Governors‘ Briefing Issue 7
Governors’
Briefing
Issue 7 September 2007
Welcome back!
I hope you‘ve enjoyed the time away from routine during the past month, despite
the weather. At least you‘ll have had an opportunity to rest and
recuperate in preparation for the long autumn term.
As usual in the autumn term the procedural items which require decisions
by the governing body feature high on the agenda. There is a danger that
these items can dominate the first meeting of the year but this can be
avoided by using a timed agenda and making careful prior preparation.
In this edition there‘s an article about the work of Southfield Technology
College‘s governors. Thanks to Gordon McCullough and his team for being willing to share their practices
with us. I look forward to hearing from other governing bodies about the good and interesting work which
is being carried out in other parts of the county. We can all learn from each other.
Margaret Wiltshire
Contents
Developing the School
Workforce
Page 2 Planning for the Autumn Term
Page 3 Children and Young People‘s Scrutiny Panel
Parent Governor Representatives
Page 4 Resource Management in Education Event
Rowntree report
Page 5 Parent Support anyone?
School Admission Appeals
Page 6 Primary developments 2007 – 2008
Page 7 Strategic Interface Meetings
In the coming year governors will again be
spending time thinking about workforce
development issues such as performance
management and the sustainability of PPA
(planning, preparation and assessment) time. Help
and guidance on these and other workforce
development matters can be found on the
―Workforce Development‖ section at
www.cumbriagfl.org.uk
Page 8 Southfield Technology College
Page 9 Link-up with Links
Please note, if you are reading the
electronic version of this publication
there are hyperlinks throughout.
Page 10 Gender Equality Duty
Page 11 Autumn Term Courses
Page 12 SGEG Report
Page 1
Governors‘ Briefing Issue 7
Planning for the Autumn Term
Appoint a chair and vice chair according to your locally agreed procedures, if you make annual
appointments.
Review the terms of reference of committees, and their membership.
Review the scheme of delegation to the headteacher.
Ensure the performance management policy and pay policy have been
reviewed in light of legislative changes.
Carry out the review of the headteacher‘s performance, and set targets for the coming year. In primary
and nursery schools this work will be done in partnership with an external adviser. In secondary
schools governors will work with the school improvement partner (SIP).
Appoint a link governor if you do not already have one.
Inform Jacqueline Pelham (01228 606925, [email protected]) about any changes or
new appointments to the governing body; either governors, chairs of governors, link governors or
clerks. This will ensure that they are sent the appropriate welcome packs.
Review the schools performance in 06-07
Set pupil performance targets for the end of Key Stages 2,3 and 4 assessment in 2009
Produce a governing body development plan, setting objectives for the governing body for the coming
year.
Nominate a child protection governor who should attend the ― Safeguarding
Children‖ day conference (previously known as ―Child Protection
Conference‖) if they have not attended within the last three years, to ensure
that child protection issues are of sufficiently high profile with governors and
within the school.
Nominate a governor to undertake the online Safer Recruitment training so
that at least one member of all appointment panels has been trained.
Update your Ofsted self evaluation form.
Consider establishing ―Standing Orders‖ if you haven‘t done so
already.
Set dates for governors‘ meetings for 07-08.
Agree the school improvement plan for 07-08 (if this wasn‘t already
done in the summer term).
Arrange a calendar of governors‘ visits to school.
Page 2
Governors‘ Briefing Issue 7
Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Panel
My role as a parent governor representative on the Children and Young People‘s Scrutiny Panel is extremely
rewarding and interesting. When I first put my name forward, I was not sure what was required of me, but
now I have attended Cumbria County Council's scrutiny training courses I feel more confident in being able
to effectively challenge decisions currently being made within the County Council‘s scrutiny panel meetings.
