Mike Sheridan, Regional Director, London gave this presentation at the ICSA Academy Governance Conference, London, 4 October 2016.

1. Mike Sheridan, Regional Director, London
October 2016
Governance and inspection Slide 1
Governance and inspection

2. Governance and inspection Slide 2

3. True or false?
The governance handbook is only for the governors,
headteachers, clerks and others with an interest in the
governance of maintained schools.
Governance and inspection Slide 3

4. False
The governance handbook
is also for members,
trustees, local governors,
principals, clerks and others
with an interest in
governance of academy
trusts and multi-academy
trusts.
Governance and inspection Slide 4

5. True or false?
Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making
sure its money is well spent is one of the three core functions of
all governing bodies.
Governance and inspection Slide 5

6. True
Plus ensuring clarity of vision,
ethos and strategic direction
and holding the headteacher
to account for the educational
performance of the school
and its pupils, and the
performance management of
staff.
Governance and inspection Slide 6

7. True or false?
Boards should play a strategic role and avoid routine involvement
in operational matters.
Governance and inspection Slide 7

8. True
School leaders have
the operational role.
Governance and inspection Slide 8

9. True or false?
All governors should have an understanding of the financial cycle
and the legal requirements of the school on accountability and
spend.
Governance and inspection Slide 9

10. True
All governors should ideally have
a basic understanding of the
financial cycle and the legal
requirements of the school on
accountability and spend. But,
the board should ensure it has at
least one governor with specific,
relevant skills and experience of
financial matters.
Governance and inspection Slide 10

11. True or false?
The headteacher decides the format regular reports to governors
should take.
Governance and inspection Slide 11

12. False
The board, not the
headteacher, should
determine the scope and
format of headteacher’s
reports.
Governance and inspection Slide 12

13. Governance and inspection
Meeting those responsible for governance
Governance and inspection Slide 13

14. School inspection handbook, para 85
Inspectors will always seek to meet those responsible for
governance during the inspection. This will usually include
maintained school governors or academy trustees (including
sponsor representatives, where they exist). However, in a multi-
academy trust, the board of trustees may have established a
local governing body to which it may have delegated certain
functions. In some other cases, there may be a local governing
body that is wholly advisory, with no formal governance
responsibilities delegated to it. Inspectors should ensure that
meetings are with those who are directly responsible for
exercising governance of the school and for overseeing its
performance.
Governance and inspection Slide 14

15. School inspection handbook, para 86
The contribution of governors to the school’s performance is
evaluated as part of the judgement on leadership and
management. As with the meetings between inspectors and
pupils, parents and staff, meetings with those responsible for
governance should take place without the headteacher or senior
staff.
Governance and inspection Slide 15

16. Governance and inspection
Inspectors will consider…
Governance and inspection Slide 16

17. Governance and inspection 17
Keep pupils
safe from
dangers
including
radicalisation
Challenge re
progress of
groups of
pupils
Challenge re
primary PE
and sport
funding
Engagement
with parents,
carers,
stakeholders
and agencies
Challenge
re pupil
premium
Challenge
re Year 7
catch-up
funding
Fulfilment of
core statutory
functions
Promote
equality and
foster
understanding
Challenge re
teaching,
learning and
assessment
Commitment
to own
development
Create a culture
of high
expectations,
aspirations and
scholastic
excellence
Use of
performance
management
School inspection handbook, para 141

18. Governance and inspection
Inspectors will consider whether governors…
Governance and inspection Slide 18

19. School inspection handbook, para 148
 work effectively with leaders to communicate the vision, ethos
and strategic direction of the school and develop a culture of
ambition
 provide a balance of challenge and support to leaders,
understanding the strengths and areas needing improvement in
the school
 understand how the school makes decisions about teachers’
salary progression and performance
Governance and inspection Slide 19

20.  performance manage the headteacher rigorously
 understand the impact of teaching, learning and assessment to
the progress of pupils currently in the school
 ensure that assessment information from leaders provides
governors with sufficient and accurate information to ask
probing questions about outcomes for pupils
Governance and inspection Slide 20
School inspection handbook, para 148

21. School inspection handbook, para 148
 ensure the school’s finances are properly managed and can
evaluate how the school is using pupil premium, Year 7 literacy
and numeracy catch-up premium, primary PE and sport
funding, and special educational needs
 are transparent and accountable, including in recruitment of
staff, governance structures, attendance at meetings and
contact with parents
Governance and inspection Slide 21

22. Governance and inspection
Governors, have you checked that…?
Governance and inspection Slide 22

23.  your details are on Edubase
 all the required elements about governance are on your
school’s website
 the single central record up to date and that regular checks are
in place
 your scheme of delegation is published on your academy/
school’s website
 you have a full knowledge of the impact of pupil premium, PE
and sport and Year 7 catch-up funding in your school
 your evaluation of the school’s effectiveness is based on hard
evidence?
Governance and inspection Slide 23

24. Governance and inspection
Useful references
Governance and inspection Slide 24

25. HMCI’s monthly commentary, November 2015
21st century governance needed for 21st century schools:
www.gov.uk/government/speeches/hmcis-monthly-commentary-novemb
Governance and inspection Slide 25

26. Changes in the 2016 school inspection handbooks:
https://educationinspection.blog.gov.uk/2016/08/23/latest-school-inspect
Governance and inspection Slide 26

27. What maintained schools must publish online:
www.gov.uk/guidance/what-maintained-schools-must-publish-online
What academies, free schools and colleges should publish
online:
www.gov.uk/guidance/what-academies-free-schools-and-
colleges-should-publish-online
Governance and inspection Slide 27

28. Statutory policies for schools:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/statutory-policies-for-
schools
Governance and inspection Slide 28

29. Ofsted on the web and on social media
www.gov.uk/ofsted
http://reports.ofsted.gov.uk
www.linkedin.com/company/ofsted
www.youtube.com/ofstednews
www.slideshare.net/ofstednews
www.twitter.com/ofstednews
Governance and inspection Slide 29