School Governor

Inspections should engage governors

scameron — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 15:06:24 +0100

A committee of MPs has called on Ofsted to shine the spotlight more brightly on governance arrangements.

As part of a hard-hitting report on the role and performance of Ofsted, the Education Select Committee looked at the role of school governors in the inspection process and concluded that ‘the inspectorate should have a clear policy of engaging governors as much as possible'.

Still a positive role for extended schools

scameron — Thu, 19 May 2011 14:31:38 +0100

For the past six years schools have benefited from receiving additional funding for providing extended services such as breakfast clubs, after-school clubs, parenting skills and family learning.

Making a case for federations

scameron — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 15:44:44 +0000

In a new report, Fulfilling potential, the business role in education, the UK's largest employers' body, the CBI, welcomed the coalition government's reforms for expanding the number of academies and enabling new schools to be set up, which it considers should lead to greater innovation in the classroom.

New team at the Department for Education

scameron — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 15:19:02 +0100

The Tory MP Nick Gibb has taken over the job he previously shadowed to become Minister of State for Schools.

Why professional development is the key to school improvement

scameron — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 15:43:12 +0100

Governing bodies seeking to improve their schools should not overlook the importance of continuing professional development (CPD) for school staff.

A study by Ofsted has concluded that the best schools are ‘excellent at developing their staff and are highly effective in using continuing professional development as a way to help bring about improved standards at their school’.

The way forward for school governance?

scameron — Mon, 24 May 2010 16:20:07 +0100

Along with everyone else involved in education, school governors are wondering what changes the new government will bring to their roles, responsibilities and the way they work.

Governors had already been anticipating change for the best part of two years as they waited (and waited) for the Ministerial Working Group on School Governance to report. That report was finally published on the very last working day before the General Election was called and its conclusions are likely to at least provide a starting point for setting the future direction of school governance.

Why spending on teaching assistants could raise attainment

scameron — Tue, 11 May 2010 14:17:02 +0100

If the financial squeeze on schools tightens in the coming years, many governing bodies will find themselves scrutinising the staffing budgets that typically swallow up as much as 80% of their funds.

As they try to determine the most efficient way to spend on staff, governors and heads will be fascinated by the findings of a new report from the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) which concluded that spending extra money on staffing only leads to an improvement in pupils’ attainment if it is spent on teaching assistants.

E-safety: is your school doing enough?

jlee — Fri, 07 May 2010 10:11:45 +0100

The schools that do the best job of keeping children safe while they are using the internet have a clear vision of what they are trying to do and a strategy that involves the whole school community, including governors.

That is the conclusion that Ofsted came to after carrying out a small-scale survey of 35 maintained schools in England as part of its response to the report of the Byron Review, Safer children in a digital world.

A quick roundup of the main political parties’ school manifesto points

scameron — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 12:58:34 +0100

With the 2010 general election looming, if you want to know more about what the main political parties want to do with education should they get the chance, this information sheet excavates the relevant sections of their manifestos for an at-a-glance guide.

Encouraging pupils to cycle to school

scameron — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 10:43:18 +0100

Does your school encourage pupils to get on their bikes?

Cycling to school is one of those rare activities that 'ticks all the boxes'. It’s enjoyable, it gives children much needed-physical activity and it helps the environment by reducing the number of cars on the school run.

Secrets of outstanding schools

scameron — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:20:47 +0000

Learning the secrets of schools that succeed against the odds
Ofsted has something of a reputation for being critical of schools without offering them the practical support they need to be able to learn from their mistakes and improve.

Get ready for tighter budgets

scameron — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:05:19 +0000

How well will your school cope with a financial squeeze?
With times of austerity and cuts in public spending expected whichever party wins the General Election, schools are already being warned to plan for living within tighter budgets.

Even the current budget settlement, which runs for two years until 2012-13, only translates to an above-inflation increase if schools are able to make so-called efficiency savings of more than £1billion over that period.

Sustainability: a top priority for governors

scameron — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 11:39:17 +0000

Is your school making enough progress towards sustainability?
Ofsted has put the focus back on sustainable development in schools with the publication of a report based on a survey of the efforts of a group of 14 schools in England over a three-year period.

The report recommends that sustainability has to be a top priority in all schools’ improvement plans if the government’s target for all schools to be sustainable schools by 2020 is to be met.

Tackling challenging staff behaviour

scameron — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 13:45:17 +0000

Challenging behaviour and the disruption it causes in the workplace is an issue that will arise at some time or another, not just in schools but in industry too. A colleague contacted me recently to vent her frustration at the attitude and behaviour from one of her staff. I could relate to this frustration and our experiences were very similar and sometimes quite comical (can’t be mentioned here in case anyone takes offence).

