Agenda item

7.1

Pat Toner, Iain Peel and Mike Patterson, Children Young People and Families service, reported upon School Governance arrangements in the City. It was noted that Eric Pye had retired from the role, after many years’ service with the Council.

7.2

Mr. Toner and Mr. Peel reported that the City Wide Learning Body (CWLB) had commissioned a large piece of work to examine the Governance arrangements in the City. It had looked in detail at 18 Governing Bodies, to get a feel for what the current practices were.   

7.3

As a result of this review, recommendations had been made back to the CWLB in April 2013, around the themes of obtaining high quality governors, training and support, access to data and governor retention.

7.4

Best practice had been identified and it was hoped that this would now be shared across the City. This was particularly important as more schools moved to Academy status.  It was noted that 40 new Governors had been recruited successfully in the last Academic Year, and that the Government had also produced new legislation around the composition of Governing Bodies. There was still currently a 12.7% vacancy rate in Sheffield, which was higher than the national average, but measures were being put in place in order to reduce this.  In line with new legislation, many Governing Bodies had reduced in size, some from as many as 26 down to 12. This meant that Bodies could operate in a more effective and streamlined way.  Further plans to target the recruitment of University staff and senior civil servants to Governing Bodies were in place.

7.5

It was noted that although many schools (145) bought in clerking arrangements for Governor meetings, this was not always the case, and Members were keen that information for all Governors was always clear and accessible.  Improvements were still to be made in terms of recruitment of Governors, particularly those from black and ethnic minority backgrounds, and also around the accessibility and quality of the training on offer.  Academies did not have an obligation to have a Local Authority member on board, but all of the Academies in Sheffield had so far taken up the offer of having one, thus retaining essential links with the Council.  There was an emphasis on the importance of parental engagement within schools, as a model for increased recruitment of parent governors, and also to improve communications across the School. It was noted that Ofsted had access to ‘Parent View’ before they made a visit to any school, so they were able to assess the climate of the current parental engagement before they arrived. 

7.6

Members were keen that, although smaller, leaner Governing Bodies could potentially govern more effectively, that they did not lose their ‘heart’ by being too ‘business -like’ and potentially intimidating for laypeople. Everyone agreed that the Governing Bodies having roots in the community was essential to its success. 

The review had also found that, alongside the traditional skills set sought from Governing Body members, such as HR, and finance for example, the greater emphasis was on finding exemplary soft skills in its members, such as communication skills, empathy and patience.  The Chief Inspector of Schools, Sir Michael Wilshaw, had commented in his latest paper that an effective Governing Body was key to the success of any school.

7.7

Members agreed that a fundamental rethink was required to increase the take up of training amongst Governors.  A Governing Body comprised a minimum of seven members (including two parent governors, one member of staff and the Headteacher).

7.8

RESOLVED: That the Committee:-

(a)       notes the information now reported in respect of the Governance review;

(b)       supports a review of current training and recruitment methods for Governing Bodies, and

(c)        Requests a report back to Committee in 12 months’ time.