This has been made possible by my forward thinking employer, ‗Carlisle Jobcentre Plus‘, who has allowed me
time to take part in task and finish groups as well as the main scrutiny meetings, where I have tried to make
contributions to reports being made in specific areas. The recent one I was involved in, was around
recruitment and retention of foster carers in Cumbria for example. At scrutiny meetings, I need to have
understood and analysed reports, covering a wide area of Children's services. I have voting rights so that I
am able to vote in a way that I hope a parent of any child in Cumbria would vote. I have no political bias
which I know makes it fair and balanced.
I have the opportunity to speak at meetings and have found that the skills I have learnt as lone parent adviser
in a jobcentre have also helped with the diplomatic questioning of councilors at meetings, which can cover
emotive issues and agendas. I have established good relations with other scrutiny members and officers and
feel that I really do represent parents in Cumbria. It is vital that parent governors have the opportunity to
review and scrutinize decisions made by the executive and it is a worthwhile role which I continue to enjoy
for as long as I am part of the Scrutiny Panel.
Tracey Jacques, Parent Governor, Lanercost School
Parent Governor Representatives
Parent Governor Representatives (PGRs) are parent governors elected by other parent governors to
represent the views of all parents, in an apolitical way, on local authority overview and scrutiny committees
and sub-committees dealing with education. PGRs have speaking rights on any issue under discussion by the
committee, but may only vote on issues relating to education.
There are currently two vacancies for parent governor representatives and we will shortly be writing to all
parent governors inviting them to nominate themselves.
Who is eligible to stand for election?
Governors are eligible to stand for election if they are parent governors and have a child at one of the local
authority‘s schools or have a child who is educated by the LA in some other way.
They cannot stand as a parent governor representative if they are;
An employee of Cumbria County Council
An employee of a school maintained by Cumbria LA
A councillor on Cumbria County Council
A parent governor representative at another LA
Will there be any help available?
Parent governor representatives are provided with a laptop computer and appropriate training to support
them in their communications with parents and parent governors.
If you feel that you have the interest and the time to give to the post please watch out for the information
that will be coming to you in September and send in your nomination form.
Jan Phillips - Governor Support Team
Page 3
Governors‘ Briefing Issue 7
Resource Management in Education Event/Meet the Supplier Day
Each year Children's Services Finance organises a large "Resource Management/Meet the Supplier Day" for
schools. This year's event is on November 15th at Carlisle Racecourse.
Attendance is FREE of charge. Seminars/workshops on the day will include :
Special Needs - How schools are funded in Cumbria
Funding for schools from April 2008
Single Status for Support Staff in Schools
Waste Management/Recycling
New Fire Safety and Construction Regulations
Capita‘s new 3 year Contract
In addition to the seminars there will be a large Trade Fair spread over two floors with over 40 school
suppliers on show. A booking form was sent to schools at the start of the autumn term. Should you require
more information or wish to have a booking form e mailed to you please contact: Adrienne Gibson,
Children‘s Services Finance on 01228 607231 or e-mail [email protected]
Adrienne Gibson, Children’s Services Finance
Rowntree Report
A new report for the Joseph Rowntree foundation has called for a national debate on school governance.
The study focused on areas of disadvantage where the challenges were particularly severe. It raises some
fundamental questions:
What are governing bodies for?
Do governing bodies achieve their aims, especially in schools serving disadvantaged areas?
The report found that governing bodies are often disadvantaged by difficulties in recruiting. Many find their
role and purpose unclear and find it hard to strike a balance between being a critical friend, providing
strategic direction and representing their local community. The report went on to state that schools in the
greatest need of good governance were the ones least likely to benefit from it.
The study, which was led by Alan Dyson (a Professor at the University of Manchester), questioned the
capacity of governing bodies, especially in disadvantaged areas, to recruit members with the time, skills, and
commitment to always act in the best interests of their schools and pupils.
Alan Dyson said ― School governors carry out an important and extremely valuable role in the management
of schools. In the light of these findings we need to ask questions about whether we are asking too much of
them, especially in disadvantaged areas.‖
The full report is available online at www.jrf.org.uk
Sourced “Times Educational Supplement June 17th 2007
Page 4
Governors‘ Briefing Issue 7
Parent Support anyone?
