Ann Holt OBE Chichester Diocese Saturday 19October 2013

Transcription

1 Ann Holt OBE Chichester Diocese Saturday 19October 2013

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3 The Governing Body The head The staff The parent in the family THE CHILD at the heart and the parent body as a whole in offering educational experiences in managing the whole in directing and carrying the buck

4 PROJECT REPORT Chris James, Steve Brammer, Michael Connolly, Miles Fertig, Jane James and Jeff Jones UNIVERSITY OF BATH The hidden givers : A study of school governing bodies in England

5 The findings School governing is always changing The role of the chair a significant educational and community leadership responsibility. The local authority governor role -can be unsatisfactory. Scrutiny, scrutiny, scrutiny.... The lack of a capable governing body is a substantial disadvantage The hidden givers : a study of school governing bodies in England

6 3 key themes: } Public accountability } Strategic leadership } Governors as agents for change

7 To help schools provide the best possible education for their pupils by: } thinking and working strategically to help to raise standards } Monitoring and evaluation progress towards the school s priorities and targets } Supporting the head and staff as well as challenging their expectations } Accounting to all stakeholders for the school s overall performance and for the decision they have made

8 } The governing body only has statutory authority as a corporate body. } The essential role of the governing body is strategic, not operational. } The most effective approach of the governing body is to be a critical friend to the school. } The recommended working practice of the corporate governing body is to delegate authority to individuals or groups of its members to carry out functions on its behalf. The four roles have been clarified in Terms of Reference

9 The Governing Body provides the headteacher and staff with support, advice and information, drawing on its members knowledge and experience. In these ways the Governing Body acts as a critical friend to the school. Critical in the sense of its responsibility for monitoring and evaluation the school s effectiveness, asking challenging questions, and pressing for improvement. A friend because it exists to promote the interest of the schools and its pupils. Governing bodies and Effective Schools DfEE/OfSTED/B.I.S.

10 Heads need good working relations with their governing body. Governing bodies are responsible in law for the overall conduct of their school and heads are accountable to them for the school s performance. It is important that each respects the other s role. Governing bodies need to give heads the freedom to manage. Heads need to give governing bodies the information they require to carry out their work effectively.

11 } What is our purpose? } Are we achieving that purpose? } Are we satisfied with our level of performance? } If not, where do we want to go and by when? } How will we know when we have got there?

12 1. What we need to MAINTAIN 2. What we need to DEVELOP 3. What we need to CHANGE

13 A Series of Questions

14 } To convert or not to convert? } Voluntary aided } Voluntary controlled } Academy } Foundation } Free } A question of policy

15 } What does it mean to be a trustee? Financial Propriety Risk Safeguarding Accountability Employment Admissions

16 } How do we know? School effectiveness Teaching and Learning } What about OFSTED and SIAMS? Changes in curriculum

17 I guess I could call myself smart. I mean I can usually get good grades. Sometimes I worry though, that I m not equipped to achieve what I want, that I m just a tape recorder repeating back what I have heard. I worry that once I am out of school and people don t keep handing me information with questions I ll be lost. Emily, aged 15

18 } No silos } Enabling } Motivated/energetic/creative } Stimulating pleasant environment } Full of possibilities } Initiative within boundaries/ok to try } Delivery } Rewards } Fully forming (of staff and pupils) } Fun } Light touch management

19 How do we guard the Christian character of the School? }Ethos }Vision }Values

20 Faith language brought into the public domain, in such areas as medical ethics, values in education, business ethics, moral standards in broadcasting is hugely embarrassing to many people Andrew Kirk

21 The perspective of authentic Christianity is rarely heard in Britain s public discourse. Getting it heard will not be easy, but it is a job that badly needs doing. For example, how can you hope to tackle antisocial behaviour without an understanding of sin and redemption? Rob Hutton, Lobby Correspondent, Bloomberg

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23 What is Ethos? The distinctive, prevailing tone, spirit and character of the school which is dynamic and noticeable to all who visit and see the school in action.

24 Moral values appear in 3 forms: Beliefs enduring values } Virtues lived values } Norms expected standards of } proper behaviour in relationships with others.

25 Get your commitment }Time }Energy }Money

26 Values are what people judge } Worth having } Worth doing } Worth being

27 Story Praxis The word of God is alive and active Worldwide Questions Symbol

28 I am a survivor of a concentration camp. My eyes saw what no men should witness: gas chambers built by learned engineers; children poisoned by educated physicians; infants killed by trained nurses; women and babies shot and burned by high school and college graduates. So, I am suspicious of your education. My request is: help your students become human. Your efforts must never produce learned monsters, skilled psychopaths, educated Eichmans. Reading, writing, arithmetic are important only if they serve to make our children more human."

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30 } Empowers not restrains } Encourages not condemns } Understands not imposes } Forgives not judges

31 } Time } Talent } Commitment } Knowledge } Intentionality } Leadership skills

32 Governing bodies need: } Strong and varied membership } Energy } Capacity to rise to the challenges

33 Intentional stewardship of one s influence to enable and empower other people to identify and achieve the goals of the community in the service of God

34 } A SPIRITUAL PERSON committed to prayer, scripture and able to communicate one s lived experience of the Gospel. } A PASTORAL PERSON the richness of the term pastor, suggests knowing, being known, bonding, loving, caring, healing, leading, reconciling, stability, security. } A LEADER exercising those qualities of intelligence, motivation, decision making, communication etc } A MATURE PERSON with a positive self-image, knowing oneself, liking oneself, being oneself, forgetting oneself, loving. } AN ECCLESIAL PERSON conscious of the school as part of the local church; engaged in a ministry of service to others following Jesus Christ. } A GOOD NEWS PERSON capable of communication and proclaiming the Word.

35 The role of the chair is particularly crucial. In most schools the relationship between the head and the chair of governors is one of the most critical ones in the whole school structure. It will only work well if there is mutual respect for each other s competence. Ideally the chair will be able to criticise when necessary without antagonising the head and while acknowledging the head s professional expertise. If the right chemistry between the head and chair is not present it will be all the harder for the school s staff and the governors to work properly together. Conversely, there is also a danger where the head and chair get on too well if this leads to a cosy two-person cabal that makes all the decisions. The chair needs to bear in mind that he or she is only the representative of the governing body and should never try to wrap up even small matters alone with the head.

36 What role for the Church of England? The dual system is bust Rt Revd John Pritchard but The Church is in a position to determine the future share of Schooling in England

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38 If children are not coming to us, we must go to them and that means not only in church schools but in community schools. Lord Dearing The Church has put its schools at the centre of its mission to the nation. Re-emphasised in Church Schools of the Future The Chadwick Report 2012

39 1. To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom 2. To teach, baptise and nurture new believers 3. To respond to human need by loving service 4. To seek to transform unjust structures of society 5. To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth (Bonds of Affection-1984 ACC-6 p49, Mission in a Broken World-1990 ACC-8 p101)

40 Think about it under three broad headings: } The opportunities presented by rapid, discontinuous and accelerating change; } Reconceptualising the school as a learning community; and } Moral and ethical leadership of a school as a learning community

41 1. ACHIEVEMENT (attainment, money, possessions, image) 4. ACCEPTANCE (always in deficit never enough) 2. IDENTITY (defined by doing or what you become) 3. DRIVENESS (by expectations of parents, school, society & self)

42 4. FRUITFULNESS 1. ACCEPTANCE (Growth) (The Beloved Child of God) 2. SUSTENANCE 3. IDENTITY (Who you are in God) (Study, Learn, Relationship)

43 Ann Holt OBE Chichester Diocese Saturday 19October 2013