This page features a selection of letters to Governors newsletter that could not be published due to limited space. If you have any views, or comments email [email protected] or write to the editor at:

Governors
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The best letter published in the newsletter will win the complete SEMERC Track series - CD-ROMS and workbooks that provide practical support for pupils studying literacy in the inclusive classroom. The series covers spelling, memorisation, the alphabet, visual perception, idioms, phonemes, and reading and writing skills. All titles meet SENDA requirements. 
 
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Letters from May 2007

We have to teach 'basic maths' during induction course

Dear Editor

I find it difficult to put into printable words my comments regarding last issue's Best Letter. But, in having worked in the technical/engineering industry, I am not surprised. The standard of applicants (including graduates) is so appallingly low. We have to teach 'basic maths' during their induction course. Even so, some are not taken on because they would be a significant danger to themselves and others.

Not having the simplest of basic knowledge here compared with candidates from overseas has led to the decision to recruit abroad. My sons just laughed at the letter and said that it was a true reflection of the teaching staff. Sad!

Ron Goddard

Good knowledge of the �times tables� is relevant and necessary

Dear Editor

As a parent, grandparent, retired businessman and junior-school governor of many years service, I was horrified to read, in the Spring Term 2007 newsletter, the Best Letter by Breda Kidd, a parent governor and maths teacher, saying that she cannot see any advantage to be gained by all nine-year-olds knowing their tables. Like her, I am shocked by the continual changes in the rules, regulations, procedures and the like by the education authorities, who expect teachers and governors to implement them straight away, probably in the full knowledge that we have not learnt all the earlier instructions yet. Change for Change's Sake or Jobs for the Boys springs to mind, but it is not, with respect, an ideal for teaching education to any age group.
 
As a self-employed manufacturer, importer and exporter for nearly 50 years, I can assure Ms Kidd that good knowledge of the 'times tables' � up to at least 10 - is as relevant and as necessary now as they were in my early days. The very basis of maths or arithmetic is, to my mind, 2x2 or 7x3 or 9x8 and the like, and parents have just as much responsibility making sure the kids know them as teachers do. If you do not know your times tables, you know nothing and the rest of mathematics is as meaningful as a book of words is to someone who cannot read.
 
Give a man tools and show him how to use them, and he is fitted up for life. Give him money or credit and he is no good to anyone. So, by rote show them 2x2 equals 4, but trust me for the rest.

Neville Dickinson
Community governor

Encouraging children to try healthy meals

Dear Editor

We are finding that our children do not have a palate for the new 'healthy meals'. We are also finding that the numbers taking up these meals have fallen drastically and we, too, do not know how to encourage more to try and to eat the meals. Any suggestions would also be appreciated.

Alison Carder
Staff Governor

The use of e-information

Dear Editor 

I wonder if other governors share my concerns about the increasing reliance of the DfES and others on the use of e-methods for distribution of information to schools and governors? I write as a governor of 15 years' experience, covering both primary and secondary sectors, who has long had concerns about the implications of this. These have been further sparked by the recent announcement of the intention to pilot the use of CD-ROMs to distribute the Governors' Guide to the Law. My immediate concern is that I have found in other spheres that distribution of such essential information by e-means results in fewer people accessing the information, and some confusion caused by differences in printing and viewing. My specific concerns with relation to school governing are as follows: 

The move to e-information will have seriously damaging effects on the recruitment of governors from a wider background. Not everyone has access to computers, the internet and to high-quality printers. This is particularly true of the lower socioeconomic groups and minority groups, which are under-represented on governing bodies, particularly in areas where governing bodies are short of local representatives. The move to e-information can only further the dominance of governors� matters by middle-class governors representing middle-class schools, and the perceived exclusion of some groups from active participation in the running of their local schools.

There is a huge cost-transfer involved in this. Very few governors (who are all voluntary workers) will wish to use their own resources to print off huge quantities of documentation. And if schools and/or local authorities do it, the costs will fall on them. There is no reduction in our tax burden or increase in direct council/school funding corresponding to this massive transfer of costs away from central Government.

The difficulties and impositions mentioned above will reduce the likelihood of governors accessing the material. If it is presented to them ready-printed as now, at least it is easy to access. If accessing it involves finding a computer, a broadband connection and a printer etc. this makes the whole job harder and longer, and less likely to be undertaken. 

For many people, looking at a document on-screen presents problems, not only of access to a screen but of actually reading the material and noting it. The DfES should realise that the majority of people (unlike senior civil servants) do not have cost-free wi-fi laptops which they can open on trains, or in the garden etc. The DfES (and central Government generally) should also realise that pretty colour backgrounds, fancy graphics and logos, and complicated page layouts do not print easily or quickly on cheap printers. 

There is no guarantee that what people see on a screen or print off on their personal printer actually is the document as intended. Most people's screens and printers "cut off" bits of standard web pages (e.g. the right-hand margin) or emails. Who is legally liable if the school or governor acts on wrongly copied information?
 
The introduction of e-information and the ease of its dissemination (at least at the sender's end) has led to a proliferation of bad writing and verbiage. If there are problems with the volume of 'essential' information being posted, then someone should look at how 'essential' some of it actually is, and the civil service should relearn how to write briefly, concisely, and to the point.
 
However, even if some information is to be sent out by e-systems for the convenience of the senders, that which is legally essential for every governor to have - such as the Guide to the Law � should be provided in hard copy by the Government as part of its moral contract with those volunteers who give up their time and energy to assist in the provision of Government services and the performance of Government functions.
 
Email has a place, which I accept. (I submitted this letter by e-mail!) But convenience for a small number of senders should not be at the expense of convenience for the large numbers of receivers. I have found in other fields that, if you want the recipients to read and act on your communications, you should tailor your communications to suit the recipient, not the sender.
 
