Run by Devon Governors for Devon Governors
Run by Devon Governors for Devon Governors
DAG is
recognised by the Local Authority (LA) as a formal channel
for collective consultation with governors, and is committed
to abiding by the joint
Memorandum of Understanding: Working
Together for Better Schools (
3029KB) adopted and signed in 2009. The
Board is in regular contact with senior LA officers and
has direct access to the highest officials.
DAG has representatives on all LA consultative groups and working parties and plays a leading role in a number of the key committees (currently holding the position of Chair and Vice-Chair of the Devon Education Forum). These representatives feed back information to the DAG Board on a regular basis. These ‘Reports Back’ are compiled and printed as an appendix to the Minutes of Board meetings.
DAG provides a county forum for issues of common concern and makes representations about them to the LA, to Government and to other appropriate bodies. It takes a full part in national consultations in association with the National Governors’ Association.
Devon Governor Support produces a Checklist at the beginning of each term. This Checklist seeks to provide an aide-memoire to governors on all the likely tasks or issues to be handled during the ensuing term. Three hard copies are sent to every school that has bought into Governor Support (one copy for the Chair of Governors, one for the Clerk and one for the Headteacher). It is recommended that the school makes further copies for individual governors.
In addition to the Annual Conference DAG organises more localised meetings once a year for all Local Learning Communities (LLC’s) across the county. These meetings take place fairly early in a school term, focus on current issues (using the Checklist as an agenda) and allow governors and clerks from the full cross-section of local schools to discuss or raise issues of immediate concern. All schools in relevant LLC’s are contacted well in advance of the meetings, dates of which are advertised on the website and Newsletter.
DAG Newsletters are provided by e-mail to all interested governor contacts free of charge. Newsletters to maintained schools are sent out fortnightly, and to academies twice a term. They attempt to provide governing bodies with the latest news, information and deadline reminders that will help governing bodies work efficiently. They supplement the Checklist and give additional information as particular issues develop. We try to give a list of contents for each update to enable governors to go to matters of immediate concern to them. Wherever appropriate we indicate where further detailed information can be found.
DAG has been midwife to DAISI (the Devon Arts in Schools Initiative) which is now a separate company and charity. DAG members are on its Board.
As finances permit, DAG publishes occasional papers. These have included Collective Worship, which gained national recognition, and Funding Their Future (in conjunction with Heads’ associations) to which reference was made in the House of Commons. Most recently DAG has made a major contribution to the Finding and Keeping Effective School Governors, booklet and CD-rom.
DAG manages its own website which is regularly updated and contains information on nearly all current educational issues.
DAG is committed to assisting GBs on as local basis as possible. To this end it has appointed 3 Area Officers in the North, Central and East and South and West Areas, together with a researcher in each area. All appointments started on 1 September 2009
Further details on DAG, including volunteering to sit on LA Boards and Committees and the DAG Board, can be obtained from the Area Officers.