How to detect fraudulent admissions applications

scameron — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:01:59 +0000

Do you know how to deal with fraudulent admission applications?
‘Every place obtained by a parent through deception, has the consequence of depriving another child of their “rightful” place.’

Those were the words of Ian Craig, the Chief School Adjudicator, in a hard-hitting report on fraudulent or misleading applications for admission to schools delivered to the Children’s Secretary, Ed Balls, November 2009.

How governors can help schools to meet the behaviour challenge

scameron — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 10:23:53 +0000

How to improve pupil behaviour in your school
In its latest strategy document, Delivering the behaviour challenge, the DCSF says that: ‘The key to achieving our goal of all schools being rated good or better on behaviour is raising expectations all round – on the part of school heads and governors, local authorities and parents.’

CPD for governors

scameron — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:15:22 +0100

Learning is like rowing upstream: not to advance is to drop back.
Chinese proverb

Your school’s governors may well be missing out on drives to improve effectiveness through professional and personal learning, and this can only stifle the progress you can make as an institution.

Secondary curriculum: guide for governors

scameron — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:41:28 +0100

‘There are so many changes taking place all at once. In September 2008 all A levels are reducing to four modules. This means that all schemes of work will need to be changed, the new key stage 3 curriculum starts with major changes, competencies and so on. Staff are getting concerned about overload. The extra teacher development day has been useful for preparation for the new curriculum but information on some foundation subjects – art, music and technology will not be available until June!’

'Untrained volunteers' on governing bodies

scameron — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:37:09 +0100

Teachers who know me know I love them. Some also know that, as a parent member of the Taylor Committee 30 years ago, I fought hard for their right to strong representation on the new, broadly-based, community governing bodies along with elected parents and community representatives.

Governors: help or hindrance?

scameron — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:16:06 +0000

It’s ten o’clock on a cold winter’s evening and a governors’ meeting is in full swing. The agenda has been long and the debates have seemed even longer because some of the governors have been too busy to read the pre-meeting paperwork, which you, of course, weren’t too busy to prepare for them! You are tired and have a difficult parent to see in the morning. The final points are being made in agreement with your school improvement agenda item on developing better teaching and classroom management.

A leadership approach to good behaviour

scameron — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:09:42 +0000

I did spot them on my preliminary tour of the school but put it down to it being a bad day. I saw them again on interview day – but this time it was different; they would vanish as various dignitaries roamed the school, only to reappear later, tucked in a remote corner. They were the ‘Corridor Club’ – the excluded students who wander the halls of schools where a structured approach to discipline has crumbled, replaced with ad-hoc bouts of teacher’s revenge – the consequences of administering punishment while angry!

Value in linking school governors and school bursars

scameron — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 16:49:42 +0000

School business managers can save up to 30% of headteachers’ time, substantially enhancing school capacity and improving the quality of teaching and learning.

According to the National College for School Leadership (NCSL) the importance of sound business management skills is widely accepted. The challenge now for governors and headteachers is to create a culture where the role of SBM is valued as a senior member of staff, rewarded financially and given the senior leadership responsibility it needs to have an impact.

Working with governors on G&T provision

scameron — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:52:13 +0000

School governors come in all shapes and sizes, with a wide range of knowledge and expertise. Their backing for G&T provision can be a great asset, helping you to move G&T up the agenda, secure resources and improve the opportunities on offer for your most able pupils. Keeping governors informed about your work as G&T coordinator/ leading teacher can be influential in getting and keeping them ‘onside’, and the pointers below may help you in addressing this part of your role.

Building an effective team of governors

scameron — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:01:28 +0000

A new school year, a common purpose, a mixture of opinions and talents – what could be better ground for some really effective team building?

Unless it is a brand new school, the members of the governing body will be a mixture of new and old, so they will have to re-create the character of the team and develop its strength and effectiveness as a working unit. This is an ideal opportunity to become more effective as a team, not only to build on existing strengths but to reinforce and refresh the sense of common purpose and the principles of good governance.

School Governor Update

cgoonewardene — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:52:19 +0000

Published 6 times a year, School Governor Update keeps governors up to date with what they need to know, when they need to know it. With so much to consider on top of the routine smooth running of their schools, school governors can be forgiven for feeling overwhelmed at times. This is where School Governor Update can help.

