Denise Maloney has been part of virtual governing board meetings since before the country went into lockdown and face to face meetings were no longer possible. Denise talks about the tools she has used with her boards so all boards can make virtual meetings a success during these challenging times.
It’s a challenging and uncertain time for schools and staff, and the children and parents they serve. The decision to close schools, either individually or on a national basis, is out of the hands of governing boards. But governors still have an important part to play, supporting senior leaders and…
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…
Phil Martlew is a governor at the City of Liverpool College. “With semi-retirement on the cards, I was thinking about what I could do to keep myself busy using the skills I’d gained in business. I’ve worked in the private sector all my life so I wanted to give…
Honey Clarke is a governor for Quercus Federation (Northiam and Hurst Green Church of England Primary Schools in East Sussex). Honey runs her own management consultancy business after building a successful career in Human Resources. She talks about the professional experience she brings to her schools and why now was…
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…
How can schools support mental health in children – and why is it so important? Hope Virgo is a leading advocate for people with eating disorders, having battled against anorexia. In this guest blog, she shares her story, and explains how schools can support children in looking after their mental…
Langford Primary School is in a deprived area of London, sandwiched between very affluent areas. Five years ago, the school was Inadequate. At the end of last year, Ofsted visited and judged the school Outstanding. We asked Chair of Governors, Dominic McGonigal, to give us the inside story. How…
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…
We caught up with Bav Shah, a governor at Woodlands school in Luton and graduate of Nottingham Trent University, to hear about how he found the role and what motivates him to volunteer. What’s your professional background? I studied Real Estate Management at Nottingham…
Antonia Swinson, CEO of leading UK property advice charity the Ethical Property Foundation, explains why school governors should be aware of their school’s property needs. Think back to your own school days – and what do you remember? Your friends? Your teachers? How about the…