This guest blog from Stonewall discusses why it’s important that schools have a particular focus on LGBT pupils’ mental health and wellbeing, and the role governors can play in ensuring this happens. In the context of the Coronavirus pandemic, schools and colleges have had to find new ways of…
Wellbeing has been a big issue in schools for a long time, and rightly so. But the events of 2020 have put mental health and wellbeing at the forefront in schools, with lockdown, grief, uncertainty, and changes to our way of life all taking a toll on…
Governors have a strategic role, so they’re crucial in helping a school focus on mental health and wellbeing when it really matters. While governors can’t offer hands-on support, the governing board can make sure there are structures in place so that children’s and staff’s mental…
Link governors for wellbeing – or wellbeing governors – are the dedicated point of contact on a school governing board about mental health and wellbeing provision. While it’s not a statutory role, many schools recognise the importance of having link governors for wellbeing,…
At the height of the coronavirus pandemic in April, 46.6% of adults in employment in the UK were doing some work from home. This figure is expected to rise in the coming years as more workplaces adapt and see the benefits that a flexible approach to the traditional 9-5 can…
Hatton Special School is rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted. Find out how Headteacher Adrienne Wright depends on her governing board for the school’s continued success. “Hatton Special School is a large primary maintained special school in outer London with 191 pupils with complex needs. We had our…
Grace Maryon is a governor at Greatfields academy in Barking, London. Grace talks about her experience as a link governor, and how she helps children with SEND fully participate in the life of the school. “I’m a governor at Greatfields Academy, which is a community school that primarily serves…
Mark Twigg is a governor at a special school in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. He shares his experience of joining the board without any specific experience in SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) and the impact he’s had on the children and their experience of education. “I’ve been a governor…
Concerns over childhood obesity are never far from the headlines. Pupils today experience increasing stress in school from a number of sources – with exams being just one factor. As governors, what part do we play in this? While there isn’t just one simple solution, the School Sport and…
In this guest blog, Freya Laing from Bookmark Reading Charity shares her thoughts on what governors can do to ensure that all pupils have the chance to read and to enjoy reading. Starting from the Autumn Term, the new Education Improvement Framework (EIF) will change the standards…
Our CEO Hannah Stolton explains why understanding the professional benefits of school governance is so important, and how our new research is supporting our volunteers and partners in getting the most out of the opportunity. Upskilling employees is a priority for many of our business and university partners. By encouraging…
In this guest blog, Sidonie Bertrand-Shelton, Head of Education Programmes at Stonewall, outlines the questions governors should be asking to make sure schools are LGBT inclusive – and why inclusivity in schools is vital. Our work won’t be finished until every child and young person is accepted without…