Over the last nine months more than 28 staff have joined a brand new project in Cumbria following a
successful bid to the TDA (Training and Development Agency) last year.
Cumbria Children‘s Services is one of twenty local authorities who were chosen to pilot Parent Support
Advisor projects.
Parent Support Advisors (PSAs) are now working in forty schools and with school staff
and others are identifying children who are beginning to struggle or are not happily
accessing their education.
The project is aimed at assisting parents and helping them wherever possible to use their
existing strengths to support their children through emerging difficulties.
PSAs work in ways which build on the strengths of families. They also get involved early
on before problems get too complex and acute and it is this early intervention and
targeted approach which we feel is one of the strengths of the project.
Here are some quotations from staff working in the project, school staff and also people who have used the
service:
Parent who has used the service ― you guys are so easy to get in touch with ―
From a teacher ―at last we have a team that is on the ground working with parents, what a difference it‘s
made‖
Young person ―you‘ve helped me a lot with my school, as well as my life at home. It‗s helped me improve my
behaviour in lessons‖
Keith Jenkins, Area Manager (East), Education Welfare
School Admission Appeals – Voluntary Aided and Foundation Schools
Some voluntary aided and foundation schools have recently experienced problems in fulfilling their statutory
duties [as an Admission Authority] in making all the arrangements for hearing appeals against the refusal of
the allocation of a school place. A particular problem can arise because of the possible infrequent
occurrence of a hearing and the lack of experience and expertise in clerking the hearing. In this connection,
the statutory School Admission Appeals Code of Practice does place specific responsibility upon the clerk
and stipulates that they must have had appropriate training.
The County Council‘s Member Services Unit is willing to assist schools by providing an appeals service for
schools to purchase. If you would like to use this service, please contact Mrs Elaine Berry, Member Services
Unit, The Courts, Carlisle CA3 8LZ. Tel No: 01228 60 6356.
David Johnston, Acting Manager, School Places Team
Page 5
Governors‘ Briefing Issue 7
Primary Developments 2007 – 2008
Work to further raise standards in the primary phase continues apace. The team are currently working to:
Ensure all schools are in a position to deliver quality teaching through the use of the
frameworks for teaching English and mathematics
Help schools to use ICT resources to improve the teaching of English and mathematics
Enable schools to develop their curriculum to ensure our young people are being offered
a broad, rich and exciting curriculum
Help schools to implement the findings of the Rose report. This stresses the need for early years
settings to teach phonics in a quick and interesting way.
Ensure schools make the best use of RAISEonline. This is the data handling system that the government
have put in place to replace the PANDA (Performance and Assessment) report. It is essential that
schools make the best use of data at pupil level to ensure the children are making maximum progress.
Continue to support schools to use interactive whiteboards to improve the quality of teaching and
learning
Group schools in clusters and networks to help them ensure children make as
much progress as possible in mathematics at Key Stage 2, Early Phonics and
Monitoring Children‘s Progress in mathematics.
Work very closely with the Early Years and Foundation Stage team to implement
the framework for the education of pupils age 0–5.
Support schools through the targeted deployment of the Primary Consultant Team. This team is
supported by a group of Advanced Skills Teachers and Leading Teachers.
The primary team and I look forward to working with your school over the next 12 months. We will
continue to offer the most appropriate support to ensure your school grows, develops and delivers the best
possible primary education for the children of Cumbria.
Nick Capron – Senior School Improvement Officer – Primary Developments
Summer 2007 Strategic Interface Meetings
There were two main items on the agenda at these meetings. One, a broad update from officers in the
finance team on funding for schools provoked some comment on the issue of the proposal to charge schools
a standard sum to meet the costs of the new Financial Management Standards in Schools (FMSiS) assessment.
Look out for further information from Anton Hodge or Graeme Wilson.
