By Jonathan Ellam, Governance Adviser
Effective school governance plays a major part in ensuring that schools and trusts are accountable to all stakeholders. One way of checking this is with an external review of the governing body or trust board. An external review enables board members to assess their performance, review governance practices and ensure they remain on track with a bespoke action plan.
Both governance guides for the Maintained (section 6.2) and Academy/MAT (section 4.9) sectors have a clear and similar message on external reviews. For instance, the maintained schools governance guide states:
External reviews of governance (ERGs) provide independent assessment of the governing body’s effectiveness and areas for development … they can:
- be a more powerful diagnostic tool than self-evaluation
- bring an independent perspective
- identify areas for capacity and capability building for governors and governance support
- identify areas for further learning and development
- provide support to a governing body at key growth or transition points
[…] We recommend that ERGs are conducted routinely as part of a wider programme of self-assessment and improvement.
When considering an external review, the decision may be coloured by the thought that something is wrong with your board. This is far from the case; in fact, inviting external scrutiny is the sign of a healthy and open board. However, it’s sometimes the case that board effectiveness can decline over time, for a variety of reasons. It could be that you have a very stable, longstanding board, where it’s possible that “group think” begins to hold sway, i.e. where the board often makes decisions without challenge or critique to not upset individuals or the harmony of the board. Equally, a board with a relative high turnover of governors or trustees may lead to erratic or ill-considered decision making, where strategic aims get lost through a constant “firefighting” approach to challenges.
What is key is who’s around the table. Do you have the right mix of experience, skills and knowledge? Has the relevant training been undertaken? Does your board reflect the community it serves? Are all voices around the table heard and viewpoints respected? Do all governors and trustees contribute at meetings and undertake visits and have link roles? Does the board have a clear vision for the next three years? What are the challenges and solutions, and are KPIs in place to measure progress?
Recognising the benefits of continuous improvement and engaging in an external review, school and trust boards can be truly effective in carrying out their roles and responsibilities. It also ensures that the board is clearly positioned to meet the needs of its pupils, staff and wider community, and it creates an environment where all can thrive and reach their potential.
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