As we wrap up for the year at 海角社区, we鈥檝e been looking back on a busy 2022. Here are some of the ways we鈥檝e been championing and supporting the governance community this year.
Navigating a changing system
Back in March, we kept members updated on the launch of the聽White Paper and SEND Green Paper, and what these meant for your schools and trusts. We know some of you have looked once again at the future options for your organisation in light of the DfE's continued drive for schools to become part of a family of schools. We updated our popular聽Taking the next step guidance聽and published聽MAT mergers guidance聽to help you with those conversations. For those in MATs we鈥檝e also continued to expand our support and insight 鈥 from publishing our聽12 expectations聽to make the local tier meaningful鈥 to updating guidance on聽setting executive pay.
Helping boards and leaders work well together
In April, we updated our popular guidance聽What governing boards and school leaders should expect from each other. Now with versions for those governing in a single school, and for MATs. With over 8,000 downloads this year, we know building trusting, respectful relationships between boards and school leaders remains a key priority. That鈥檚 why we鈥檝e now launched new induction sessions聽to help leaders build their understanding of how to work effectively with their boards, bespoke for different settings.
Championing Equality and diversity
Across the year we鈥檝e continued our work championing equality, diversity, and inclusion. To give governing boards the tools and knowledge they need to create and inclusive and welcoming school and trust culture, we partnered with ASCL to develop聽free e-learning modules. We also responded to requests for more practical support to increase governing board diversity with our聽diversity indicators form, with input from members. Thanks to those who gave up their time to join our focus groups that helped us to ensure this resource meets your needs.
Promoting governance
In this year鈥檚 annual governance survey, you told us that recruiting to your board was becoming increasingly challenging. So, as part of our ongoing Visible Governance campaign we got to work on resources to help. In July we launched a聽short, animated film聽to explain the role of governors and trustees in helping schools and trusts succeed 鈥 which has now been viewed over 4 thousand times! We鈥檝e also updated our popular聽鈥榬ight people around the table鈥聽guidance and guide on聽finding your next chair, as well published a new resource to聽encourage employers to support their staff to govern.
Amplifying your voices
As schools returned in September, the increasing concerns around school funding, energy prices and impact of the raging cost of living came into sharp focus.聽Balancing the budget returned聽to the top spot of your challenges and we worked with others across the sector to highlight the impossible situations you and your organisations were facing聽directly with MPs.聽We鈥檙e pleased that the government鈥檚 autumn statement announced additional funding, having listened to our collective voices. We know there is more needed, but for many this has given a lifeline.
Supporting the success and wellbeing of children and young people
As ever, ensuring the wellbeing and welfare of the children and young people we serve remains the central goal for us all. So this autumn we focused on equipping boards to best do that 鈥 we updated our聽safeguarding guidance聽in line with changes to KCSIE and launched a new safeguarding聽Learning Link module, which turned out to be our most popular module ever!
At our annual conference, Children鈥檚 Society鈥檚 Mark Russell called on boards to maintain a relentless focus on children鈥檚 wellbeing to ensure 鈥渆very child has the best chance to have the best childhood鈥 regardless of postcode, background or income. In this spirit we鈥檝e published new guidance on聽tackling educational disadvantage听补苍诲听supporting pupil wellbeing聽to help governing boards take on this challenge.
Driving Greener Governance
Another theme central to our work this year has been聽Greener Governance. We鈥檝e enjoyed seeing boards across the country take the #GreenerGovernance pledge, and we鈥檝e collaborated with over 10 organisations to equip you to oversee this work. Over 2000 people have downloaded our聽environmental sustainability guidance聽and many of those who joined us at our conference shared their passion for championing environmental sustainability 鈥 and got to hear directly from a聽panel of brilliant young people setting the example.
Creating a career pathway for Governance professionals
Finally, we ended the calendar year with the launch of the long anticipated and highly requested career pathway for governance professionals.聽The pathway聽was endorsed by Baroness Barran, Minister for the school system who recognised the need to support aspiring and existing governance professionals to succeed in their career. More than 300 members joined us at the launch and we were inspired by conversations at the network meeting around investing in career development. We look forward to seeing how it will be used in the new year and beyond. 聽聽
Looking to 2023
So as we wind down things at 海角社区 ready for a well earned rest, we hope you are doing the same, proud of the things you have achieved this year in supporting your schools and trusts. And thank you 鈥 to governors, trustees, governance professionals & school and trust leaders 鈥 for your continued commitment to children and young people. We look forward to continuing to support