Staffing

Governing Bodies have wide ranging responsibilities relating to staffing in schools, which can vary between maintained schools and academies. They range from, ensuring schools have an appropriate policy framework in place that complies with education and employment law, to Headteacher Appraisal and Performance Related Pay. This area of the Better Governor website contains articles and guidance documents focusing on school HR issues, written by governors, for governors to ensure you are up-to-date with current legislation and best practice.

• Safer Recruitment - the role of governance in 2025 (RECORDED)

  This Better Governor webinar, delivered by Governance expert Steve Barker, aimed to ensure those involved in school governance had clarity over their responsibilities for safer recruitment. It raised awareness of how the key aspects of governance should be monitored and it explored good practice in governance oversight, which ensures compliance and contributes to keeping children safe.

  Consultant: Steve Barker March 2025

• Health & Safety in 2024 - what governors need to know (REC Dec '24)

  This BG webinar, delivered by governance expert Steve Barker, clarified the compliance aspects of Health & Safety in schools. Explored current Department for Education guidance and how this should inform effective governance. The webinar also focussed on good practice in monitoring Health and Safety which informs the effective oversight of governance.

  Consultant: Steve Barker December 2024

• Filtering & Monitoring in 2024 (Rec Dec '24)

  This BG webinar, delivered by governance expert Steve Barker, clarified what is meant by filtering & monitoring as an element of safeguarding. Helped to understand how governance should be seeking assurance that schools and academy trusts are statutorily compliant and also explored effective strategies for monitoring the effectiveness of school provision.

  Consultant: Steve Barker December 2024

• Safer Recruitment in 2024 (Recorded NOV '24)

  This Better Governor webinar ensured those involved in school governance had clarity over their responsibilities for safer recruitment. Raised awareness of how this key aspect of governance should be monitored. This webinar also explored good practice in governance oversight, which ensures compliance and contributes to keeping children safe.

  Consultant: Steve Barker November 2024

• Safer Recruitment in 2024 (RECORDED FEB '24)

  This Better Governor webinar, delivered by Governance expert Steve Barker, focussed on ensuring those in governance have clarity on responsibilities for safe recruitment in schools. Bringing awareness of how governors should monitor this key aspect of compliance and explored good practice in governance oversight.

  Consultant: Steve Barker February 2024

• Well-being, workload and staff satisfaction in 2023 (RECORDED MAR 23)

  Well-being, workload and staff satisfaction in 2023 Webinar delivered 7pm, 29th March. By Steve Barker, Head of Governance Services.

  Consultant: Steve Barker March 2023

• Mental health and well-being in schools (Recorded May 2022)

  This webinar was timed to take place in Mental Health Awareness Week, which provided an opportunity for the whole of the UK to focus on achieving good mental health. We explored mental health in schools for both staff and pupils with a specific focus on what governance can do to recognise the importance of the topic and ensure that schools and trusts have policies and procedures in place that support positive well-being and recognise when signposting help may be needed.

  Consultant: Steve Barker May 2022

• Staff workload and well-being - what governors need to know (Recorded Jan 2021)

  Teacher (and Headteacher) workload and its impact on well-being falls under the duty of care that governing boards have for their staff. This session explored what this means in practice and what schools can do to reduce workload. We focused on how governance should monitor this increasingly important aspect of their school's work in order to establish an appropriate strategic overview of its effectiveness.

  Consultant: Steve Barker January 2022

• Handling Allegations (Recorded April 2021)

  This Better Governor webinar explored how safeguarding allegations should be handled in schools and academies, and how this sits with the role of governance in terms of strategic oversight over the process. We focused on who should be involved and highlight the role of governance in handling allegations relating to the headteacher, which whilst rare, do occur from time to time.

  Consultant: Steve Barker April 2021

• Governance of the Single Central Record Podcast

  This podcast focuses on the role of governance in ensuring this vital aspect of Safer Recruitment compliance is both in place and accurate. Our two governance experts; Steve Barker and Linda Waghorn, explore the purpose and statutory status of the Single Central Record and discuss effectiveness of governance monitoring of it. The podcast also includes good practice tips on how effective monitoring can take place remotely.

  Consultant: Steve Barker March 2021