The second item summarised for chairs, the latest developments in Safeguarding and Criminal Records
Bureau checks. Stephen Mason (Senior Education Officer, Attendance and Exclusion), offered insights into
the new guidance setting out what is expected of governing bodies when they are carrying out recruitment
and appointment activities.
Page 6
Governors‘ Briefing Issue 7
Following these meetings, Local Authority guidance on CRB checks has been sent to headteachers and
further information about recruitment practice is to be issued soon.
The meetings closed with recommendations for agenda, timings and structures for these meetings for the
coming year (including a request that the meetings be given a title other than the unappealing ‗Strategic
Interface‘!) The new name is ―Leading Governance‖.
Sandy Cameron, School Improvement Officer (Governance)
Strategic Interface Meetings
By the time you read this the Strategic Interface meetings for chairs (and their heads) with Cumbria
Children‘s Services may have changed their name*. Their purpose, however, will be the same.
After a year in place, Moira Swann and her team decided they wanted an additional channel of
communication with school governors. Strategic Interface meetings were held each term throughout 06-07,
with three area based meetings in each round for primary schools and one central meeting for secondary
schools, but this format may evolve as the meetings develop. Those involved have to feel their way and the
professionals are likely to have more idea of the sort of form meetings should take than the disparate group
of volunteers who make up most of the gathering.
However, the greater role chairs take in setting the agenda and running these Strategic Interface meetings,
the more valuable they will be for us (and for the functionaries of Children‘s Services). If you feel that the last
meeting you went to didn‘t answer your needs or give you valuable information, the answer is not to say
―I‘m not going to bother next time‖ but to think: ―I‘m going to make these meetings work for me and if that
means asking difficult questions or disagreeing with whichever officer is pontificating at the front, then so be
it.‖
Children‘s Services need governing bodies on board to make the system work county wide and they do
genuinely want to know how to help us support and improve schools, so when the next invitation and
agenda comes round, even if it does invite you to a far-off destination on a dark and wet evening, please
answer it.
Steve Thomas, Chair of Governors, The Lakes School
* Meetings are now called ―Leading Governance‖
Dates for Autumn 2007 Leading Governance Meetings
Wednesday 3rd October - YMCA, Newby Bridge - 7-9pm
Monday 8th October - Newton Rigg, Penrith - 6-8pm
Wednesday 17th October - Hundith Hill (near Cockermouth) 7-9pm (please note change of venue)
Wednesday 7th November ( secondary) - Newton Rigg, Penrith - 7-9pm
Meetings are open to chairs and headteachers. To reserve your place please contact Jan Phillips on 01228
606921 or e-mail [email protected]
Page 7
Governors‘ Briefing Issue 7
Southfield Technology College
Southfield Technology College,
Workington is an 11 - 18 school with 644
pupils (737 including the 6th Form), 57
teaching staff and 30 support staff.
The governors‘ vision for the school sees it at the heart of the community, both working with community
stakeholders and involving the community in the life of the college. The reality of this vision is articulated by
Gordon McCullough, the long serving Chair of Governors, ― I‘m a governor so that I can put something back
into the school and community‖
Partnership working is a feature of the school, and the governing body. Their work with Workington 6th
Form Centre is a good example of this. The centre provides 16 -19 education, mostly to pupils from
Southfield Technology College and Stainburn School and Science College although it does welcome students
from a number of other schools. There is a Head of 6th Form who is Assistant Headteacher to both schools.
The 6th Form Committee consists of the headteachers of Southfield and Stainburn schools, the head of the
6th Form Centre, an adult education representative and four governors from each school. This partnership
working has meant that Workington is able to support and sustain an effective 6th Form of approximately
300 students.
The Southfield Governing Body believes in committee working as a way to maximise their time
and energies. They are organised into four committees, with clear terms of reference. The terms
of reference are revisited at the beginning of each year. In order to increase their efficiency the
governing body has recently reduced the number of committees by combining some key areas of
work e.g. pupils and curriculum; finance and premises.
