The Importance of External Reviews of Governance for Schools and Academies
Understanding Governance in Schools and Academies
Governance in schools and academies refers to the way in which the institution is managed and directed. It involves the processes and structures that ensure that the school is run effectively, efficiently, and in the best interests of its pupils. Governance is essential for ensuring that schools and academies are accountable to their stakeholders, including parents, pupils, staff, and the wider community.
The governance structure of schools and academies typically involves a Board of Governors or Trustees, who are responsible for overseeing the management of the institution. The board is made up of individuals who have a range of skills and experience, and who are committed to ensuring that the school or academy provides the best possible education for its pupils.
The role of the Board of Governors or Trustees is to set the strategic direction of the school or academy, to ensure that it is meeting its statutory obligations, and to monitor its performance against a range of key performance indicators. This includes monitoring the financial performance of the institution, ensuring that it is complying with relevant legislation and regulations, and monitoring the quality of teaching and learning.
Effective governance is essential for ensuring that schools and academies are able to deliver high-quality education to their pupils. It helps to ensure that resources are used efficiently and effectively, that risks are managed appropriately, and that the institution is able to adapt to changing circumstances.
Effectively, governance is about making the right decisions to improve outcomes for children. Simply put, it's about leaving the place better than you found it!
External Reviews of Governance
External Reviews of Governance (ERGs) are crucial for schools and academies to ensure that they are operating effectively and efficiently. These reviews provide an independent evaluation of the school's governance structures and processes, identifying areas for improvement and highlighting best practices. They also help to confirm when a school or Trust is doing things right!
Reviews can be particularly valuable in cases where there may be conflicts of interest or other issues that could compromise the integrity of an internal review. An external review can provide an unbiased assessment of the school's governance, highlighting any weaknesses or areas for improvement that may have been overlooked by internal stakeholders. As schools and Trusts gain more skills and knowledge, many start to recognise signs of dysfunction and a review can help find ways to resolve these issues.
In addition to providing an objective perspective, external reviews also bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the table. External reviewers are typically highly qualified professionals with extensive experience in school governance and management. They can provide valuable insights and recommendations based on their experience working with other schools and academies, helping to identify best practices and innovative solutions to common challenges.
The Importance of External Reviews
External Reviews of Governance are an essential tool for schools and academies to ensure that they are meeting regulatory requirements and delivering the best possible outcomes for pupils and other stakeholders.
Whilst self-assessment plays an important role in effective governance, external reviews bring an independent viewpoint - and support - on where the governance function is and where it needs to be. Overlaying internal assessment with external assessment brings greater improvement. This is important because it can be difficult for school leaders and governors to see the areas where improvement is needed when they are so close to the day-to-day running of the school. An external reviewer can bring fresh eyes to the situation and identify areas for improvement that might have been overlooked.
For Multi Academy Trusts, an External Review of Governance can - and should - include a review of the Trust Board and all Local Advisory Boards to ensure governance is effective at all layers, that communication between all layers is effective and also be able to talent spot and potential future Trustees.
Regulatory Compliance
External reviews are often a requirement for schools and academies to ensure that they are meeting regulatory requirements. Ofsted and the DfE (via Regional Directors) often now request an External Review of Governance. The Charity Governance Code recommends Multi Academy Trusts having an External Review of Governance every 3 years. The Academy Trust Handbook says: 'The Department’s strong preference is that external reviews of governance are also conducted routinely as part of a wider programme of self-assessment and improvement'.
Improving Outcomes
External reviews can help schools and academies to improve outcomes for their students. By identifying areas for improvement in governance arrangements, schools can make changes that will have a positive impact on the quality of teaching and learning. This, in turn, can lead to improved outcomes for students.
Sharing Best Practice
External reviews provide an opportunity for schools and academies to share best practice with other institutions. Through the review process, schools can learn from the experience of external reviewers and take on board recommendations for improvement. This can help to raise standards across the education sector.
Conclusion
In summary, External Reviews of Governance are essential for schools and academies to ensure that they are not only meeting regulatory requirements but also delivering the best possible outcomes for their students. They provide an independent perspective, help to ensure regulatory compliance, help improve outcomes, and allow for the sharing of best practice to name but a few benefits.
External Reviews should be viewed as not only essential but positive for a Board to receive validation, recommendations to help improve performance and decision making as well as generate robust discussion in Board meetings. Where needed, they also create brutally honest conversation at Board level and that is nothing to shy away from.
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