Governance Service

Subscribe to the Governance Improvement Service

The quality of school governance has never been as important as it is now. Having an excellent governing board can make the difference between a school or academy being judged ‘outstanding’ or not by Ofsted. It can also have a profound impact upon the outcomes of children attending school. Sheffield has high ambitions for its schools and their governance and Learn Sheffield’s School Governance Improvement Service (SGIS) aims to play a key role in delivering those ambitions.

Download the School Governance Improvement Service 2023-2024 leaflet

Core Support and Advice Service, including Governor Training

Benefits

Ensures that your governing board or trust board has access to the latest information about good governance and what is expected of them. We provide a responsive service including a telephone helpline and email support. We can also offer support using Zoom, Microsoft teams or Google Meet.

Please also note that governor training is included in the Learn Sheffield Subscription Offer.

Features

Examples of support and advice offered include:

• All schools will be provided with Governor Hub - a dedicated and secure online portal for all your governing board or trust’s needs - including document storage, calendar, information about your board, healthcheck tools and much more. See the attached flyer for more information about Governor Hub
• The service now includes standard membership of the National Governance Association (NGA). Includes: NGA guides available at a discounted rate; copies of Governing Matters magazine to the home of three governors/trustees and a copy to the school; access to members-only content in our online Knowledge Centre containing a wealth of governance resources; a weekly e-newsletter featuring the latest education news and policy updates; free places at NGA conferences and events, including the Summer and Annual Conferences, Clerks’ and SEND Networks; NEW: free places at governance leadership forums; access to NGA’s webinar and podcast series; representation at a national level through NGA lobbying and campaigns. NGA Gold Membership is discounted for Learn subscribers - contact us for details.
• The Governance Improvement Service package for 2023/24 includes Governor Training. This includes:
  • Live training sessions, either face to face or via video conference – includes induction for new governors and a wide range of courses covering key topics and themes in governance
  • Governance briefings (5 per year, one each half term, from autumn 1 to summer 1)
  • Annual governance conference (2 delegates free of charge included)
  • Access to NGA Learning Link, a suite of 70+ online courses covering a wide range of topics relevant to the roles and issues faced by governors and trustees
  • The governance training package is now included in the Governance Improvement package. Governing boards and trusts who do not subscribe to Governance Improvement, but who want to access training, can also purchase the training offer using credits from your Learn Sheffield Subscription Offer (see page 7 of the subscription booklet)
• Support with governor and chair recruitment – Learn Sheffield brokers recruitment and we work with national partners, Inspiring Governance, to provide a joined up local service
• Advice helpline for governors – by phone, email, face to face or video call
• Half-termly Sheffield Governor Newsletter and regular email communications
• Annual Governing Board and Trust Business Planner

Full Support Service

Benefits

This service level includes everything in the Core Support & Advice Service and also provides full meeting support, including clerking. This ensures that your governing board and governors have access to the latest information and advice about good governance and what is expected of them. It also ensures that the business of the governing board and committees is carried out efficiently and effectively, thereby demonstrating that the board is fulfilling its core functions. Where appropriate, provides specialist advice and support to enable governing boards to make sound decisions in relation to changing any aspect of school governance, including engaging an executive headteacher, merging or collaborating with other schools.

Features

All the advice and support a school needs in order to have an efficient and effective governing board including: a well-trained and dedicated governance professional, supported by an experienced office team to provide information and advice and to ensure that the business of the board is properly conducted; assistance, advice and support to recruit suitably skilled governors when required; advice, guidance and support on improving and strengthening partnership governance structures, implementing relevant changes driven by DfE and/or Ofsted relating to school business, including important changes to legislation, regulations, policies and guidance. We also can provide a trained clerk to support additional meetings, including Governing Body Disciplinary (exclusion) meetings.

Charges for bespoke services for non-subscribers:

• Academy Trusts – We will contact you with prices of trust packages.
• For clerking services for non-subscribers, please contact us with your needs and we will provide pricing.

Add-on-Services

The Key for School Governors

Schools can buy The Key for School Governors for £250 per board per year (normal price £275- £845, depending on school size).

Governance Training (stand alone package)

Non-subscribing Governing boards can purchase the governor training package as a stand alone service for £600 per board per annum.