This easy to digest publication will provide you with:

Making the most of your partnership with governors

scameron — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 12:52:05 +0000

Over the past couple of weeks headteachers could be forgiven if they found it difficult to stay focused on their school’s priorities. Attention-grabbing headlines – such as ‘SATS are too crude an assessment’; ‘Conservatives shun the Rose review’; High anxiety over building programme’; Tests blamed for blighting children’s lives’ – could easily divert us from the work in hand to ensure that all children in our care have the best possible experiences every day.

Financial Management Standard made easy for schools

scameron — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 16:39:30 +0000

By the end of the financial year in April 2007 over 76% of secondary schools had successfully achieved the Financial Management Standard; most of these had undergone an external assessment, either through their local authority or using an independent assessor.

Understanding the options for school exclusion

scameron — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 15:58:14 +0000

Overview of exclusion options

Single school solutions

A year in the life of school governor

scameron — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 13:35:21 +0000

This article was written in July 2008. Read on to hear Joan Sallis's reflection on that year as a governor at her primary school.

As we lie in the sun this summer we may find ourselves reminiscing about the ups and downs of another school year. It will exhaust me just to think about it this time as it is scarcely believable how much has changed in my primary school. It offers many lessons for the future – mainly, Be Prepared!

Education employment law: statutory leave and pay entitlements

scameron — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:02:10 +0000

One of the defining features of the last 11 years of New Labour government has been its apparent commitment to, and promotion of, measures designed to encourage a work-life balance and to facilitate what is termed a family friendly working environment.

‘Good’ employers, therefore, have taken the view that the remuneration and benefits package should in some way exceed the statutory minimum requirements in terms of leave and pay.

Your positive moments in leadership and management

scameron — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:52:26 +0000

“There are so many it's difficult to decide - so many on a personal level within school and those that are in association with others. I think I have to choose this - working towards, and subsequently achieving the LPPA - the Leading Parent Partnership Award. The day I was told, "Congratulations! You are worthy recipients of the Award", was up there with the day we were deemed 'Outstanding' by OFSTED!

Disability discrimination in schools

scameron — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 09:42:19 +0000

An increasing number of schools are finding themselves the subject of legal challenges to either independent exclusion appeals panels or Sendist allegations of discrimination against a pupil on the grounds of a disability. The law relating to disability discrimination is complex and frequently seems impenetrable, and recourse to legal advice is often recommended. Moreover, recent case law is likely to assist the schools to successfully defend more of these challenges.

Since when has disability equality law affected the education sector?

When can parents educate their children at home?

scameron — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:09:07 +0000

QUESTION:

When can parents educate their children at home?

ANSWER:

The case of Konrad and Others v Germany [2007] ELR 435, a European Court of Human Rights case, considered this question. The parents belonged to a Christian community and objected to their children's attendance at school which, by State law, was compulsory.

Guide to school employment tribunals

scameron — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 14:40:56 +0000

Most employment claims are heard in the employment tribunals. The process can be daunting for those involved, whether they are legally represented or not. The tribunal is more informal than the civil courts, but increasingly regulated.

Those who properly engage in the litigation process at an early stage are more likely to succeed — or at least to minimise cost and management time. This article is a guide to tribunal procedure — to allow your school, if faced with a claim, to engage as successfully as possible.

The claim

Governing bodies: helping schools be accountable

scameron — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 12:41:05 +0000

When we look at how governing bodies organise their work we normally focus on efficiency, but we need also to turn the telescope round and look at it from the perspective of how it helps us meet the needs of accountability. There may well be a bonus as well.

Think corporately
It is one of the basic principles of governing bodies that they are corporate. It’s another one that they are the accountable body for a school. It’s an easy step from there to see that the accountability is corporate.

Accidents at school: liability in terms of supervision

scameron — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:06:54 +0100

In the latter half of 2008, the courts dealt with a trilogy of cases on the liability of supervisors when a child in their care was injured. What is especially notable about these cases is that in each, a decision of the High Court was later overturned by the Court of the Appeal.

In this two-part feature, we will look at why these decisions were reversed and at their implications for teachers and school support staff.

In this article, we explore the facts of the three cases; the effect of the Compensation Act 2006; inherent risk; and the nature of supervision.

Independent Safeguarding Authority: a new vetting and barring system

scameron — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 09:38:04 +0100

The new vetting and barring scheme, involving the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA), replaces the current List 99, PoCA, PoVA and Disqualification Orders regimes. Legal Expertise discusses.

Why do we need a new vetting and barring scheme?