What do other governors think?

John Harthman 
LEA Governor, Sheffield

DfES response

The DfES is moving towards electronic communication.  This forms a key part of the new relationship with schools, and this move began with the cessation of the regular batch to schools over two years ago.  The department is now able to provide news and updates more frequently than in the past, which means schools receive information much more quickly than ever before.  In addition, the provision of information, guidance and publications online enables schools to access information at a time that works best for them.  However,  if a school decides that it still wants a hard copy of a document, the majority can still be ordered via the online publications website www.teachernet.gov.uk/publications.
 
The Department formed an Advisory Group in April 2005 to investigate possibilities for producing and updating A Guide to the Law for School Governors in a more efficient and effective way than previously.
 
The Advisory Group is comprised of representatives from the National Governors' Association, National Coordinators of Governor Services, Information for School & College Governors, individual governors and the Department's School Governance Unit. In the light of their experience and the evidence relating to production time and reliability of the paper guide, the group concluded that the CD-Rom and the current online versions of the Guide were the most sensible and effective way forward. Subsequently, a pilot exercise was conducted to test the reaction of users of the guide to this new medium. Copies of the pilot CD-Rom were issued to 50 local authority co-coordinators of governor services and 14 Diocesan Boards as well as members of the advisory group members and their organisation for comment.
 
The majority of responses received from the pilot were very favourable regarding the ease of use of the CD-Rom and its compactness. In a survey of governors carried out by Information for School & College Governors on behalf of the Department 89% of those asked found the CD-Rom easy to use and 63% of the responses received stated they would rather receive the Guide in a CD-Rom format.  It was also widely acknowledged that it was far more environmentally friendly to issue a CD-Rom than a large paper document.
 
All schools have laptops readily available with either disk drives and, or, broadband internet connections and all governors will be able to access the Guide through computers within the school. If a governing body, or individual governor required a hard copy of the Guide it would be a simple process to download and print it off in school from either the CD-Rom of the Guide, or the online version on the GovernorNet website. This should not be a costly process (less than 2GBP) and would be a legitimate expense under regulations currently in place regarding reimbursement of expenses incurred by governors.

Letters from January 2007

How about featuring working parents who are governors?

Dear Editor

The article featuring Brenda Morley, MBE (autumn 2006, In The Spotlight) was encouraging, and congratulations must go to Brenda for over 20 years of hard work on various governing bodies and linked organisations. However, I feel that there are decreasing numbers of truly altruistic people like Brenda, willing to serve in this way (although I have met some!). Perhaps in the future you could specifically feature some working parents who successfully juggle their work and roles on governing bodies, including acting as overall chair or chairing committees. 
Brenda Morley says, "...commitment is a must" for school governors, but it would be a shame if vacancies increased because the level of commitment was felt to be too high.

Helen Dean, clerk to the governors, Worcester

Editor: We try to cover a variety of inspirational governors within the magazine. We are happy to look into featuring chairs of governors who also work and juggle other commitments. If anyone wants to recommend someone, please email the editor at [email protected].



Claiming expenses

Dear Editor

Over the last few issues, we have seen a number of letters both for and against governors claiming expenses and the effect this has on the schools budget. In light of the fact that most schools and local authorities are experiencing difficulties in recruiting new school governors, I do think that now is the time for the DfES to look into this. While it ponders this, it may wish to look at the number of sub committees that result in extra meetings that governors are expected to attend: finance, headteacher performance appraisal, staff appointments, etc. And, when you throw in training courses, it is easy to find yourself attending at least one meeting or more a week during term time.

I know it is a voluntary commitment, and I am sure that like me, most people who take on the roll of a school governor do not do it for any financial gain, but for the good of the school, and a feeling of being able to put something back into society. However if we are not to restrict this pool of willing volunteers, to the few who have both the time, (due to retirement or are self employed) and the money to devote to this commitment, then a rethink is necessary.

B McErlain, vice chair of governors, LEA appointed

Fostering gifted and talented children

Dear Editor

I have been concerned for some time with the apparently muddled thinking on Equal Opportunities: a further example of which appeared in the recent Governors newsletter.
In your article on Gifted and Talented Children (news page 3, autumn 2006), I read that 'There will also be an onus on schools to ensure that the background of their gifted and talented children should be broadly representative of the whole school population...'

It is evidently right to encourage schools to seek to identify the broadest possible range of gifts and talents in their students: but they are surely to be judged on their merits, not their backgrounds? Background should not be a determining factor in selection, but it will often have been a factor in fostering gifts and talents in children from an early age; if schools therefore happen to find that most of their gifted and talented children are from a particular (socio-economic?) background, what are they to do? Discount them in favour of less gifted children from a different background? Is this not also discrimination?

No-one, I'm sure, would argue with the need to provide equality of opportunity as far as possible: but this will never result in equality (neither will vocational qualifications 'equal' academic ones: they are, and should be, different). The crucial thing is that everyone should be equally VALUED: but we are not, and never will be equal in other respects, due to a whole raft of factors, not least heredity, over which none of us � least of all schools � have any control.

Sheila Walker, LEA governor

Remember why you are a governor

Dear Editor

When I became a parent governor, every day after school my son would reintroduce me to his friends saying: "This is my dad, he is the new school governor". Over a year later, when I have meetings immediately after school, he runs around his friends again saying proudly: "This is my dad, he is going to a governors meeting tonight to look after us and the school".

Even though my son embarrasses me in this way when it really should be me embarrassing him now he is nearly 12, I am really pleased that he does this. Ten minutes of discussing the finer points of whether or not we are allowed to do one thing without having a paper trail in triplicate can easily make you forget who we are attending meetings for.

