Governing Body - any tips?

[AmbitiousHalibut]

Hello,

I'm after a little inspiration for our governing body. It's a small church VA primary school, good senior leadership team, no real dramas. The Head is good at self evaluating and constantly trying to improve (they're currently rated Good) so it's a case of encouraging and monitoring from the Body, rather than needing dramatic overhauling or pushing.

Our governors' term is 4 years. We've had the same Chair for maybe 10?! Certainly a long time. He offers every year to step aside for someone else and encourages everyone to think about standing so it's not like he's desperate to cling to power, but no one seems keen. That includes me, to be fair. In some ways 4 years is ages but actually by the time you settle in and learn the ropes, you might feel able to chair a sub committee (which I do) but then you may only have 1 or 2 years left and some people have said that that's too short a tenure as Chair.

Sorry for a long background ramble, but basically I'm interested to know what other people are doing. How long do people tend to Chair for? Do you set up Chair Elects to help with succession planning? Do your Vice Chairs usually step up to Chair after a year or similar?

Thanks.

I think it’s good practice to try and have a succession plan. Vice Chair role is a good appointment. They could shadow the Chair and learn more about the role before stepping up. My LA offers training to such people so they have a better understanding of the Chairs role and can step up without major worry. Any good company would do this and not leave it to chance.

If you Chair a Committee, could you not be the Chair? It sounds like you have a good head and no big issues to sort out. I also do think your Chair is clinging on: a bit. He should actually resign as Chair and mean it! He should start recruiting a successor and do something about it vacating his role for a new person with a fresh approach. It does need to happen after 10 years. It should not just be left to a sea of blank faces at the first meeting of the school year!

The whole GB needs to self evaluate, work out who has the skills, who could benefit from training, and then the Chair should resign knowing someone competent can and will take over - other governors agreeing of course!

So, step up. Get trained. Shadow him. Feel confident. You could do it!

Two cycles - 8 years as Chair is more than enough. If you intend to do another 4 years, get to be Chair now. You can stop being Chair or even a Governor whenever you wish.

You do need succession planning. 8 years is recommended as the max to Chair. We elect a Chair and Vice every two years. You may wish to share the vice chair job. Have you looked at the Governor's Competency framework to ensure there is not undue reliance on the Chair? Perhaps it is time to self review which fits in nicely with SFVS and the Governor's responsibilities under this. Unless someone volunteers he will stay as Chair.

Most local authority GBs elect a chair and vice every year. First meeting in September. The chair isn’t doing a good enough job if succession planning is not considered or acted upon. How do the governors know they are doing a good job? Do they self evaluate? Who leads this?

You may find the dedicated Governing Body websites (Better Governor; NGA etc) and meetings a more helpful place for discussion on this...not that comments above aren't helpful, but the majority of users on this site aren't governors... Succession planning and relevant governor training is critical.

Thank you everyone, I'm sorry have not had a chance to respond sooner but I've been taking it on board. I met with another governor this morning who started later than me but is hugely capable. She doesn't feel ready to Chair immediately but would be happy to be Vice Chair if I re-stood and Chaired for a year or 2 max. I don't want to commit to 4. In that time we could hopefully push for more self evaluation, make everyone see that they need to do their bit rather than "tagging along" for 4 years, and most importantly, break the cycle of it being just the same guy every time.

I've spoken to the current Chair - who to be fair, is a lovely guy - and asked him to speak to one other governor who joined at a similar time to this other lady, just to check if he would like to Chair. I'm not convinced he would, but I think he'll be really awkward if he feels he wasn't asked 🙄

So that's where we're up to. I'll check out the other resources mentioned too. Thanks again.

Our chair is awful - full of political rhetoric and doesn't challenge the school at all. He's total in control and no one challenges him. The rest of the governors including vice chair are very weak. One of the other governors agreed the chair needs to go but so far the two of us have resigned and he is still there.. I don't know how they will ever get rid of him. His spouse works at the school and now he is also a trustee of the MAT the school belongs to!

I’m a former Governor trainer and up to date experience of being a governor. Does your LA not offer training on whole GB self evaluation? I often found having training targeted for your GB gets people motivated. What about your Diocese Education board as you are VA? Also, as you are VA, you have more responsibility as governors. I assume you know this. Therefore training for everyone and ensuring each governor is effective is very important.

MrPickles73. Often schools that operate like this get a rude awakening when Ofsted arrive. The GB must have procedures for challenging the school. It’s not just the chair that does this. It’s up to everyone within the structure and mechanism set up by the GB for doing this. If no one challenges the Chair and turns this around, the school and DC don’t benefit. It’s simply not good enough!

There is a wonderful governor group on Facebook just for school governors come and join.

Also - what about the National Chairs leadership program- chair and or vice could do this. It is offered through our LA.

You can chair for just a year if appropriate. You also don't have to leave when your 4 years are up. You can stand again as a PG or if you are associate governor just have your term extended again. (And even though it would automatically be for 4 years that doesn't mean you have to serve all 4 - so if you know that you would have another chair ready in 2 and you want to support the school till then. Do it. And resign when you need to.

Finally you should reelect the chair each year - I'm pretty sure they is best practice - check out the NGA website.

Definitely get an NLG in to do an evaluation of the board as it's really useful. Or arrange some training with your SiP - they might have great advice for you.

bubblesbuddy we are voting with our feet - we have already moved one child and just about to move the second.
It's a small community so no one wants to make themselves unpopular.
I have be 3 well done assemblies this term - at each one the CoG's child has been chosen to share and some other children have not been chosen this academic year..

Have you looked at the diocese Governor training plus when is your next Siams or S48 is due?

Does your SEF reflect if it is a good time to be changing chairs or not?

MrPickles73. Who gets what in assembly is down to the Head. However, schools have to tread carefully when Governors have DC in schools.

Why would anyone be unpopular? I think fighting for a good school and changing things is great for the community. Leaving DC at the school who cannot get anywhere else is not great in my view. Parents should want change and put themselves forward to get it. For everyone.

BubblesBuddy believe me I've tried everything. I joined the governors to get to the bottom of what the issue was and I discovered the HT, COG and business manager had it all under control and rest of the governors were doing nothing and just nodding. When I started asking questions it was painful. I left governors after a year. We have had 2 new heads subsequently but the old behaviours die hard. But until anyone speaks up nothing will happen. When I spoke up no one supported me so I feed sad but I feel they have the school they deserve TBH... its heart breaking.

.. and its not just that the COG has a child at the school - his wife also teaches there! You can't make it up!

It won’t be great when Ofsted come, will it?

Raspberry - are you MrPickles73? Just a bit confused.

What you could do is speak to the LA or Diocese. Has no one ever checked the work of the GB? Do you get a Heads report based on what is required for Ofsted? Each meeting should have data and information, progress of DC and progress on SIP for example. They should have a method for governors to inform themselves about the SIP and then be able to ask questions of the Head. Preferably in writing in advance of the meetings.

However if you have left, there’s not much to be said. Sometimes small village schools are the most difficult to shift regarding Governor culture. If the GB is removed, it might concentrate the mind. The HT shouldn’t be happy with dire governors either.