Creating a primary school: amalgamation

scameron — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:30:56 +0100

We were two years into Hafise’s headship, having survived TLR restructuring, an Ofsted inspection under the new framework, and an Investors in People assessment. Hafise had completed the new heads programme, and we could have wondered what further demands could possibly arise for us, the headteacher and chair of governors of a primary school in Havering. We might have expected nothing more than having to keep up with new pieces of legislation, work creatively through the SEF and keep the school improvement plan on track. An amalgamation was not a challenge that we had anticipated!

School bursars as heads?

scameron — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:13:40 +0100

Ruth Bradbury, school business manager

I have written many times on this topic, and I know that it is one on which people have strong views, and which excites debate on both sides. My own view is that there are a number of skills that the leader of a school needs to have. These include:

a commitment to maximising the life-chances of young people
a vision for their school as first and foremost a centre of learning
read more

Self-evaluation with parents

scameron — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 15:38:21 +0100

Self-evaluation is, for many school leaders, just another necessary demand on time and resources, which can become little more than an exercise in ticking the right boxes on the SEF form. If, however, it is carried out with a school-wide commitment to improvement, the process can become an invaluable tool in successful school management.

"Fitness to teach": a guide to the law for education providers

scameron — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:21:01 +0100

Employers of existing and prospective teachers, lecturers and those entering initial teacher training have a responsibility to ensure that employees have the health and physical capacity to teach and will not put children and young people at risk.

Should 'suitable education' be defined by parents or LA?

scameron — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:21:01 +0100

QUESTION:

Whose opinion takes precedence in a dispute over provision – parent or local authority?

ANSWER:

in the case of R(R) v Kent County Council [2007] ELR 648, a boy of 14, S, started his local school, the W School in September 2004. He was called names, and bullied. His father met the headmaster, who took the complaint seriously.

School democracy: learning conversations

scameron — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:21:01 +0100

Think about your school’s strategic decision-making process. Try drawing it. What does it look like? Who is involved? You will probably have staff meetings, middle management groups and senior leadership teams with some eventual link to the governing body through the governor committees.

Now think about the decision-making process for young people within your school. Draw it. Does it mirror the adult decision-making process? Where, if anywhere, does it even link to the adult decision-making process?

The future of SATs

scameron — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:21:00 +0100

First published in May 2008

What are SATs?

Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006: impact on information sharing

scameron — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:21:00 +0100

In autumn 2008, we should have a new vetting and barring scheme for people working with children and vulnerable adults. The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 paved the way for the new scheme. Previously in Education Law Update we have explored the scheme in detail (see article Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006: how it will affect your school). Here we will review information sharing in the light of the new provisions.

Admission appeals: how to avoid litigation

scameron — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:20:58 +0100

This article expands on Admissions and appeals, the new codes explained, in Education Law Update last month, and critically analyses how admissions authorities and statutory appeal panels should tackle their decision-making in order to avoid potential litigation by parents.

Many readers will be aware that the previous statutory schools admissions guidance has, over the years, led to a number of complaints by parents to the local government ombudsman and has also resulted in applications for judicial review to the High Court.

Governors: getting involved in your school's sport

scameron — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:20:58 +0100

Not only does PESSCL (PE, school sport and club links strategy) provide the governing body as a whole with a framework and set of targets against which the capacity of a school to deliver high quality physical activity can be measured, but it also provides a professional infrastructure around which individual governors with interest and expertise in the area can make a personal contribution to an important aspect of child development.

Reinstating an excluded pupil

scameron — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:20:58 +0100

QUESTION:

When a school is directed to reinstate a permanently excluded pupil, how far must it go?

ANSWER:

In R(O) v The Governing Body of Parkview Academy and Another [2007] ELR 454 CA, the claimant,15, was a pupil at Parkview Academy. He had a good record but in June 2006 he assaulted and injured the female manager of the school canteen. The head teacher decided to exclude him permanently, and the governing body upheld this decision.

Independent appeal panel

How to handle allegations against a member of staff

scameron — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:20:58 +0100

I attended a teachers’ union reps’ meeting last week and was asked about the process involved in managing an allegation against a member of staff. Basically, the issue that kept coming up in the meeting was the use of questioning and the use of discretion. A number of union reps raised the issue of questioning. They felt that the new referral procedures are too restrictive and caused people to act too quickly without checking things out properly. The following example was given:

Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006: how it will affect your school

scameron — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:20:57 +0100

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, which came into force in November 2006, makes significant changes to the way that people who work with children or vulnerable adults are vetted. In fact, the reforms are so substantial that the Government is going to phase them in to avoid teething problems.