One way of helping to remind us why we do what we do when we are sat in these meetings is to have one pupil�s piece of art, a model or a workbook on the centre of the table. It is much harder to forget who is important in the meeting when you have that physical evidence continually before you. Another way is to borrow my son for two weeks at a time, but I don't think he will agree to that. He does agree to me saying that we all need to always remember that we are here to serve our children as we work as governors. Nobody and nothing apart from them is as important in our work.

Steve Gladwell, parent governor

A worthwhile challenge

Dear Editor,

I became a governor because I wanted to give something back to a wonderful school that has had myself and my children as pupils over the years. I started as a parent governor and then stayed on as a community governor. I remember vividly in my induction we were told to be critical friends. This has been a very good phrase that I am sure has helped numerous governors in difficult times, myself included. Our role as governors has changed considerably since I started seven years ago, and will continue to change, but from day one it has been a very worthwhile challenge! My opinion is that this country is very lucky to have such a dedicated hard working army of school governors, but we as governors are also lucky to be able to contribute to the next generation�s education. It is no good complaining about education standards and the next generation, if you are not willing to stand up and be counted!

I will say I found it easier to be more objective, when my own children left the school, and hope more parent governors would consider perhaps staying on the governing body, in a different role as a governor.

I consider our governing body to be extremely lucky as we work closely with the staff to ensure a happy, progressive future for our pupils, I completely agree with Les Owen (best letter in the autumn 2006 issue) when he said it�s about team work, but the critical friend has a valuable part to play in the partnership. If we never question our practices, we can never improve, and I believe there is always room for improvement!

Fiona Backler, community governor

Schools shouldn't become 'food police'

Dear Editor

As a parent governor, I feel I can offer a multi-dimensional opinion on the 'school meals' issue. This is a very emotive issue and has been fuelled by much media attention. On my visits to school, I have been impressed by the standards of food on offer and with the way school meals were run. This all changed in the autumn term of 2006 when schools were forced to remove cafeteria-style choice and impose school meals as they used to be in the past, that is a set menu.

It has been widely reported that this was a reaction to recent media attention about the lack of 'healthy eating' and TV documentaries such as Jamie Oliver's School Dinners. The Government reaction was to impose regulations that have forced schools to offer what it considers to be healthy food. This was a truly erroneous reaction and one parliament is likely to regret.

The imposition of set school meals has not resulted in healthy eating. It has been interpreted as a removal of choice, and even the youngest of school pupils can see that. The reaction to this has, in turn, been a drop in the numbers of those having school meals. This can be of no surprise at all: it is a logical consequence - people do not like to be told what to do. Far from encouraging healthy eating the opposite effect has been achieved.

The true answer is the most sensible one, which is to educate people from a very young age about the consequences of a poor diet. I have often heard youngsters advising adults about the dangers of smoking. Of course eating foods that are good for you is an expensive business. When faced with the choice of a packet of cheap biscuits or a bunch of bananas that cost twice as much, and last half the time, the choice often becomes one of economics. This is the real issue that needs addressing: forcing teachers and schools to become some kind of 'food police' is not the answer. It is not their responsibility, which begs the question 'Whose is it?'

Jonathan Day, parent governor

Letters from August 2006


Reimbursement of expenses

Dear Editor

I am a parent governor of a special school, and write to you in connection with the reimbursement of governors� expenses.

In common with David Talbot, whose letter was in the summer term issue, I don�t know any governor who would place paying their petrol money above any of the issues directly affecting their school when deciding on how to spend their school's budget.

Personally, I would not seek to claim expenses such as petrol, even though I have a long journey to each meeting (100 miles round trip). However, in some schools it is very difficult to find willing parent governors, and when it comes to advertising this position within the school, I feel that there should at least be an offer to refund expenses. It is quite possible, particularly in special schools, where pupils often travel long distances to attend school, that there could be a low-income or single parent who would like to be a governor, but who would be prevented from standing for the position because of the expenses involved, eg petrol and babysitting. The position of parent governor should be open to all regardless of personal financial situations.
Not all schools have a policy on governors� expenses but to make the situation equitable, surely all schools should offer to pay reasonable expenses incurred by governors in connection with their role. The vast majority would not claim anyway, but it would leave the way open for individuals to claim if they wished to do so. It should not, therefore, be a heavy burden for most schools.

Tricia Kemp, governor

I refuse to feel guilty for claiming legitimate expenses

Dear Editor

I feel that I must respond to David Talbot's letter in the Summer issue that implies that the 10 per cent of governors who have claimed expenses are doing so to the detriment of their school and that such expenses are of the lowest priority.

In our school the expenses policy is designed to ensure that we do not exclude anyone who is willing to work hard as a governor from doing so, simply because they cannot afford to be out of pocket. Whether that be expenses incurred for travelling or for the care of a dependent whilst attending meetings.

I have been a governor for nine years. For the first seven years, I did not need to claim any expenses, but only because I had an extremely flexible employer. However three years ago, I left work, had a third child and became vice chair (and subsequently chair). It is no longer feasible for me to cover all my childcare requirements with favours from friends or by asking my husband to leave his (paid) work early. My youngest child came to almost every meeting with me in his first year, thus avoiding expenses. This of course, eventually became impractical and was not appropriate when interviewing for a teacher or meeting with an inspector!
When my youngest is of school age, my expenses will be minimal or perhaps non-existent but until that time I refuse to feel guilty for claiming legitimate expenses.

If my school, valued the efforts and contribution of the governing body so little that they begrudged paying legitimate expenses to anyone for whom it is necessary to claim them, then I would with regret, but on principle, resign. 

