All Content

• Six months off school – meeting the needs of all pupils webinar (August 2020)

  This Better Governor webinar focused on the key considerations for those involved in school governance in maintained schools and academy trusts, as we approached the return to school for all pupils. We explored some of the potential challenges that schools may encounter and reflect on the shape of governance, in Autumn 2020, as our schools and trusts return to some sense of normality.

  Consultant: Steve Barker August 2020

• Clerks’ Forum (Recorded August 2020)

  After nearly six months of managing changes to governance practice due to the pandemic, this Better Governor webinar used the DfE school governance (Roles, Procedures and Allowances) regulations, and the constitution of governing bodies of maintained schools statutory guidance as a basis for exploring some common myths and governance practice errors to ensure clerks are able to provide robust advice and guidance to their bards during the autumn term. We considered regulatory advice and good practice in the management of chairs elections, parent /staff governors, co-headship and who can attend meetings and in what capacity, as well as taking questions raised by webinar participants.

  Consultant: Linda Lissimore August 2020

• Conducting Headteacher Appraisal in Autumn 2020 webinar (August 2020)

  This webinar focused on the role of governance in conducting headteacher appraisal. We briefly explored the statutory regulations which form the backdrop to appraisal in schools and clarify how headteacher performance management/appraisal conversations should be shaped in 2020, in the aftermath of the Covid-19 school closures.

  Consultant: Steve Barker August 2020

• School Transport – DfE announces new return to school funding

  School Transport – new funding announcement

  Consultant: Steve Barker August 2020

• Ofsted - what governing bodies should be doing in the Autumn term podcast #2

  This second, in a series of two podcasts, looking at Ofsted’s activities in the Autumn term, explores what governing boards should be thinking about and doing, in order to ensure they are prepared for Ofsted’s visit to their school.

  Consultant: Steve Barker August 2020

• Ofqual proposes changes to some GCSE, AS and A Level Exams for 2021

  The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) has published the outcomes of its consultation on proposed changes to some of the GCSE, AS, and A-Level examinations for Summer 2021. The consultation ran between 1st and 16th July with Ofqual confirming that 28,972 responses had been submitted.

  Consultant: Sam Williams August 2020

• Introduction to School Finance Webinar (August 2020)

  This webinar was aimed at governors in maintained schools. We focused on the third core function of governance; 'overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.' The webinar introduced attendees to the process of budget planning within education and explore how this forms the back drop to governor monitoring of school financial performance. Accountability is driven by questioning from governance in all schools and we will look at the sort of finance questions governors should ask of their schools.

  Consultant: Steve Barker August 2020

• Ofsted - what governing bodies should be doing in the Autumn term podcast

  This podcast focuses on the announcements made by Ofsted in early July

  Consultant: Steve Barker August 2020

• Strategic Priorities and the School Development Plan Webinar (August 2020)

  This webinar explored the relationship between schools’ strategic priorities and their school development plan. Reflecting the statutory role of governance defined in the core function of ‘Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction’ we focused on the role of governance in agreeing strategic priorities and ensuring they are driving school improvement. We explored how School Development Plans will evolve to reflect the steps that schools are taking to identify, and then address, any gaps in pupils’ learning and personal development that may have emerged during the Covid-19 lockdown. We also discussed how SDP priorities are shaped by self-evaluation and in the absence of published pupil performance data this autumn, what for those in governance should expect this to take.

  Consultant: Steve Barker July 2020

• Cyber-security in Schools

  On the 15th July the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), in association with the Department for Education (DfE), published new guidance on managing cyber-security risks in schools.

  Consultant: Sam Williams July 2020