cst heads & governors conference 2012 session2

MIKE SIMMONDSEducation Consultant

Enabling projects that transform

Good Practice for a

governing body

The role of the Head and the

Chair of Governors

Se

ssion

2

Get the governing body and

chair they deserve!

Headteachers

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Sidelined or Engaged?

Avoided or Trusted?

Sidelined or Engaged?

Avoided or Trusted?

Identify the leader

The

find

ings

The role of the chair – a significant educational

and community

leadership

responsibility..

The ‘h

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5 Key Roles of a Chair

Leading Effective Governance

Building the team

Relationship with Headteacher

Leading the business

Improving your school

Lea

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CSL &

NG

A, 2

01

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A Biblical Chair?

• Patriarch

A Biblical Chair?

• Patriarch

• Judge

A Biblical Chair?

• Patriarch

• Judge

• King

A Biblical Chair?

• Patriarch

• Judge

• King

• Apostle

A Biblical Chair?

• Patriarch

• Judge

• King

• Apostle

• Servant

Am I a Biblical Chair?

• Patriarch

• Judge

• King

• Apostle

• Servant

Jo

hn

13 (C

EV

)14 And if your Lord and teacher has washed your feet, you should do the same for each other.

15 I have set the example, and you should do for each other exactly what I have done for you.

16 I tell you for certain that servants are not greater than their master, and messengers are not greater than the one who sent them.

Lea

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: The

Cu

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Mobilising people to meet adaptive challenges … is at the heart of leadership practice … leadership generates new cultural norms that enable people to meet on ongoing stream of adaptive challenges in a world that will likely pose an ongoing set of adaptive realities and pressures. (Heifetz, 2002) From: A Culture for Learning An investigation into the values and beliefs associated with effective schools March 2004 Hay Group Education

5 Key Roles of a Chair

Leading Effective Governance

Building the team

Relationship with Headteacher

Leading the business

Improving your school

Lea

din

g G

ov

ern

ors, N

CSL &

NG

A, 2

01

1

ME?

The relationship with their chair of

governors

Headteachers

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The relationship between the

chair and the headteacher is

one of the most important

working relationships in the

school…. They are both school

leaders and their overall purpose

is essentially the same – it is their

way of working that differs.

Lea

din

g G

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ors, N

CSL &

NG

A, 2

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• Time

• Relationship

• Excellence

• Vision

• Faith

1. Explore your expectations of the relationship.

2. Do the arrangements for keeping in touch suit both parties?

3. How effective is your critical friendship? How can it be improved.

Key Skills for Governors

• Focusing on strategy• Asking the right questions “rightly”• Recognising whether the answers

are correct• Celebrating success

Key Skills for Heads

• Providing the right information• Valuing the strategic role of the

governing body• Seeking the views and support of

the governing body

The

Fo

ur E

lem

en

ts of Tru

stRELIABILITY

OPENNESS

ACCEPTANCE

CONGRUENCE

People you relate to want to

know if you do what you say you

will do. It’s hard to have

confidence in a person who

makes promises they don’t keep!

People tend to want to co-

operate best with people who

will “level” with them, not hide

anything and give them the

whole story (even though it may

not all be good news).

All people want to be accepted

for who they are. Not judged

criticised or made to feel

inferior.

The final element of trust is

congruence – the knowledge

that what is you, is on track with

what you believe, what you

know to be true and what you

do.

Fifth element: Unity in Christ

Ma

na

gin

gY

ou

r sch

oo

l go

ve

rno

rs

TrainingTransparent information

Support & provideSpoon feed questions

Encourage & team build

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Strategy not day to dayCode of Conduct

School Visits PolicyConfidentiality

Good Procedures

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Re

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The ultimate

objective:

Empowered

Trustworthy

Effective

cst heads & governors conference 2012 session2

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