As a matter of governing body policy no governor can be chair of more than one committee. Governors are
conscious of the need for succession planning and so committee chairs are encouraged to take responsibility
as they are seen as potential chairs of governors. Each committee reports back to the full governing body by
keeping minutes which are circulated to all governors with other papers at least seven days in advance of the
full governors‘ meeting. The clerk to the governing body also clerks the committees. The decision was taken
some while ago to employ a member of the college‘s administrative staff as the clerk to the governing body,
and this is felt to have been a very effective move.
The Southfield Governing Body is also very conscious of work life balance issues for both the headteacher
and staff and for their own work life balance. Strong, effective chairing means that meetings run to time, and
never exceed two hours in length. The assumption is made that everyone will have read the papers prior to
the meeting so reports are not read out and discussion focuses on questions and issues arising out of them.
The governing body has several members who have a particular expertise in health and safety and the school
benefits from their willingness to share this. A regular feature of governing body meetings is ―Tool box talks‖
which are short two-minute talks on a health and safety related topic intended to raise the profile of health
and safety amongst governors.
As a reflective governing body the Southfield governors are constantly evaluating their work and seeking
ways to improve. One area recently identified for improvement is communication with parents about the
work and role of the governing body. In order to achieve this they plan to have a regular governors‘ feature
in the school‘s termly newsletter to parents. This publication is available both electronically and in paper
copy.
Gordon McCullough (Chair of Governors, Southfield Technology College), in co-operation with
Margaret Wiltshire.
Page 8
Governors‘ Briefing Issue 7
Link-up with Links
Welcome link governors to the start of a new academic year! We have arranged this year‘s programme
taking into account feedback from course evaluation sheets. This means there are one or two changes in
delivering the training programme. Firstly we have improved the ‗Termly Briefing‘ sessions by offering them
as ‗Workshops‘ to allow more participation by those attending them, and hopefully a stronger focus on
particular topics of interest to governors. These are offered early in the autumn and spring terms at various
venues across the county.
You may have also noticed an absence of our usual Strategic Role and Critical Friend/Being Accountable
courses we offer new governors. We are still offering these courses, but feedback and attendance suggested
that the course titles were off-putting particularly to newly appointed governors, so we have tried to reflect
the subject matter in the title rather than the role. The new titles are: Planning for Improvement (previously
Strategic Role) and Support, Challenge and Accountability (previously Critical Friend/Being Accountable).
Please continue to encourage attendance on these courses by both new and experienced governors, as the
content will still be crucial in helping governors understand their roles and responsibilities.
And now to yourselves, we are of course offering sessions for link governors entitled: ‗Promoting the Role
of the Link Governor‘, which I hope you will be able to attend. These are useful in not just helping to clarify
your role, but in providing a network of support from colleagues in similar schools and situations. If any of
you have any questions regarding your role as link governor in the interim period I am always happy to hear
from you, and will endeavour to provide you with continued support.
Promoting the Role of Link Governors
These sessions are for new and existing link governors. Our aim is to clarify the role of the link governor and help
them be more effective by sharing good practice in encouraging, motivating and developing their fellow governors.
We will also provide details of new initiatives and training opportunities.
All sessions are from 7 to 9pm.
19/11/07
27/11/07
3/12/07
11/12/07
Kingmoor CDC, Carlisle
Custom House, Barrow
Rosehill Theatre Barn,
Whitehaven
Westmorland Agricultural
Society, Kendal
Full details of all our courses for the next academic year are available in the Cumbria CPD folder, which you
should be able to access in your schools. Courses for the autumn term can be found on page 11.
Debbie Gallagher - Governor Development Officer
Page 9
Governors‘ Briefing Issue 7
Gender Equality Duty
What is it?
The Gender Equality Duty (GED) requires public authorities to:
Eliminate unlawful sex discrimination and harassment.
Promote equality of opportunity between men and women.
In effect it requires public authorities to be pro active rather than re active i.e. the duty places the legal
responsibility on public authorities to demonstrate that they treat men and women fairly. The Gender
Equality Duty came into force in April 2007
Why do governors need to know about it?
