Governance Archives - Page 2 of 3

September 22, 2021September 20, 2021

Safeguarding – A guide for Governing Boards

Regular readers will have seen my previous posts on Safeguarding, on KCSiE and on the governance of Safeguarding.....and will be aware that DfE have published updated statutory guidance – see here for Keeping Children Safe in Education and have also updated their advice (see here) on Sexual violence and sexual harassment between children in schools and colleges. Both of these came into effect on 1 September 2021.

In light of the above, NGA have recently published their guide for governors entitled “The Governance of Safeguarding”.

To access the NGA Guide just click here.

If you would like to review any aspect of how governors might best address KCSiE and/or Safeguarding (generally or as it might impact your school or trust) do please contact me at jack@jackminto.com or on 017514 499238 for a preliminary discussion.

September 15, 2021September 8, 2021

DfE Guidance for trust partnerships

DfE has published non-statutory guidance and a model service level agreement (SLA) for trust partnerships. These are time-limited arrangements between a school and an academy trust that allows each to explore how a permanent arrangement might work.

The SLA can be adapted to individual circumstances……for example, for schools (or a MAT and a prospective member school) to collaborate and share their expertise or for a school to receive school improvement support from a trust.

DfE funding in respect of such a partnership is a new support element for standalone schools eligible for the 2021 to 2022 DfE’s Trust and School Improvement Offer.

In essence individual schools or trust boards may wish to consider this option to support other schools in a ‘try before you buy’ arrangement.

To access the guidance in full click here.

If you would like to review any aspect of Trust Partnerships do please contact me at jack@jackminto.com or on 017514 499238 for a preliminary discussion.

September 8, 2021September 20, 2021

Keeping Children Safe in Education

We are of course all aware of the updated Statutory Guidance on KCSiE published by DfE that is now current. Click here to read my post on this in July of this year.

TES have published an extremely useful Guide on the new KCSiE requirements.
This is a “more easily digestible” read than the Statutory Guidance itself and would be an appropriate way for Governors and Trustees to familiarise themselves with the subject (and with the 2021 changes in particular).

Click here to get a copy of the TES Guide.

If you would like to review any aspect of KCSiE (generally or as it might impact your school or trust) do please contact me at jack@jackminto.com or on 017514 499238 for a preliminary discussion.

September 1, 2021September 8, 2021

Understanding Your Data – a Guide for School Governor and Academy Trustees

ESFA have today published the above – being a resource that brings together a range of data to help Governors and Trustees analyse, discuss, and challenge the educational and financial performance of their school or academy trust.

The material is categorized across the following seven themes
# Pupil numbers/attendance and exclusions
# Attainment and progress
# Curriculum planning
# Financial management and governance
# Quality assurance
# Safeguarding and well-being
# The (whole) school community.

Click here to access the full document.

If you would like to review any aspect of understanding or analysing school data, do please contact me at jack@jackminto.com or on 017514 499238 for a preliminary discussion (or indeed, for a basic and more general chat about what I do).

August 26, 2021September 8, 2021

DfE’s Trust Capacity Fund (TCaF)

DfE have updated their guidance on how MATs can apply for TCaF (2021 to 2022).

TCaF is a fund of up to £24 million to help trusts develop their capacity to grow and take on underperforming schools in higher need areas.

To access the guidance in full, click here.

If you would like to review any aspect of the DfE’s Trust Capacity Fund or (the practicalities of making a TCaF application) do please contact me at jack@jackminto.com or on 017514 499238 for a preliminary discussion.

August 12, 2021September 8, 2021

Thinking of converting to academy status?

If you are the Headteacher or Chair of Governors of a local-authority-maintained school considering converting to an academy, there is a well-trodden pathway to be followed.

DfE has published an update to the (voluminous) guidance on this.

For an outline of the steps in this process (and to access the guidance in full) click here.

If you would like to review any aspect (whether at the “strategic review” level or to get a perspective on the (sometimes tortuous) “machinery” of achieving academy conversion, do please contact me at jack@jackminto.com or on 017514 499238 for a preliminary discussion (or indeed, for a basic and more general chat about what I do).

August 4, 2021September 8, 2021

DfE list of Approved Academy Sponsors

DfE have updated their list of approved academy sponsors (now includes the lead regional school commissioner (RSC) region).

This will be useful for schools looking for a possible sponsor.

To access the full list of DfE-approved Academy Sponsors click here.

If you are considering “Academisation” in general and would like to review any aspect of that (somewhat daunting) process, do please contact me at jack@jackminto.com or on 017514 499238 for a preliminary discussion.

July 29, 2021September 8, 2021

Keeping children safe in education

Is there anything more important………………?

DfE has today published updated Statutory Guidance for schools and colleges on safeguarding children and safer recruitment – which will come into effect on 1st September 2021.

KCSIE sets out the legal duties that trusts must follow to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people under the age of 18.

Trustees have strategic leadership responsibility for safeguarding arrangements and must ensure compliance with this legislation.

Click on the link here to access this material.

If you would like to review any aspect of KCSiE (generally or as it might impact your school or trust) do please contact me at jack@jackminto.com or on 017514 499238 for a preliminary discussion.

June 16, 2021September 8, 2021

Academy Trust Handbook 2021

Baroness Berridge, Minister for the School System, wrote to all academy trusts on 10th June 2021 advising that the name of the Academies Financial Handbook was changing to the Academy Trust Handbook to reflect its full range of content more accurately.

The 2021 edition of the Handbook will come into effect on 1 September 2021 and includes new information about:

trusts’ existing obligations in relation to safeguarding, health and safety, and estates management
parental representation on trust governance structures
cybercrime
external reviews of governance
renaming the financial notice to improve (FNtI) to notice to improve (NtI)

Click here to download the 2021 Academy Trust Handbook

If you would like to review any aspect of the Academy Trust Handbook (generally or as it might impact your school or trust) do please contact me at jack@jackminto.com or on 017514 499238 for a preliminary discussion.

May 14, 2021September 8, 2021

Governor and trustee recruitment

If you are looking to recruit to current or upcoming vacancies on your governing board, there are two dedicated, free services that can assist with finding the person with the right skills and experience to fill the role.

To learn more about these services – please use the links below

For school governors – Inspiring Governance – Become a school governor

For academy trustees – Academy Ambassadors

If you would like to review any aspect of Governor or Trustee recruitment (whether via the above tools or more generally) do please contact me at jack@jackminto.com or on 017514 499238 for a preliminary discussion.