quality continuing professional development at the start, middle and later years of staff career, to develop leadership and sustain best school practises That recruitment retention and CPD addresses succession plans Robust processes to manage staff wellbeing, absence, capability and discipline matters Implementation of equalities policy with equality objectives, Robust performance management of headteacher/principal N/a 10 January :00 8:00pm 08 May 2019 Safeguarding and Child Protection Safeguarding is a matter that all governors need to be aware of - we would encourage the whole governing body to attend. This session is suitable for all school phases, and is recommended for clerks as well as governors. OVERVIEW This session will enable Safeguarding Governors to explore how they can best support their school s SLT and the Designated Safe Guarding lead role in discharging the statutory responsibility to safeguard children. In doing so, the session will explore legislative and statutory guidance drivers and the support mechanisms provided by HLT s Safeguarding in Education Team in improving practice and preparing for a safeguarding inspection. This session will focus on how governing boards can ensure: An awareness of national statutory guidance and local procedures to be followed in safeguarding children, enabling governing boards to review if the arrangements for safeguarding are effective in their schools An understanding of how governing boards can ensure their school is a safe place for children, what measures could be taken to raise awareness and keep pupils safe from abuse and neglect. Including sexual exploitation and radicalisation and extremism An awareness about the duty staff and Designated Safeguarding Leads in schools haven when they suspect that pupils are vulnerable or at risk of significant harm Awareness of guidelines for good and safe practice (including safer recruitment), keeping professional boundaries, dealing with allegations against staff and whistle blowing. Information on best practice and preparation for Ofsted 11

12 10 October 2018 Or 07 December March 2019 Or 10 April May 2019 Or 26 June 2019 SEND This session is suitable for all school phases, and is recommended for clerks as well as governors. OVERVIEW As the government s plans to strengthen system-wide education takes shape alongside the implications of fairer funding, never has there been a greater need for strong, autonomous and effective governance across our richly mixed economy of schools maintained, voluntary aided, and academy and independent registered status, some of which stand alone and others in varying forms of partnership and federation. This interactive session introduces governors to the legislation and guidance around SEND. Governors will have an opportunity to reflect on and discuss the complex issues surrounding effective inclusion, and to explore their role in supporting schools to ensure the best possible outcomes for their pupils with SEND. This course will focus on how governing boards can ensure their schools: Promote all forms of equality and foster greater understanding of and respect for people, with a particular focus on SEND Provide high quality education and successful outcomes for pupils with SEND Effectively engage with parents, carers, other stakeholders and agencies to support all SEND pupils 6:00 8:00pm 09 October 2018 N/a 13 June

13 Governance of Finance and Major Resources This session is suitable for all school phases, and is recommended for clerks as well as governors. OVERVIEW This session will develop your understanding of school finance. It covers school funding, budget planning and monitoring, develops understanding of financial management reports, and identifies what is expected of governors in overseeing the use of public money. The course allows governors to examine how an individual school budget is calculated and includes guidance on completion of the Schools Financial Value Standard (SFVS). This session will focus on how governing boards can ensure: Clarity about the financial roles, responsibilities and skill requirements of all governors (in maintained schools and academies) Setting of short and longer term school budgets to maintain financial sustainability Robust monitoring of the annual budget and protection of public money Undertaking of financial health checks, and management of budget reductions 11 October 2018 N/a 15 May

14 Bespoke Governor Training All Bespoke Governor Training is offered to the full governing board, and is tailored to your school. Each session is 350 per 2 hour session; approximately Connecting Leadership and Governance: Ensuring Clarity of Vision, Ethos and Strategic Direction This session will bring together the Chair and the Headteacher to enable an effective collaboration between leadership and governance of the school. Understanding the immediate and future strategic challenges for your school(/s) and having clarity about the next step of this journey, prompts a fresh look at the governance and leadership arrangements. This session will focus on optimizing the way that governors/ trustees interact with senior leaders to ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction of your school. Understanding School Data Targeted according to EYFS, primary or secondary, this session will focus on the use of evidence based information and comparative data to strengthen the governance of your school. The session will cover data analysis in the following areas: Curriculum - Legal requirements Teaching & Learning Behaviour, attendance and wellbeing Pupil Outcomes Impact of strategies This training can be included in the cost of the Leadership and Management Support Package. Supporting the Governance of Finance Matters This session will focus on helping governors to oversee the financial performance of the organisation, make sure its money is well spent, ensure compliance and robust systems, and minimize risk. This training can be included in the cost of the School Finance and Bursarial Support package. 14