Elizabeth Emmett, Governor

BTEC course in school governance

Dear Editor

As a newly elected support staff governor of a large comprehensive school I was eager to accept the invitation by my local authority to participate in the Edexcel BTEC Advanced certificate in School Governance.

Over the last 15 months, we have studied in depth the areas of strategic direction, monitoring processes, executive functions, governor accountability and the support role.

Talking through problems with governors from other schools has been helpful and illuminating. Being able to recognise strategies and solutions along with knowing the legal responsibilities of a school governor has allowed me to fully integrate and be an active and vocal member of my board.

I would urge anyone, whether newly elected or of long standing to accept the challenge of this relatively new qualification.

Frances Lee, governor, Edlington School

For more information see Edexcel's website.

Keep education separate from social services

Dear Editor

I recently attended a governor's briefing by the Inspectorate on 'Every Child Matters', and even more recently a talk given by the county director of Children's Services to the County Association of School Governors.

Both officer's talks concentrated on child deprivation, healthy diet, use of school before and after school hours, and indeed everything to do with children's welfare, to the almost exclusion of educational subjects, e.g. curriculum, subject presentation, discipline in the classroom and the general raising of educational standards and achievement.

In this county, the Directorate of Children�s Services has recently been created and the Directorate of Education abolished. What message does this indicate to school governors, and indeed to parents, about the future emphasis on educational standards, subject delivery and achievement?

Education is separate and distinct from social services. It was admitted that the current changes were triggered in part by the Victoria Climbie case. Horrible though that was, that problem had little to do with education, but much to do with social services. Put more emphasis there by all means - but not at the expense of academic learning.

I write because I detect a retreat from accent on formal academic activity, and a veering towards a different mindset, with an accent on �caring. There is place for both, but not one at the expense of the other.

I volunteered to become a school governor 15-plus years ago, because, having benefited from a good education, I recognised the need and wanted to help promote and improve educational academic standards.

If I had wanted to do an, equally important, job in social services, I would have given my time to that very worthwhile organisation.

JC Cross
Chair personnel, Northwick Manor Junior School, Worcester

DfES Response:

Achievement and Every Child Matters
 
Every Child Matters (ECM) is a cross-Government programme designed to ensure that schools and other children's services work together to improve children�s life chances most effectively. 
Attainment is at the heart of ECM and is critical to life chances. It is heavily influenced by factors beyond school and has, in turn, wider long-term benefits, for example in better health and employability and less crime in adult life. As such, attainment also plays a crucial role in the delivery of wider objectives of the ECM programme.

Schools' core business is teaching and learning, to raise standards of achievement for all. ECM helps schools do this. Children will learn better if they are safe and healthy and are positively engaged. For most children, extended activities at school widen their learning opportunities, while access to convenient childcare makes parents' lives more manageable. For more disadvantaged children, ECM removes barriers to learning and helps schools access the additional and specialist services those children need.
 
This is not new. Excellent and fast improving schools have long realised that to achieve the best results they must supplement their focus on teaching and learning with appropriate additional support and work with other professional agencies to remove the barriers to achievement. What is new is that all local agencies will now be working better together and with schools to promote children�s achievement. Schools can be more confident that support will be available and will have much greater influence on the form of that support. 

The focus of the school accountability system is clearly centred on standards. Rich data is now available to schools enabling them to self-assess their performance, set targets and develop their school plans. And as they come on stream, School Improvement Partners will use this data to challenge and support schools to ensure that all children achieve and gaps are closed. The new school self-evaluation and inspection framework 2005 still judges schools primarily on their performance in their core business: teaching and learning. But it also recognises schools� contribution to the five ECM outcomes which support pupils' wider personal development and successful learning. This sets a framework for the wider social expectations that the Government has of schools in addition to their focus on standards:

• Be Healthy: Healthy Schools, food in schools, teenage pregnancy, transport, PSHE, sport
• Stay safe: Safeguarding, tackling bullying, harassment and discrimination
• Enjoying and achieving: the core business of schools: helping each pupil progress as well as they possibly can, excellence and equity
• Make a positive contribution: attendance, behaviour, respect, volunteering
• Achieve economic well being: schools as the foundation for ongoing engagement in education, employment or training; the way out of the generational poverty gap; with childcare helping parents back into work
  

Letters from May 2006

Dear Editor

Governors often find they are so overwhelmed by the range of areas of responsibility and the continuous changes and challenges presented to us, that, on occasions, we can lose sight of why we volunteered in the first place.

As one of many committed governors in our school, it is a particular challenge to combine this work with other salaried employment, which can prevent much time actually being spent in school. We are regularly trying to find ways of ensuring we are in close touch with what is happening. Recently, our deputy head came up with the novel idea of a 'speed-dating' event! This was designed to achieve the following:

- To ensure governors and staff are aware of each other's responsibilities in curriculum areas? Each governor has a link to part of the curriculum

- To develop useful interaction between staff and governors

- To give co-ordinators the opportunity to demonstrate the development and improvement of their key areas

- For governors to understand how action planning, monitoring of progress and reporting outcomes takes place in school

- To make governors aware of new initiatives and how they are being addressed in school

Despite initial raising of eyebrows and reluctance by both parties, this event (renamed 'speed meeting' as a courtesy to all) was a huge success and one that will be repeated in future. It was a lot of fun and an excellent use of valuable time.

I would urge other governing bodies to consider adding this to their repertoire of methods for establishing and building good communication between staff and governors.

Penny Huggard, vice-chair of governors Mornington Primary School, Nottingham

Dear Editor

They say that school days are the happiest days of your life. I certainly enjoyed mine (in the 1940s and 1950s) but I have not been involved in the education system in my business life.