Local Authority maintained schools are classed as public authorities and legal responsibility for the
implementation of the gender equality duty rests with the governing body. Specific duties are to:
Prepare and publish a gender equality scheme, showing how the school intends to fulfil its general and
specific duties and setting out its gender equality objectives.
Consider the need to include objectives to address the causes of
any gender pay gap in formulating its over all objectives.
Gather and use information on how the school‘s policies and
practices affect gender equality in the workforce and in the
delivery of services.
Consult stakeholders and take account of relevant info in order to
determine its gender equality objectives.
Assess the impact of its current and proposed policies and
practices on gender equality.
Implement the actions set out within its scheme within three years.
Report against the scheme every year and review the scheme at least every three years.
To assist schools in meeting the Gender Equality Duty the equal opportunity commission has produced a
specific guidance document ― the Gender Equality Duty and schools‖ this can be found on their web site www.eoc.org.uk
One key area for governing bodies to look at relates to employment and pay issues. In the majority of
maintained schools the governing body is responsible for appointing staff and reviewing performance.
Governors will want to ensure that their policies do not discriminate against men or women. This will be
particularly important in those areas where the governing body has some discretion such as the award of
teaching and learning allowances.
As part of their processes for monitoring and review governing bodies will need to assess the impact of their
policies and practices on gender equality. School policies will need to be assessed within three years of the
school drawing up its gender equality scheme. Each year the school will need to report on the actions they
have taken or intend to take to meet the Gender Equality Duty. This can be a summary report and can be
incorporated into another strategic document.
Source NGA News, June 07
Page 10
Governors‘ Briefing Issue 7
Autumn Term Courses
The following table lists the courses (in date order) for the autumn term, excluding the link governor training
(which can be found on page 9), and Leading Governance meetings on page 7.
Date
Time
Venue
Topic
Mon17 Sept
7–9
Greenhill Hotel, Red Dial, Wigton
Performance Management
Tues 18 Sept
7–9
YMCA, Newby Bridge
Performance Management
Tues 25 Sept
6–8
St Michael's, Workington
Autumn workshop
Tues 25 Sept
5:30 – 7:30
Custom House, Barrow-in-Furness
Autumn workshop
Wed 26 Sept
6–8
Penrith Rugby Football Club
Autumn workshop
Thurs 27 Sept
5:30 – 7:30
Westmorland Agricultural Society, Crooklands
Autumn workshop
Tues 2 Oct
9:30 – 12:30
Custom House, Barrow-in-Furness
Clerk – Essential Skills
Thurs 4 Oct
9:30 – 12:30
Westmorland Agricultural Society, Crooklands
Clerk – Essential Skills
Wed 10 Oct
9:30 – 12:30
Morton Community Centre, Carlisle
Clerk – Essential Skills
Mon15 Oct
9:30 – 12:30
Lakeland Sheep & Wool Centre, Cockermouth
Clerk – Essential Skills
Tues 30 Oct
9:30 – 3:00
Custom House, Barrow-in-Furness
Introduction to Governance
Wed 31 Oct
9:30 – 3:00
St Michael's, Workington
Introduction to Governance
Wed 7 Nov
9:30 – 3:00
Westmorland Agricultural Society, Crooklands
Introduction to Governance
Mon 12 Nov
9:30 – 3:00
Shepherds‘ Inn, Carlisle
Introduction to Governance
Tues 13 Nov
6–8
Custom House, Barrow-in-Furness
Working Together – Heads & Chairs
Wed 14 Nov
12 – 2
Morton Community Centre, Carlisle
Planning for Improvement (Strategic Role)
Thurs 15 Nov
12 – 2
St Michael's, Workington
Planning for Improvement (Strategic Role)
Fri 16 Nov
9:30 – 3:00
Hunday Manor, Workington
Safeguarding Children (Child Protection)
Mon 19 Nov
12 – 2
Westmorland Agricultural Society, Crooklands
Planning for Improvement (Strategic Role)
Tues 20 Nov
12 – 2
Grove Court, Cleator
Planning for Improvement (Strategic Role)
Wed 21 Nov
12 – 2
Custom House, Barrow-in-Furness
Planning for Improvement (Strategic Role)
Wed 21 Nov
6–8
Westmorland Agricultural Society, Crooklands
Working Together – Heads & Chairs
Thurs 22 Nov
9:30 – 3:00
Shepherds Inn, Carlisle
Safeguarding Children (Child Protection)
Tues 27 Nov
6–8
St Michael's, Workington
Working Together – Heads & Chairs
Tues 27 Nov
9:30 – 3:00
Custom House, Barrow-in-Furness
Safeguarding Children (Child Protection)
Wed 28 Nov
6–8
Greenhill Hotel, Red Dial, Wigton
Working Together – Heads & Chairs
To book please send the following information to Mary Hillery (details overleaf) - name, address, telephone
number, e-mail address (if applicable) school and position (if you are not a governor or clerk), name of
course, date, venue, whether or not a map is required, and if you have any special needs.
