Transcript PowerPoint presentation template

Peterborough Better English Conference
Governor Monitoring
Prue Rayner HMI
20 March 2015
‘Strong leadership and
governance are key to
ensuring successful
education outcomes for young
people’. CBI November 2013
Cambridgeshire Governors 070315

Sir Michael Wilshaw HMCI is on record as saying that while
governance may not always make headlines nationally, it can
and does make a profound difference in schools.

He has praised the 300,000 or so school governors in
England, acknowledging that they are one of the largest and
most hardworking volunteer groups in the country.

“The role of governance in driving up the quality of teaching
and leadership in our schools and colleges will be
fundamental…and Ofsted will support leaders and
governors focusing on improving teaching and
learning – I pay tribute to those who bring their skills to the
role.”
Seminar 4 February 2015
3
The report of HMCI 2013/14
Common weaknesses in the region’s
inadequate schools


low expectations of pupils, in some cases, particularly boys

not using data to track pupils’ progress or link teachers’ pay
progression with impact on outcomes

not making effective use of the considerable funding to support
underachieving and low-income groups

capacity of middle/subject leaders to do their jobs well, particularly
when senior leaders do not hold them to account

governors who do not challenge the information they are
given or promote improvement at a fast enough pace
ineffective support to improve teaching, frequently compounded
by inaccurate self-assessment on the quality of teaching
Cambridgeshire Governors 070315
The report of HMCI 2013/14
Schools requiring improvement
Where schools requiring improvement do
improve they have:

an unrelenting focus on improving
teaching

a coherent link between self-evaluation,
improvement planning and performance
management

governors who play a strategic role,
augmented by first-hand knowledge
of what is going on in their schools,
understand data and, therefore, ask
the right questions of school leaders.
Cambridgeshire Governors 070315

Absolute clarity about the different roles and responsibilities of the
headteacher and governors underpins the most effective governance.
Protocols, specific duties and terms of reference are made explicit in
written documents.
‘

School leaders and governors behave with integrity and are mutually
supportive. School leaders recognise that governors provide them
with a different perspective which contributes to strengthening
leadership. The questions they ask challenge assumptions and
support effective decision making.
‘Governors understand their roles and offer good guidance to those who
are new to the governing body’
Cambridgeshire Governors 070315
Strategic Leadership
Driving improvement – strategic leadership
 clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
 contribution to the school’s self-evaluation and understanding its



strengths and weaknesses, including the quality of teaching and of
pupils’ achievement
provide challenge and hold the headteacher and other senior leaders
to account for improving the quality of teaching, pupils’ achievement
and pupils’ behaviour and safety………or whether they hinder
school improvement by failing to tackle key concerns or
developing their own skills
monitor performance management systems and understand how the
school makes decisions about teachers’ salary progression, including
the performance management of the headteacher, to improve
teaching, leadership and management
engage with key stakeholders
Cambridgeshire Governors 070315
‘Members of the current governing body have high aspirations, high
expectations and a clear vision for the school. They were swift to inform
inspectors that pupils’ achievement is currently not good enough.’
‘Governors know the school’s strengths and weaknesses and set clear
priorities.’

Effective governing bodies systematically monitor their school’s progress
towards meeting agreed development targets. Governors consistently
ask for more information, explanation or clarification. This makes a
strong contribution to robust planning for improvement.

Outstanding governors are able to take and support hard decisions in the
interests of pupils; to back the headteacher when they need to change staff,
or to change the headteacher when absolutely necessary.
‘Governors value staff appraisal, clear processes are in place to set targets for
staff including the headteacher. Targets are linked to the key priorities in the
SDP and help to focus staff on improvement. Teachers are required to teach
consistently well and meet all of their targets in order to qualify for a pay
increase.’
Cambridgeshire Governors 070315
‘Governors speak knowledgeably about the range of subjects and
courses offered and how what the academy has to offer students has
changed in response to their needs.’
‘Members of the governing body have a thorough knowledge of the
quality of teaching because they cross reference the information given
to them by the academy with external reports.’

Governors routinely attend lessons to gather information about the
school at work. They visit their schools regularly and talk with staff,
pupils and parents.
‘Governors are developing better links with subjects and key areas of
the school’s development plan. Their visits to the school support a
growing understanding of its strengths and areas for development. Their
knowledge is helping to shape strategic thinking.’
‘’When they visit the school, they pay attention to the school’s priorities.’
Cambridgeshire Governors 070315
Objective
Responsibility
Resources
Actions
Monitoring
Evaluation
Improve the quality
of the teaching of
calculation skills in
Key Stage 2.
Mathematics
subject leader
SL visit to
Northeast
Academy – meet
SL and visit KS2
11/10/14 £300
Staff meeting
3/11/14 revisit
of calculation
policy against
skills audit.
Ht review of
feedback from
SL monitoring
during termly
pm meetings
Funding for
subject leader
extra release
time to
1. Analyse skills
audit and
plan training
2. Provide 101
support for
teachers and
TAs where
necessary
SL monitoring
built in to
monitoring
calendar focus
teaching
calculation –
expectations
against new NC
Outcomes of
skills audit to
govs
curriculum
committee
5/11/14
Summer Term
Governors with
priority
responsibility
meet with
subject leader to
discuss the
actions taken to
address skills
audit.
Inc, visit to lesson
planned by MSL and
discussion with
teacher/pupils
about their
knowledge of
calculation
Audit staff skills
Governors
responsible for
monitoring
Priority 2 AB,
CD
Cambridgeshire Governors 070315
SL visits to
classes to
Skills audit
monitor and
15/10/14
develop the
1-1 support plan teaching of
in place 22/10/14 calculation
skills. Specific
Monitoring
skills
feedback to staff
identified
meetings as
where
scheduled
teaching
04/04/2015
06/06/2015
weaker
Impact
Monitoring achievement
Driving improvement – achievement
Do governors:
 understand and take sufficient account of pupil data, new guidance
in RAISE online
 assure themselves of the rigour of the assessment process
 understand the impact of teaching on learning and progress in
different subjects and year groups
 know in enough detail how well the pupil premium and other
resources are used to overcome barriers to learning, including
reading, writing and mathematics?
Cambridgeshire Governors 070315

‘Governors are well informed and knowledgeable because

Governors use the skills they bring, and the information
they have about the school, to ask challenging questions,
which are focused on improvement, and hold leaders to
account for pupils’ outcomes.
they are given high-quality, accurate information that is
concise and focused on pupil achievement.
‘Governors check how well pupils are doing, including those
supported by the pupil premium, and ask questions if pupils are
not doing well enough.’
Cambridgeshire Governors 070315
Intended impact of resources

If actions are planned or requests are made, are leaders and therefore
governors absolutely clear about what the change in the use of
resources is intended to achieve and about how and when this will be
measured?

What information might need to be considered if governors were asked
for funding to replenish books to develop literacy skills?
Cambridgeshire Governors 070315
Key considerations for governors
 What targets, why?
 How do they know/affirm data is
accurate?
 What constitutes ‘good’ for their
school/academy?
Cambridgeshire Governors 070315
Often forgotten
 How do governors inform
stakeholders about their impact?
Cambridgeshire Governors 070315