Since my retirement in 1996, I have been a LEA-appointed governor at a primary school with approximately 200 to 225 children, and most weeks, during term time, I help out a class teacher one afternoon a week. Currently, I am helping a Foundation year group and am enjoying it immensely, even though the children are far more active than myself.

As a governor on the human resources committee I have, over the past two years, been involved in the appointment of both a headteacher and a deputy head, and I am pleased to say that 'we got it right'. The school is going from strength to strength as was proved by our recent excellent Ofsted inspection. The SEF, as it should, played a useful part of the inspection and was not found to fall short of expectations.

I feel that the smaller schools very often do not receive the praise that they deserve and I am very proud to be part of the governing body of a school where the teachers (and the non-teaching staff) work tirelessly and professionally to give a good sound education to the children and, at the same time, make it fun.

Terry Gregory, LEA-appointed governor, Cheswick Green Primary School, Solihull 

Dear Editor

So, yet another copy of Guide to the Law for School Governors has arrived. What a waste of paper and time. Most governors are not lawyers and do not have time to read the tome from end to end. Surely it would be cheaper, and more ecologically sound, to provide governors with a summary, with the full text available on line, or in each school for further reference? A shorter document is also more likely to be read, so the main points would be taken in.

Elizabeth Noyes, governor, Badsey First School


DfES response

The Guide to the Law has been produced in full for all governors in response to a consultation, which indicated that this was their preference. The DfES would welcome any suggestions governors have over how the guide should be presented in the future e.g. a copy for every governor, three copies per school, paper version as now, CD ROM, online etc. Please email your suggestions to [email protected]. 

Dear Editor

I have been a school governor now for 14 years, as a parent governor, then staff governor at my local primary school where I now work. Then I was elected as a parent governor at the local secondary school, which my children have/are attending now.

I have very much enjoyed my time as a governor and hope to continue for some years to come. It has been very interesting to see exactly how schools are run, how the leadership team works, and the way the money is spent. I have been involved in the selection of two new heads at the school, as well as a complete rebuild of the secondary school. A very exciting and daunting time.

It has also been very interesting to see that teachers do not work from 9am to 4pm and have lots of holiday, a very popular misconception.

There has also been a very active social side to being a governor. In my time I have met several mayors, a few MPs and some minor celebrities. I have walked on marches to raise awareness of teachers� pay and other issues. I have attended lots of informative and helpful courses. I have met other governors and staff at conferences, meetings and socials. This has enabled me to share experiences, expertise and information.

Last year, I was awarded (along with lots of other governors) a long-service certificate by the Mayor of Enfield. But that is not what I became a governor for. It's because I was very interested in my children's education. So please try it - you will soon become hooked!

Linda Kerr, governor

Dear Editor

Having read the article 'Simply the Best' in Governors spring term newsletter, I would like to congratulate the governors and staff at Eastlea for the work they are doing for Gifted and Talented (G&T) pupils. From a personal point of view, I can appreciate how many G&T pupils have found they were left out by the education establishment. Well done to Thomas and the rest of the pupils.

The school where I am a governor is also making progress in areas for providing opportunities for enriching students' knowledge inside the classrooms and the workplace, opening up areas of work experience with local firms. The students run the Enterprise Scheme, which helps their business studies.

This has been achieved on a much smaller scale at Eastlea. The difference between Eastlea G&T pupils and Manor Green College, where I'm a governor, is that Manor Green is a college for special needs students aged 11 to 19 with all types of learning difficulties. Some students will leave having received some written qualifications, but all will have the life skills to live in the community.

In both schools, the staff, governors and pupils/students should all feel very proud that they are all working towards enriching the communities around them so whether the students are G&T or Special Needs, the best education is being received.

Mary Fry, governor 


Dear Editor

No wonder there is so much opposition to the forthcoming Schools White Paper. I've just read the 'myth-busting guide' (Governors Spring 2006). There will be fewer elected parent governors, selective admissions arrangements, trusts appointing the majority of governors, the school taken out of the control of the democratically controlled Local Education Authority. And just who are these 'trusts'? Here, the article is peculiarly silent.

Josh Schwieso, governor


DfES Response

Trusts are a way for schools to raise standards by developing stronger relationships and drawing on the expertise and energy of their partners to support their leadership and direction. However, the DfES is not imposing Trust schools - it will be for the governing bodies of individual schools to decide whether to acquire a Trust. We already know that schools do best when they work with others. But partnerships can often depend on committed individuals and focus on specific projects, and can be easily dissolved if someone moves on. A Trust can provide a more stable basis for collaboration by establishing a long-term relationship with clear expectations from the outset. By appointing some of the school�s governing body, Trusts will bring a range of skills and experience to support the school.

There is no single blueprint for Trust schools - schools can choose who to work with (and how) to meet the needs and aspirations of their pupils and community. Some schools might be looking for educational expertise; others will want to bring in business skills or a new perspective.

In the Schools White Paper, the Government remains committed to the stakeholder model of governing bodies which represents parents, staff, the community and the local authority. Therefore, parents will continue to make up one third of the governing body of all maintained schools including Trust schools. It is for the existing school's governing body to decide whether the Trust should appoint a majority of the governing body and, where this happens, this will, however, entail a reduction in the number of elected parent governors. To offset this change we are requiring Trust Schools to establish a Parent Council with an advisory/consultative role. The governing body of all schools will have a duty to have regard to the views of parents and will consult the Parent Council on its governance of the school and its provision of community services.

