DEVON ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNORS’ CONFERENCE 2010

8 MAY 2010

1.   Welcome by Pam Barnard, Chair of DAG

All delegates, including representatives of DASH, DAPH, Plymouth Association and Torbay Association, were welcomed to the Conference by Pam Barnard, Chair of DAG. Pam thanked NPS, Emma Knights, Christine Channon, Judith Johnson and Bonnie Austin and the children from Kingsbridge Community College, the South Dartmoor Community College and The Ellen Tinkham Special School, in anticipation, for their contributions to the day.

2.   Presentation by Emma Knights, Chief Executive of NGA

The following is an outline of Emma Knights’ (EK) talk to the delegates.  Also available is a copy of the NGA Manifesto . Specific points she touched on were:

• NGA’s role is to provide information and advice and training for Governors

• From July 2010 there will be much more regional information in Matters Arising

• NGA is ‘the voice of Governors in England’

• Governors must feel free to contact NGA with any new thoughts they may have and feedback on current issues

• NGA has some influence through political parties and other organisation for Governor views to be heard

• NGA will be talking to the new Ministry for Education and other organisations following the election

• EK is accustomed to lobbying Westminster and Whitehall

• NGA has a flotilla of policies on educational policy representative of all types of schools but has no consensus over some areas, ie faith and grammar schools (see Manifesto in delegates pack).

• NGA has six ‘top asks’:

1. School Governance be given greater prominence in policy making

2. Free mandatory training for Governors

3. Additional support be made available for Governing Bodies

4. That the level of school funding be maintained

5. NPQH to produce a compulsory module on Governance

6. That there is a reduction in the number of new initiatives and a period of relative stability in schools

When asked about SATS EK commented that NGA has no view on SATS per se but are opposed to the league tables.

Read the NGA Manifesto .

3.   Presentation by Christine Channon, Portfolio Holder for Education in Devon

Christine Channon (CC) opened her presentation by apologising for not visiting all Devon Schools as promised at last year’s Conference just after she had taken office. She has, however, visited 70 so far and intends to continue to make school visits in groups.

CC went on to say that the events of the last few days (Election) have left everybody in limbo as regards the future intentions for education but went on to say that she was happy to work with Governors in her CYPS capacity and that she had met Michael Gove recently.

Specific points that CC felt personally strongly about were as follows:

• Discipline must be reintroduced to schools

• Teachers must be allowed to teach

• Government must stop telling teacher what to teach

• The private sector cannot be dictated to

• Raising the Bar and Changing the Gap will lead to less bureaucracy

• OFSTED – so little of OFSTED seems to be about education

• Safeguarding is important but a common sense approach should be applied – emphasis in schools seems to be moving away from education

• SATS – CC has made a statement on this. She doesn’t believe in SATS but is mindful that many children have worked towards, and been brought to, this stage and teachers should be persuaded not to boycott them this year.

CC continued by telling the Conference delegates that she was concerned about bureaucracy. Local Learning Communities (LLCs) and Children’s Trusts – there is a need to see how the very best can be got out of these organisations. There are weaknesses in some schools and Governors and Headteachers need to pull together to close the gaps.

CC is not a fan of league tables – in her view parents should visit schools to form a judgement – going on a wet day is a good idea! Look for tidiness and signs of caring around the school, all this reflects on the children and their education.

CC wants to work with DAG and Children’s Trusts on the way forward.

As regards Federations – many Councillors do not understand what Federations are about. Some small schools will only survive if they collaborate and this is all about serving our children in the best way possible.

The Way Forward: Trust Schools put different challenges to Governors – especially with regard to admission numbers and transition. It will be interesting to watch the progress of Dartmouth Academy.

CC advised delegates not to hold their breath over more funding for Devon schools – Michael Gove, amongst others, has seen and acknowledged that Devon doesn’t get its fair share of funding for our children in schools.

CC summed up by saying that Governors have a very important role regarding standards in our schools and cannot afford ‘coasting’ staff. There are real challenges ahead for Governors and there are many Governor vacancies in Devon. CC will be grateful for any suitable names to be put forward for LA Governors and ended by thanking all Devon Governors for their dedication and integrity.

4.   Presentation by Judith Johnson

Data: Governors have a role to play when it comes to assessing data, information, targets, pupil programmes etc at a strategic level. Points she talked about are as follows (see Judith's PowerPoint Presentation for fuller coverage):

• What do we need to know and what do we need to do to move a school forward?

• Not everything valued and successful in schools can easily be managed. Governors are guardians of a wider intelligence in schools.

• The question for Governors is what data are schools collecting? Do you know where it is stored? Can it be accessed?

• How do you make sense of it? A/B/C = Benchmarking (A)

Agreeing a Schedule (B)

Agree Right Dimensions (C)

• What data do we need? Governors need to look at getting a balance between statutory requirements and what they would like to do to move a school forward. IE a balanced score card (see notes)

• How do we reduce and made use of data? (See notes). Reports should be published in accessible, single page, format – spend time agreeing a common format and agree on the milestones you want to see in the HTs Report.

• ‘So What?’ Factor: Ofsted look through the Minutes for progress of action, record issues and revisit them. Ofsted will track!

• How to reduce and make use of it all: Indicators and issues (see notes)

• Performance Management: If continued improvement is the norm that is how you get a better school. You need a style of questioning that is not personalised. Move away from ‘critical friends’ – critiquing should be the norm and does not need to be heavy handed.

• Annual Schools Performance Report and CYPS publications across key areas – see notes on Devon website.

Judith Johnson’s PowerPoint Presentation.

5.   Presentation by Suzie Winter, DLP

• Using Data, Improving Schools (see PowerPoint Presentation Governors Guide to Pupil Performance Data  )

6.   Presentation by Sue Clarke and Keith Lewis on Datasets

• It was explained that datasets are based on the school’s Census

• Benchmarking – Governors advised to look at how data on neighbouring schools

• Look at best practice

• Contact schools with ICT mark for advice and guidance.

• Questions raised:

1. Why Have the Local Learning Community datasets been developed?

2. What Information is in the datasets?

3. How should Schools use the datasets?

4. How will the data benefit my school?

5. How will the data sets be used in the Area Reviews and Strategic Planning?

7.   Entertainment

Before lunch the delegates were entertained by children from Kingsbridge Community College, the South Dartmoor Community College and The Ellen Tinkham Special School performing vignettes from Hamlet, The Tempest and The Comedy of Errors.

8.   Workshops

After lunch delegates took part in hands-on workshops on understanding and accessing data – split into primary and secondary schools.

9.   Conclusion

All delegates got together at the end of the day for feedback on the workshops and Ivan Godfrey gave a brief update on the Consultation meetings that had taken place across the county last term.