Governor Services Package - 2024/25

Governor Services Package

April 2024 - March 2025

The governance duty is to drive relentless ambition for the young people served by our schools system, whatever the circumstances.

Governor Services at The Education People is here to support with this duty and to equip our army of volunteers with the knowledge to undertake this necessary and important role.

We are delighted to share with you our new training package for governors and governance professionals. Research shows that governors need a range of important qualities if they are to be effective; Governing Boards are key strategic decision makers accountable for ensuring the best possible education for every child or young person. They play an important role in maintaining a successful and stable workforce and for financial management and efficiency.

Governor Services

Within The Education People the Governor Services Team works with Governing Boards to help them strategically lead their schools to improve and reach outstanding and good status through a professional programme of training, advice and support.

Governor Services operates rigorous quality assurance to ensure that all support is delivered by high calibre, experienced and credible professionals.

All our providers are expected to meet our high-quality standards when delivering advice and support and to uphold the values of The Education People. We draw upon the professional skills and knowledge of key personnel from our partners, Kent County Council, academy professionals and other external consultants. Having previously delivered Leading Governance programmes for the National Governance Association, we also liaise with this important national body throughout the year.

We believe that gaining skills and knowledge through continued professional development is vital for governors and governance professionals to confidently undertake their roles. Our governors and clerk annual training programme aims to support Governing Boards through the provision of a comprehensive series of training courses and accredited programmes to equip both governors and governance professionals to carry out their roles effectively and enable them to strategically lead

We produce an annual training programme, which caters for new governors as well as more experienced governors who want to further their knowledge in a specialised area. We review our courses regularly to reflect national initiatives, local need and changes in legislation. Courses are open to all board members as continued learning is vital in empowering governors to confidently undertake their roles.

Our training package is kept at a very competitive rate, following extensive research and driven by our desire to support the professional development of all boards, no

Governor Training

The Governor Training Package is an agreement purchased directly by the Governing Board through The Education People and includes:

• a wide-ranging programme of training and development sessions for governors, trustees, chairs of governors and governance professionals with a focus on developing essential skills to fulfil the three core functions of governance

• seasonal Governance Briefings

• annual conference for chairs of governors, governance professionals and governors

• informative and timely email-based updates, covering the current issues facing school leaders, governors and governance professionals including statutory duties, changes in law and regulation and local strategies and initiatives

• monthly governor bulletin

• initial telephone support (telephone support on statutory duties is free of charge)

• GovernorHub – basic package.

In addition, as part of the Governor Training Package, we can offer preferential rates on the following products:

• GovernorHub – extended package

• GovernorHub Knowledge

• Learning Link – E-learning

• Modern Governor – E-learning.

In addition to our core training programme, we can also provide tailored training to meet your boards’ needs whether you are a Governing Body of a maintained school, local Governing Body within a MAT or a trust board.

Our experienced and dedicated officers can offer expert consultancy across the governance spectrum. We are happy to discuss your individual needs and provide a tailored package that matches your requirements.

These could include:

• reviews of governance

• development of governance action plans

• review of board minutes

• board observations

• facilitated self-reviews

• consultancy training

• chair and board mentoring.

Several of our courses are accredited by an external body; including Governor Induction, Governance Professional Development Programme and Fulfilling the Chairs Programme. The Governance Professional and Chairs programmes offer 1:1 support and mentoring and the feedback from those who have completed has been hugely positive.

Annual Conference

We hold an annual conference for chairs, governors/trustees and governance professionals. This is an opportunity to bring all together from across the county and beyond. Attendance is included as part of your schools’ governor training package.

Why Choose The Education People?

• Long standing and proven reputation.

• Compliance with the latest legislation and procedures is assured.

• Confidence that you will receive a first-class service.

Governor Services is a service provided by The Education People.

See our Governor Services training Terms & Conditions and The Education People Terms & Conditions for full details.

If you choose not to subscribe, Governing Boards and governance professionals are welcome to choose the ‘pay as you go’ option.

We appreciate all you do in your governance role for your school, improving outcomes for children and young people. The team looks forward to meeting you at one of our training events in the near future.

Suzanne Mayes

Service Lead, Governor Services

Contact us: 03301 651 100 governorservices@ theeducationpeople.org

Governor Training

The best value for money and most popular package is our Inclusive Training Package, which is outlined below. A pay as you go (PAYG) option is also available and prices can be requested from governorservices@theeducationpeople.org

Included in the Package

All core courses can be attended by every member of your board. There is no limit to the number of governors you wish to send on our courses; this includes our Governor Induction accredited course. Every member of your board is able to attend the county briefings. The Governance Professional Briefings can be attended by all clerks/governance professionals.

Training and Online Courses

Our core courses are all included in the price of the training package

Two places at annual conference included in the package - for each additional place, £205 face-to-face and £130 virtual

Three County Governor Briefings

Two County Clerk Briefings - all currently virtual

Governance Monthly Bulletin (included in package)

Governor Induction – full day course or two evening sessions (accredited)

A blend of face-to-face and online

Consultancy training and additional products below can be commissioned for an additional discounted charge. Please contact your local area governance officer for cost and more details.

Consultancy training (One school)

Consultancy training (Two - four schools)

Half day (up to 3.5 hours)

Full day (up to 7 hours)

Twilight (up to 2 hours)

Half day (up to 3.5 hours) including twilight

Full day (up to 7 hours)

Reviews of Governance Governance Evaluation

Governing Board observation with feedback and short report with recommendations to improve practice

Governor Services can also provide the following programmes and products:

Clerk Performance Management Toolkit

The Governance Professional Performance Management Toolkit is aimed at chair of governors who have responsibility to performance manage the clerk to the Governing Board.

This detailed toolkit will enable you, as chair, to robustly appraise your clerk (as their line manager) in recognising their role as the governance professional to your Governing Board.

Governing Board Induction Toolkit

This toolkit will assist Governing Boards with their induction process for new governors and prepare them for the Accredited Governor Induction course available through Governor Services.

The toolkit has been designed for use by academy and Local Authority maintained boards.

It should be personalised, agreed and reviewed regularly to ensure that it meets the realistic and systematic needs of the board.

Governing Body Annual Conversation Toolkit

This toolkit provides a clear and coherent process to managing governor annual conversations ensuring that members of the board will feel valued and supported through the sharing of ideas and aspirations and promotes whole board confidence and encourages all to look at ways of developing their effectiveness.

The toolkit is designed to be used by both academy and Local Authority maintained boards.

£50

£50

Products (continued)

Governance Professional Development Programme

This course builds over three sessions to equip and enable the governance professional to fully understand their responsibilities and duties as the Governing Boards paid professional. The programme includes the following.

• Role of the Governance Professional: meeting administrative and procedural requirements of Governing Boards of maintained schools and trusts.

• Agenda Preparation and Professional Minute Taking: to know and understand the requirements of agenda preparation and production of professional minutes (school governance context).

• Minute Assessment and Evaluation; Records and Retention: feedback from minutes assessment with reflective discussion on best practice supporting the review findings. Understanding roles and responsibilities regarding GDPR, DPO, FoI and SAR.

£235 per session or £635 for all three

Fulfilling the Chairs Role

This is a three-part course, consisting of two 1:1 sessions (two hours each) and an observation of the chair in action at a board meeting.

The three sessions cover the following.

• How the chair is key to successful and strategic effective governance.

• The chairs’ role in ensuring the board fulfils the three core functions.

• An observation to see the chair in action with feedback to support practice and board development. How developing professional working relationships based on trust contribute to school improvement and better outcomes for pupils.

£605 for all three sessions