On admissions, Trust Schools will not be able to introduce academic selection and will have to act in accordance with the Admissions Code just like other schools. Trust schools will play their full part in taking hard to place pupils, having fair admissions and working with other schools. Admission forums will monitor compliance with the Admission Code, and will be able to present an annual report on admission arrangements to the local authority. Local authorities or other schools will be able to object to the Schools Adjudicator if they think the arrangements contravene the Code or are unfair.

Trust schools are part of the family of local authority maintained schools and they will be funded by the local authority on the same basis as other schools. There will continue to be local authority representation on the Trust school's governing body. The local authority will have a commissioning role so that it becomes a champion of parents and pupils in its area, with a new duty to promote choice, diversity and fair access as well as enhanced powers to ensure high standards for every child. They will be able to intervene in a Trust school as in any other school if it is failing or underperforming. Trust schools will be maintained by the local authority and there will be local authority representation on the Trust school's governing body.

Letters from February 2006
 
Appointing a new headteacher
 
Dear Editor,

Having recently appointed a new headteacher, we found 'The right candidate' article (in the autumn issue of Governors) to be interesting reading. However we would suggest that a different approach might yield even better results.

We tackled the task almost wholly within our own resources. The benefits were:

• creation of real team spirit within the governing body
• strengthened links with, and better understanding of, the roles of local advisers (AIs, SIPs)
• increased understanding of the governing body's role among staff
• a strong relationship was established with the newly appointed headteacher

The governing body used all the technical and professional advice that was freely available at every stage; it also made use of skills that were readily available within its own ranks. What we learnt in the process was:

• make your job advert noticeable - bring out the unique aspects of the school and the job
• set aside a day to observe candidates in action - involve as many people as possible in this, especially your students
• plan your interviewing carefully - try to anticipate responses and plan your own responses or further questioning

There has been much debate about governors taking responsibility for their actions; the appointment of a headteacher is, undoubtedly, the most important responsibility we have and we should not absolve ourselves from this duty.

The governing body, Front Lawn Junior School, Hampshire
 
Best letter was an inspiration
 
Dear Editor,

I have recently received the autumn edition of Governors. I enjoy reading the letters page and was delighted to find that your Best Letter, a topic that is so close to my own heart. I read this page the day before our first full governors' meeting of the year. David Craggs highlights a situation with which I empathise. In fact, so inspired was I by his letter, I raised the matter of a Governor's Handbook, but it was at the tail end of an already late meeting. Nevertheless, having just been voted in as vice-chair, I stormed ahead and met up with the bursar (two days later) to discuss putting one in place.

At the end of that school day, between us we'd come up with a draft, which will be presented to the Strategic Planning Committee. It is my hope they will agree to what we (the bursar and myself) have put in place and the document will immediately go some way towards making the four new governors feel a little more comfortable. So, David Craggs may like to know that his letter inspired at least one governor to do something about his experience!

Sian Rule-Baird, vice-chair of governors, Arundel Church of England Primary School, West Sussex 
 
Taking hold of your responsibilities
 
Dear Editor,

Having read the three letters you have printed in the autumn edition of Governors, I really am surprised at their content. The first letter from David Craggs is quite a common concern, but this can be overcome by using a mentor, a governor that knows the ropes and is willing to answer questions to new governors. We have used this system for three or four years now, and although we are still developing the process, it does work well and should be encouraged to help settle in anyone new to governance.

The second letter I also agree with wholeheartedly. If parents perceive the standards of the staff as high, and the level of discipline is also of a high standard, then there will be an influx of pupils wanting to get into that school. We hear a lot about ownership these days. Well, all concerned should be involved - the staff, the pupils and the governors. That's why there's a curriculum committee, a premises committee, and so on.

Which brings me to the last letter of the issue. Is it not a fact and a requirement that all governors should visit school at least once a term? Surely anyone taking on the role of school governor must understand that the role requires some minimal contact with the school population even if it is only the summer fete! But seriously, governors need to take hold of their responsibilities and get into school as often as they can. It is great fun and very rewarding.

Rob Shilvock, governor
 
Sharing information is empowering
 
Dear Editor,

I welcome David Craggs' call for sharing the names and responsibilities of fellow governors as part of an information pack for a governor's first meeting. Let's not overlook how important it is to cascade this information to parents, too. As key stakeholders, parents form a vital part of all our schools. It is a great asset for parents to know who has what responsibilities and whom they can address important concerns to, should they wish to do so.

Culturally, sharing this information empowers parents to see governors as belonging to them, and working with them and for them. A simple one-page handout for parents at the beginning of each school year, with an update when changes occur, is something we can all do too. I would like to see this as routine.  

Dr Anna Monnickendam, governor, St Marys Bryanston Square Primary & Junior School, London
 
For many, governance is a remote business
 
Dear Editor,

I agree with the views of David Cragg and Albert Hill's letters in the autumn issue. I have been a governor of a rural primary and an urban secondary. What both have in common is:

• the deluge of nonsensical data, and not just when new
• vague introductions to fellow governors
• no introduction to staff or senior management
• no contact with parents, except through parent governors
• children who have no idea what we do, let alone who we are (add the staff into this category, too)
• and the onus of running a school

I've long felt that, while we are prepared to take unpaid leave, stand in the dock and get dragged through newspapers, the return for this is that we don't actually govern. We are told ''his is this' and 'that is that' by the school, to which we assent because everyone seems to want to go home. Even if we are a 'critical friend', how can we really be involved when, in school, no-one knows who we are or what we do or when they perceive us as detached - and suspect us as busybodies if we do ask for clarification? There will be readers who say that they are involved, and that's great, but for many, governance is a remote business.

