GOVERNANCE DEVELOPMENT
Supporting governors to provide confident, strategic leadership and oversight for educational and financial performance



GOVERNANCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

For 2022/23 Learners First has continued its partnership with the National Governance
Association (NGA) to offer a range of professional development opportunities for
governors, members, trustees and clerks to develop their knowledge and skills and to
discuss and share practice, aligned to the three core functions as set out by the DFE in the Governance Handbook.
See course details below.
Online Learning
The COVID-19 pandemic caused employees of most organisations to unexpectedly have
to work from home and conduct their business remotely. School and Trust governing
boards adapted accordingly and many continue to work in this way, preferring the
convenience that remote working presents. Learners First supports this approach by
enabling its professional development offer to Governors and Trustees to be accessed
remotely in 2022/23 through workshops delivered via Zoom by the National Governors
Association and through the provision of online learning modules.
Governors and Trustees will be provided with access to over 50 governance online
learning modules and resources of between 45 mins and 2 hours duration each. The
modules, organized into 10 themes, have been developed by the National Governance
Association (NGA) and are offered through a partnership with Learners First.

GOVERNANCE COURSES 2022/23
All governance courses and access to the NGA online learning modules are free to
Trustees and Governors of Trusts/schools subscribing to Learners First in 2022/23.
All webinars as listed below will be delivered by the NGA and run from 5.00pm to 7.00pm.
Staying strategic: 10 key issues for governance in 2023
Boards need make sure that they are aware as early as possible of events, government policy changes and other matters which may have strategic implications for their trust or school(s). This horizon scanning should prompt all sorts of questions. Do we need to review our strategy? Is our risk register right? Do we need to review our financial projections? Is our staffing structure right? This session will highlight 10 areas that all governing boards should be aware of as they move into the unchartered waters of 2023, exploring possible implications for those governing and their schools and allowing for some initial discussion of possible responses. Here is a list of nine of the issues to be covered with one space being left to ensure there is space for any burning issue coming to the fore over the next few weeks!
02 February 2023
Cost: £50 per person
An introduction to data and school performance measures
16 January 2023
Cost: £50 per person
Preparing for Ofsted – what governors and trustees need to know (primary schools)
24 January 2023
Cost: £50 per person
Preparing for Ofsted – what governors and trustees need to know (secondary schools)
Summer Term (date to be confirmed)
Cost: £50 per person
Safeguarding: an introduction to the governance role
09 February 2023
Cost: £50 per person
An introduction to governance for new governors
The introduction to governance programme in two sessions will introduce school governance in a local governing body context so that you can become effective within six months of taking on the role.
27 February 2023 (Session 1 of 2)
14th March 2023 (Session 2 of 2)
Cost: £50 per person
Effective performance management in schools and trusts
08 March 2023
Cost: £50 per person
Understanding pupil premium and the governance role
23 March 2023
Cost: £50 per person
The effective governance of SEND
10 May 2023
Cost: £50 per person
Managing complaints: the governance role
18 May 2023
Cost: £50 per person
Managing risk: the governance role
13 June 2023
Cost: £50 per person
Financial oversight: for academy trusts
28 June 2023
Cost: £50 per person
Pupil Exclusion Panels: Fulfilling your Role
Sitting on an exclusion panel and being expected to ask questions, evaluate evidence and reach a sound decision, is a daunting prospect for any governors or trustee. Being required to attend a panel can be equally challenging for senior executive leaders, pupils and parents and for governance professionals acting as the panel clerk. By the end of this session, you should have a clear picture of how a panel should work, your role in this and how to follow the process. You will be aware of the relevant law, guidance and policies that need to be followed, and should able to participate confidently in the panel hearing, contributing to the making of a sound panel decision.
5th July 2023
Cost: £50 per person

DFE GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORKS AND HANDBOOKS
The purpose of governance is to provide confident, strategic leadership and to create robust accountability, oversight and assurance for educational and financial performance.
All boards, no matter what type of schools or how many schools they govern, have three core functions:
- Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
- Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils, and the performance management of staff; and
- Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent.
Please download the DfE documents below for further information.