Survey: state school teachers say much of their work is meaningless
Private school teachers are generally happier than state school teachers, but not for the reasons you might think....
14 September, 2018
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Thinkpieces
A letter to a departing chair
A long-standing chair of governors is leaving. But will anyone really notice? A fellow-governor writes them a valedictory letter....
21 August, 2018
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Managing staff workload – a governor’s perspective
Judith Rutherford, chair of governors at Hiltingbury Junior School in Hampshire, shares her governing board's experience of how an effort to change staff workload for the better had an impact on how governors worked with the school....
27 June, 2018
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Long read: Your understanding of grammars requires improvement, Mr Gibb
The Secret Governor - who governs at a school in a fully-selective authority - challenges the Schools Minister about his understanding of what grammar schools are and what academic selection at age 11 means for an area....
25 June, 2018
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What is the AMAP and what does it mean for governors?
Sarah Lyons from the Joint Union Asbestos Committee explains what the DfE's new Asbestos Management Assurance Process (AMAP) means for those involved in governance....
12 March, 2018
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Reflections on digital governance
Eylan Ezekiel reflects on a year of changes which have made digital governance at Larkrise Primary School a more effective & easier to manage reality. ...
13 February, 2018
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Five ways you can shape and grow effective governance
Tony Breslin explores five commitments which the school governance community might make to ensure that governance moves forwards into the future....
18 December, 2017
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Who governs our schools – recommendations and a call to action
Tony Breslin collates the summary recommendations from the RSA's "Who governs our schools?" report & suggests how the questions might be used by GBs & SLTs....
11 December, 2017
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Who governs our schools – collaboration and partnership to share knowledge
Tony Breslin explores the role of collaboration & partnership - both within and beyond the education sphere - in effective governance in schools & academies...
30 November, 2017
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Who governs our schools – leadership and autonomy in the emergent school-scape
Tony Breslin explores what the changing landscape of school structures means for the autonomy of school leaders - and the significant effects on governance....
21 November, 2017
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Who governs our schools – governors as stakeholders, experts or both?
Tony Breslin examines why the role of stakeholders is vital for effective governance in schools and asks what role children should play in this....
16 November, 2017
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Who governs our schools – the challenges of a changing policy landscape
Tony Breslin examines the intended and unintended consequences for school governance of the seismic changes in policy associated with the academies system....
08 November, 2017
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Who governs our schools – induction, development, access
Tony Breslin examines the need for a system-wide improvement of induction in governance literacy and calls for a trial of remuneration for local governance....
01 November, 2017
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Who governs our schools – purpose and participation
Tony Breslin asks if school governance can be improved through a better understanding of what its purpose is and what effects participation in it can have....
18 October, 2017
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Who governs our schools – and why does it matter?
Tony Breslin expands on the themes in the RSA's recent report "Who governs our schools?" and asks why they're important in the changing world of education....
12 October, 2017
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Who governs our schools? Trends, tensions and opportunities
Dr Tony Breslin introduces a series of forthcoming articles reflecting on the RSA's recent report "Who governs our schools?"...
11 October, 2017
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First principles: Nolan and the ethics of education
Amid calls for a code of ethics for education, Martin Matthews asks if anyone remembers the Nolan principles of public life....
04 October, 2017
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Why teach RE in modern education?
Bill Moore - school governor, teacher and adviser on RE - explores the role of religious education in schools and what governors should ask about it....
26 September, 2017
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A free online CPD module on asbestos in schools
Details of the free e-learning module from Modern Governor offering CPD on asbestos in schools to governors, trustees and anyone involved in education....
05 September, 2017
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Academy related party transactions in the media: legally dubious by definition?
Warwick Mansell examines the regulation of related party transactions by the Academies Finanicial Handbook & explores what-if any-benefits they might bring....
06 July, 2017
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What are NLGs and why might our school need one?
Martin Matthews explains the role of NLGs, why schools might want to work with one and how to find the right NLG for your school....
28 June, 2017
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Governor Live Review: performing a SWOT analysis of your school
A review of the Governor Live interactive workshop led by on how maintained school can objectively assess their school when considering academisation....
20 June, 2017
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Governor Live Review: Safeguarding – the legal aspects for governance
A review of the Governor Live session led by Michelle Gray from berg on the legal issues around safeguarding for governors....
09 June, 2017
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Governor Live Review: Leading or joining a MAT – the legal issues
A review of the Governor Live session led by Michelle Gray & Darren Ashworth on the legal issues around leading or joining a MAT, including HR and land....
08 June, 2017
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Why asbestos management in schools isn’t working
What do the results of an NUT survey, numerous FOI requests & a voluntary DfE survey tell us about asbestos management in schools - and what don't we know?...
04 May, 2017
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Not in our governing body’s name
This year our budget has been cut by £62k. Our responsibilities have increased. Next year the cut will be the same. Not in our governing body's name....
02 May, 2017
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Governor Live Review: Systems & controls and the Academies Financial Handbook
A review of the Governor Live session led by Karen Rae on financial systems & controls and how these relate to the Academies Financial Handbook....
28 April, 2017
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Asbestos in schools – a national conference
Details of how school governors and academy trustees can take part in the first national conference addressing the issue of asbestos in schools....
26 April, 2017
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Governor Live Review: Understanding cash flows for governance
A review of the Governor Live online event "Understanding cash flows for governance"-Armstrong Watson's Karen Rae explores why this is vital in governance....
31 March, 2017
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A failure of trust
In this guest article Mike Cameron examines a DfE/EFA report into a multi-academy trust which highlights several areas of concern regarding good governance....
29 March, 2017
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Time for a pay cap for academy CEOs?
Warwick Mansell asks if the unregulated pay of multi-academy trust CEOs in a time of austerity could have consequences beyond MAT boardrooms....
16 March, 2017
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Towards a skilled, professional, inclusive governance community
Cathy Pearson asks questions of the governance community. What does it mean to get professional accreditation for a voluntary role, and how might we do it?...
28 February, 2017
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CPD in governance for members of your SLT
A headteacher's position on a maintained school's governing body is described as ex officio - meaning that s/he has that position due to the leadership role s/he occupies. Most governors would probably say that having their headteacher on their board is invaluable, as we can get insights and...
17 February, 2017
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Out of the ghetto: training in governance, not just training for governors
Part 2 of Tony Breslin's article exploring how to ensure that school governance is distributed more evenly among all those involved in its implementation, by training in governance, not just training governors....
16 February, 2017
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Governance beyond the governance ghetto
Dr Tony Breslin explores how three actors - governors, leadership teams & others beyond an institution's boundaries - contribute to effective governance....
15 February, 2017
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When parents choose to boycott
Debra Kidd looks at issues governors should consider if parents from their school wish to boycott SATs test by withdrawing their children from the test....
20 January, 2017
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Governance 365
Eylan Ezekiel describes how the governing body at Larkrise Primary School has started to explore using Office 365 to support its work with school staff....
14 December, 2016
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Asbestos in schools – what governors need to know
Valentine Mulholland of the NAHT and Joint Union Asbestos Committee (JUAC) gives an overview of what governors should know about asbestos in schools....
11 November, 2016
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The importance of school visits
Ben Archibald, vice-chair at a school in Kent, looks at how spending time in one's school can make the sometimes abstract process of governance more real....
20 October, 2016
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Book review: Effective School Governance by Mark A’Bear
A review of Mark A'Bear's book "Effective School Governance", including details of how to access an extended extract & discount code through the MG app....
17 October, 2016
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