Governor training is, at best, basic. The need to challenge is never mentioned, but then neither do schools ask us for our professional opinions, surely our raison d'etre? I would relish being able to say to the DfES: Look at the wealth of lay people who willingly help run schools - so why can't the DfES implement governance in a logical, efficient and effective manner? Mr Hill states: "�We are in charge of 1,000 or so kids, and not a supermarket." Alas Mr Hill, if we were running supermarkets, many of us would have gone out of business long ago.

Name supplied
 
Addressing the practicalities
 
Dear Editor,

In the autumn edition of Governors, David Craggs felt that as a new governor he did not receive sufficient information. I would like to reply as a clerk to the governors.

We have a total of 40 governors and staff, so it is not practical to produce photographs, although our new governors are given a list of the names of governors and staff, together with details of the shared curriculum responsibilities.

In common with many other schools, our policies are on our computer system, and the paper versions fill a huge file. Once again, it is not practical for individual governors to be given. It is one of the duties of a governor to review policies, so Mr Craggs will become familiar with the school policies by doing this.

I agree that the acronyms can be confusing, but I am sure he will find explanations if he looks on the excellent DfES website for governors.

In an ideal world, clerks would be able to produce the documents requested by Mr Craggs and perhaps some do. In my case, I work full-time as a school manager, so time is limited. Many other clerks will find themselves in a similar situation.

Regular visits to the school ensure that governors become familiar with the layout, the timetable and the classes. If it is any consolation to Mr Craggs, it will get easier!

Margaret Dennis, clerk, Caistor Primary School, Lincolnshire
 
Getting involved with the school
 
Dear Editor,

Having just read the autumn issue of Governors, I felt I should reply to the concerns raised by both David Craggs and Albert Hill, hopefully offering some solutions to their problems. In my role as mum, full-time SENCo at a Young Offenders Institute, vice-chair of the school PTA and parent governor, I felt I was 'doing my bit' to support our daughter in the best way I could.
It was during one meeting of the governing body that the head raised the issue of whether parents and pupils really had an understanding of the role of the governing body; indeed, did anybody know what these mysterious people actually looked like? Hence, many discussions later we decided on several ways of addressing these issues. I am not suggesting they are 'the bee's knees' or that they would be appropriate to all schools. However they are working extremely well for us and I offer them for your perusal!

All members of the Governing Body have 'adopted' a class. We are the named person for that class and try to visit several times a year, helping with anything the pupils or teacher request. (This may involve being extremely enthusiastic when asked to play the part of the donkey in the infant Nativity, or sitting with Year 6 while they bamboozle me with Key Stage test questions.)
All governors write a pen portrait, which is added to an individual photo and produced in leaflet form to be circulated to all those connected with the school (not just parents/carers)
All governors have an open invitation to assembly time, especially celebration assemblies and class assemblies, and are encouraged to play an active part. In addition, parent/governor surgeries are held after school, with cr�che facilities provided.

All governors have a link governor role (I am the literacy link governor). When you are 'online', you are expected to monitor provision in your area, monitoring the dreaded paperwork, but also participating in all lessons across the Key Stages, culminating in a feedback session to the governing body with the teacher responsible for that subject area.

These are just a few of the ideas we have introduced and which I personally feel are very successful. At the very least, I feel the children are developing a greater understanding and rapport with the governors, the teachers (I hope!) are more comfortable when we are in school, and the governors feel that we are beginning to move towards fulfilling our commitment to the continued development of our school more fully.

Wendy Corless, parent governor
 
Misinterpreting the role of the governor
 
Dear Editor,

I am puzzled by Albert Hill's letter in the autumn edition of Governors in which he says we governors are inclined to forget we are 'in charge' of the children in our schools and that to spend time in school is to demonstrate commitment to the role. To my mind, Mr Hill misinterprets the role of the governor.

As a chair of governors, I am not 'in charge' of the children in my school; far from it.  That is the role of the head and his staff. My role as a governor is three-fold - to act as a critical friend, to help develop the strategic direction of the school and to hold the school to account for standards and results. My role is one of leadership, not management. Of course, the children are at the centre of all we do - and I agree that to be known by the staff is essential, and by the children, desirable. But I haven't spent years training to teach and manage the needs of children � that's what we have trained, professional staff for.

I am a business person who can lend my skills to the promotion and growth of the school. Our governing body is drawn from all areas of society, and each governor has an area of expertise to contribute. Some of our governors spend some of their governing time with the children for specific projects � and the governing body commissions surveys and other forms of feedback to ensure that what we are doing is child-centered � but I wouldn't want to stride the corridors of my school, getting in the way of the routine just for the sake of being known.

Our governing body is working hard to achieve a more strategic level and lose the image of VIP visitor. I believe, to be successful, we need to let the head and staff get on with what they are expert in and trust them to bring the needs of the children and the school to us.

Rachel Keil, chair
 
Governor of the month
 
Dear Editor,

I was interested to read Albert Hill's letter in the last edition of Governors. I agree that governors being familiar faces around the school is crucial to making the governor/school relationship really valuable. At our school, many of the governors help in the classroom or with special events weeks, sports day etc. in a similar way to parent volunteers.

More recently, we have formalised the arrangement by having a 'Governor of the Month'. Each month, one of the governors makes the effort to visit during the school day. There is a focus to the visit, which might include: observing the children at break time (even eating school lunch with them); studying the school displays; helping with design technology projects; taking part in an assembly etc. The focus is selected because of some planned development in the school, or because the governor is particularly interested in this area.

Some care needs to be taken that teachers are aware of the reasons for the visit and not concerned by them. So, at our school, the headteacher and the governor choose the focus together.

The school at which I'm a governor is an infant school, but I feel that this model could readily be adapted for use at primary and secondary schools.