15 Supporting the Governance of Human Resources Matters This session will focus on helping governors to develop better HR procedures and ensure the school is complaint in all its practices. This training can be included in the cost of the Human Resources package. Preparing for Ofsted This session will focus on tailored training to ensure governors be better prepared to respond to Ofsted s key lines of enquiry during an inspection of your school. Headteacher Performance Management This session will provide tailored training on the process of conducting the appraisal of Executive/ Head teachers/ Principals. The session will include training on: The regulations, and why it is crucial for governors to get performance management right Ways to ensure the appraisal process drives school/ system improvement by comparing practises across our schools Ways to recognise and reward success Reviewing the Effectiveness and Impact of Governance in your School Provides an objective view of the effectiveness and impact of governance in your school Identifies strengthens and potential weaknesses and recommend actions that will further strengthen the capacity of the governing board Shaping your Governing Board Away Day Strategic support in planning session to enable fresh thinking about governance role to ensure accountability and management of key risks of the school s strategic developments. 15

16 Training Packages Central Governor Training Package, 450 This comprehensive package of training includes: - The Foundations of Strong Governance: Five Steps, and - Subject Specific Governor Training Note that this package does not include bespoke training. Expert Training as part of Human Resources, School Finance and Bursarial Support, Leadership and Management Support Packages Note also that training is also available from the relevant expert when you use their programme: - Finance Package for maintained schools includes training with the finance business manager - HR programme HR training is included - SIP SIP training is included Expert Training as part of the Clerking Service Package - The Connecting Leadership and Governance: Ensuring Clarity of Vision, Ethos and Strategic Direction bespoke training session is included in the Clerking Service Package 16

17 Making the Most of Our Services The governance of schools is becoming more complex, requiring greater accountability and closer management to ensure continuous improvement which brings benefit to children s lives. The functions of strong governance includes: Educational performance pupil achievement, teaching methods, behaviour and wellbeing, SEND Operational performance school systems and strategic development, performance management Financial performance effective budget management and accountability, risk management. Through our cost-effective training programme, governing boards and are able to learn from educational, operational and financial experts within Hackney Learning Trust. Each session provides opportunity to share common challenges and debate possible solutions for tackling the complexities of school governance. In doing so we enable governors to directly contribute to changing the life chances of every child in our community and beyond, particularly those from the most disadvantaged starting points and those whose progress is stalled by challenging barriers whatever they might be. How to Find Us The Tomlinson Centre is within walking distance of Haggerston Overground station. It is less than one mile from the City, conveniently located between Shoreditch and Dalston. It is serviced by several bus routes passing through Kingsland Road (A10). It is less than five minutes walk from the nearest bus stop. There are some pay-and-display parking bays close by the centre, in Albion Drive and Middleton Road but the number of spaces is limited. The nearest car park is on Bentley Road, which is an approximately eight minute walk from the centre. There is no onsite parking available. For more information please visit 17

18 Prices for Governor Training All prices listed are correct at the time of publishing. However Hackney Learning Trust reserve the right to amend prices from time to time. Up-to-date prices will be posted on the Services for Schools website or available on application. ORDER CODE DESCRIPTION COST 04/GOV/011 04/GOV/017 04/GOV/017 POA Director s Termly Briefing Central Governance Training Package Annual Conference Individual (subject specific and Foundations of Strong Governance) Training Sessions Bespoke Governor Training Sessions Free of charge per governor (or included in the Central Governance Training Package) 90 per governor, per session (or included in the Central Governance Training Package) 350 per 2 hour session; approx (or included as part of Human Resources, School Finance and Bursarial Support, Leadership and Management Support or Clerking Packages) How to Book To book onto individual courses please visit If you would like to discuss bespoke training sessions that suit your needs, please us at governorservices@learningtrust.co.uk To order the training package please advise your school to visit To see our full service offer, please visit All courses take place at The Tomlinson Centre, Queensbridge Road, London E8 3ND. 18