E-mail bookings are preferable, but we are happy to accept booking via fax, the post and on the telephone.
Please note, confirmation of courses (or cancellations if numbers are not viable) will be sent approximately
10 days prior to the events.
Page 11
Governors‘ Briefing Issue 7
School Governance Executive Group (SGEG)
Report of meeting held on Tuesday 26th June 2007
The Governor Representatives on the group agreed that, at the moment, the most appropriate way of
informing all governors about the work of the group, would be through a report in The Governors’ Briefing.
Each meeting of the group reviews the termly strategic interface meetings. This summer, feedback had
indicated that the majority of governors had found the meetings useful and welcomed the input on
safeguarding. It was hoped that future meetings would evolve from being information-giving and become
more developmental, with secondary meetings having a separate agenda. Feedback had also recommended an
earlier start time.
Governor recruitment is an issue in some areas. In Cumbria there are currently 332 vacancies, equating to
7.48%. Statistics show that these vacancies are evenly spread throughout the county. The group felt that
governing bodies should be encouraged to fill their vacancies and in particular the role of parents should be
championed. A sub-group of the Executive Group was given the task of producing promotional material to
help with governor recruitment. The group will continue to monitor vacancies on an annual basis.
The Executive Group continues in its work, alongside the Governor Support Team, to provide governors
with more information and guidance on monitoring school performance over a wide range of issues. A draft
document is being prepared for the group to review at its next meeting, prior to the next round of interface
meetings.
The Group also reviewed the work of GST, which is appreciated and valued. The GDOs now work closely
with the School Improvement Team and this has made a significant impact on governance.
It was agreed that the strategic interface meetings for the autumn term should include an item on
headteachers‘ work/life balance and also review the paper on performance monitoring.
Joyce Keetley, SGEG member
Any opinions and views expressed are those of the individual writers, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Cumbria County
Council. Please note, unattributed articles have been written by GST members. Contact Margaret Wiltshire on 01900 829 114 if you
wish to discuss further.
GST Contacts
Governor Support Team, 5 Portland Square, Carlisle, Cumbria CA1 1PU
Fax - 01228 606920
Sandy Cameron—School Improvement Officer (Governance) - [email protected] 01228 60 6802
Debbie Gallagher—GDO (Furness) - [email protected] 01229 89 4551
Sue Glendinning—GDO (Carlisle & Upper Eden) - [email protected] 01228 60 6573
Sue Leigh– GDO (Allerdale & Copeland)) - [email protected] 01946 86 2623
Margaret Wiltshire - GDO (South Lakeland & Eden)) - [email protected] 01900 829114
Jan Phillips—[email protected] 01228 60 6921
Jacqueline Pelham—[email protected] 01228 60 6925
Mary Hillery—[email protected] 01228 60 6922
Ann Kirkpatrick—[email protected] 01228 60 692
Page 12