Penelope Smith, governor at Knowle Park School, Staines
 
Getting to know your school
 
Dear Editor,

In response to Albert Hill of Darlington, while agreeing that governors need to get to know their school, I would take issue with some of his comments, especially that "we are in charge of 1,000 or so kids...". I suspect that he is perhaps confusing governorship with management.
Governing bodies are responsible for the adoption of policies and for the establishment of a framework within which schools operate. They are also responsible for the monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of these policies. Part of the monitoring process involves getting to know your school, as Mr Hill stated. Best practice indicates that this is best done as part of an agreed Governor Visits Policy, using the SIP (School Improvement Plan) for guidance, so that visits are focused, well informed and productive.

Visiting school in this way enables governors to build a personal, but professionally aware, relationship with individual members of staff. It also increases awareness of issues and developments within departments and, through reporting back to the governing body, the school as a whole.

Pat Nicholls, chair of governors
 
Do we know the children we govern?
 
Dear Editor,

I agree wholeheartedly with Albert Hill's letter in the autumn issue about whether as governors we know the children in the schools we govern, and whether they know us, and just how easy it is to get bogged down in paperwork.

I am fortunate in that I have the time to spend a day a week helping in the school, mostly with the leavers' year on their further education or work plans, and helping with their reading and writing and that of younger children, too. I also try to visit groups when they are away on residential visits if fairly local, and occasionally support them at inter-school sports fixtures. I always make a particular point of talking to staff at morning and lunch break on the day I am in school, and attend the occasional parents' evening.

All this is a much more important use of my time and expertise (after 40 years of teaching) than trying to read every bit of jargon-riddled paper that I am given. My acid test of the documents and reports I receive is do, or will, the children benefit from their contents? Unfortunately, all too often, I judge this not to be the case, lose interest and file the paper under 'O' for oblivion! If, as a consequence, I am judged no longer fit to be a governor, I shall concentrate solely on giving my time to the children and staff directly.

After four years as a governor, I feel much of the time I have spent in meetings could have been better spent in the children's direct interest.

It is no wonder that recruitment of governors is not easy, if they do not have the direct opportunity to benefit the children in their schools by their deliberations and actions.

Godfrey Thomas, SEN school governor, Essex
 
Recognition, connection and appreciation
 
Dear Editor,

Engagement is a well-trodden term and one that can easily be overlooked, as Mr Hill reminds us in his autumn-term letter. However, it's not all as he suggests, and I am thankful that I serve alongside a group of governors who are more than willing to be visible. Indeed, as chair I can honestly say that most of us can walk down the corridor and be recognised.

But it's more than recognition, it's connection and appreciation of what we do. These things are a lot like respect in that they need to be earned. As governors, we need to look for opportunities to engage beyond the rigid frameworks that we operate within. Opportunities, like a child's potential, are always there � we just need to do our bit in discovering and nurturing them.
I agree that there's often something more pressing, but an essential part of governance has to be connecting with those that we govern. A school is not premises, finance, staff and curriculum. It's who these things serve � our children.

Marc Crump, chair of governors, The Ridge Primary School, West Midlands
 
Being a governor can be a rollercoaster ride
 
Dear Editor,

Governance could be described as a rollercoaster of constant ups and downs. You commit time, effort, dedication and emotion to a school that you become deeply involved in. Possibly question: Why did I become a Governor? Does anyone appreciate what I say or have done?
Governance is an addictive challenge. It relies on a network of support that involves many key figures who jump on and off the rollercoaster. Don't be apprehensive about rollercoasters, but look forward to the odd twist or turn. It keeps you on your toes, ready for any challenge that awaits you.

J McKenzie, clerk to governors, Saint Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Nottinghamshire
 
No more online updates
 
Dear Editor,

I have noted that a new edition of A Guide to the Law for School Governors is being prepared. However, it is disappointing to see that the system of online updating is to be continued. This really does seem to be a purely a cost-saving move on the part of the DfES.

What the DfES is ignoring is that it is passing the costs on either to individual volunteer governors or to already overstretched school budgets.

I have, more than once, raised the proposal that each governing body should be provided with one hard copy of the updates to facilitate use of the Guide in governing body meetings when it is not always practical to resort to online access.

John Howard, chair, Newport Primary School, London
 
DfES Response

Dear Mr Howard,

Thank you for your email in which you record your disappointment at the online system of updating A Guide to the Law for School Governors and suggest one hard copy is sent to schools. The DfES welcomes feedback and suggestions from governors.

While there is an obvious cost saving, I can assure you that the online updating was adopted primarily as a means of ensuring that governors have access to updates as soon as possible, and the risk of them operating on out-of-date information is reduced. For example, the 2006 edition went to print in November 2005, but the volumes and processes involved mean that governors won't receive their copies until February and the guide will be current only as of September 2005. Termly online updating allows us to bring the guide up to date during each term. 

Feedback has shown that previous distributions of hard-copy updates were unpopular with some governors, and many didn't bother to update their guides. I acknowledge that your suggestion of one set per school could be helpful, but the production times would mean a delay, although not as long as that for the initial production.  

While online-only updating does pass the cost on to the school, printing off is a legitimate governor expense and if, as you suggest, only one copy needs to be printed, I would suggest that the cost to the school is outweighed by the advantage of having current information. I understand that it is not always practical to resort to online access during meetings; some schools have overcome this problem by downloading the updated guide onto a laptop, which is successfully used during meetings.

In closing, I would like to thank you and your fellow governors for the time and effort you freely give to governance, and I hope you are able to resolve any problems with accessing the guide.

John Britton, School Governance Unit, DfES

Staying up to date in an age of technology
 
Dear Editor,

I have been a governor for about one year and find the work both interesting and mostly enjoyable. Any new governor must find, as I have, tha