Session 2 - Role of the Head and Chair of Governors

1. MIKE SIMMONDS
Education Consultant
Enabling projects that transform

2. Good Practice for a
Session 2
governing body
The role of the Head and the
Chair of Governors

3. ©istock/hh5800/File #: 18373145
Headteachers
Get the governing body and
chair they deserve!

4. Sidelined or Engaged?
Avoided or Trusted?

5. Identify the leader

6. bodies in England
The ‘hidden givers’: a study of school governing
The findings
The role of the chair – a
significant educational
and community
leadership
responsibility..

7. Leading Governors, NCSL & NGA, 2011
5 Key Roles of a Chair
Leading Effective Governance
Building the team
Relationship with Headteacher
Leading the business
Improving your school

8. A Biblical Chair?
• Patriarch

9. A Biblical Chair?
• Patriarch
• Judge

10. A Biblical Chair?
• Patriarch
• Judge
• King

11. A Biblical Chair?
• Patriarch
• Judge
• King
• Apostle

12. A Biblical Chair?
• Patriarch
• Judge
• King
• Apostle
• Servant

13. Am I a Biblical Chair?
• Patriarch
• Judge
• King
• Apostle
• Servant

14. 14 And if your Lord and teacher has
washed your feet, you should do the
same for each other.
John 13 (CEV)
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.

15. Mobilising people to meet
Custodians of Culture
Leadership: The
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

16. Leading Governors, NCSL & NGA, 2011
5 Key Roles of a Chair
Leading Effective Governance
ME?
Building the team
Relationship with Headteacher
Leading the business
Improving your school

17. ©istock/hh5800/File #: 18373145
Headteachers
The relationship with their chair of
governors

18. Leading Governors, NCSL & NGA, 2011
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.

19. 1. Explore your • Time
expectations of the
relationship. • Relationship
2. Do the arrangements
• Excellence
for keeping in touch
suit both parties? • Vision
3. How effective is your
critical friendship?
• Faith
How can it be
improved.

20. ©istock/hh5800/File #: 18373145
Heads & Chairs
Managing, Restraining & Releasing
School Governors

21. Key Skills for Governors
• Focusing on strategy
• Asking the right questions “rightly”
• Recognising whether the answers
are correct
• Celebrating success

22. 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

23. RELIABILITY ACCEPTANCE
The Four Elements of Trust
People you relate to want to All people want to be accepted
know if you do what you say you for who they are. Not judged
will do. It’s hard to have criticised or made to feel
confidence in a person who inferior.
makes promises they don’t keep!
OPENNESS CONGRUENCE
People tend to want to co- The final element of trust is
operate best with people who congruence – the knowledge
will “level” with them, not hide that what is you, is on track with
anything and give them the what you believe, what you
whole story (even though it may know to be true and what you
not all be good news). do.
Fifth element: Unity in Christ

24. Managing
Your school governors
Training
©sxc.hu/svilen001
Transparent information
Support & provide
Spoon feed questions
Encourage & team build

25. Consultancy
with
MIKE SIMMONDS
Consultation  Chair Mentoring  ©sxc.hu/svilen001
Bespoke Training  Conference Speaking

26. Restraining
Your school governors
Strategy not day to day
Code of Conduct
School Visits Policy
Confidentiality
Good Procedures
©sxc.hu/sachyn

27. Releasing
Your school governors
The ultimate Empowered
objective: Trustworthy
Effective

28. ©sxc.hu/nosheep
Planning together for effectiveness
ACTION PLAN

29. Recommended
Reading