A conference for clerks and chairs of governors STRENGTHENING CLERKING.

A conference for clerks and chairs of governors

STRENGTHENING CLERKING

A CHANGING ROLE

19/04/23 www.thegovernor.org.uk 2

HOW THE CLERK’S ROLE HAS CHANGED

Unpaid note taker Paid clerk Company secretary


Has your role changed?In what ways?Why?Is it changing now?Why?

DISCUSSION


1995: survey of clerking and model job description1999: national strategy for governor support and training2001: new study and bids for clerks training2003: national training launched, inc jd and person spec2004? BTec Level 3 accreditation available2010: Edexcel drop the accreditation2010: White Paper: “We will encourage schools to appoint

trained clerks who can offer expert advice and guidance to support them”

2010: NCOGS publish “Strengthening clerking” proposals; sent to Lord Hill

………………

NATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS


The status of the clerk to the governing body should be raised

The clerk should not work in the school in a different capacity to reduce the potential for conflicts of interest

Training for new governors, chairs and clerks should be compulsory

THE UNIVERSITY OF BATH GOVERNANCE STUDY OCT 2008


Every school should have a trained clerkTraining and accreditation for clerks should be

compulsoryTheir pay should be commensurate with their

importanceThe authors likened the role of the clerk to “the

roles of Company Secretary, one of high status, requiring training and accreditation, and Clerk to the Justices”

GOVERNING OUR SCHOOLS: A REPORT BY BUSINESS IN THE COMMUNITY

OCT 2008


The role of the clerk to the governors is pivotal to ensuring that statutory duties are met, meetings are well organised and governors receive the information they need in good time. Consequently, governors come to meetings well prepared and with pertinent questions ready so that they are able to provide constructive challenge.

School governance: Learning from the best Ofsted May 2011

OFSTED KNOWS YOU MATTER!


“The Study’s findings indicate that there is an association between the effectiveness of the clerk and the effectiveness of the governing body.”

The University of Bath Governance Study (Maria Balarin | Steve Brammer | Chris James | Mark McCormac) published in Oct 2008

HOW CLERKS CAN HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE GB


How do you think you can influence the improvement of your GB?

DISCUSSION


Agenda planningAdvising during meetingsMinuting accuratelyCo-ordinating communicationMemory and record keepingAction chasing

SOME SUGGESTIONS


More schools become AcademiesClerking becomes Company Secretary roleGreater professionalisation: “Strengthening clerking”NCOGS 2010Enhanced responsibilitiesIncreased powers

CLERKING IN THE FUTURE


Ensure accountabilityLead communication roleEnsure statutory responsibilities are metStanding items for agendas

ENHANCED RESPONSIBILITIES


Disqualify governorsRecruit and appoint community governorsDeny late papersReceive complaints and ensure process

followedAppoint appeals panels

INCREASED POWERS


Latest data (for financial year 2009-10) shows:national average of training provided for clerks per year is 32

hours-worth highest number of hours of training provided by region is

found in the south west (46) and lowest in the north east (18)Shire authorities provide the highest average number of

hours (62) and metropolitan authorities the lowest (21) Health warning: these averages are based on unequal

numbers of responses from the different authorities and regions, so may be misleading.

CLERKS TRAINING AND ACCREDITATION

NATIONAL AND LOCAL


Currency

Accreditation programme

Number of LAs known to be using this programme

No of clerks known to be accredited

Price range

Duration(months)

Nationally recognised qualification but not specific to clerking role

NVQ Business and Administration Levels 2, 3 & 4

2 (one not using level 2)

46 Free-£800 12

Nationally recognised qualification specific to clerking role

BTEC Level 3: National Clerks’ Training Programme (DCSF)NB NO LONGER AVAILABLE

12 269 £300-£500 6-24

BTEC Level 3: Professional Development Advanced Certificate in Support and Administration of Governing Bodies accredited by Edexcel (NO LONGER AVAILABLE)

3 71 £250-£450 18

Qualification specific to clerking role but not recognised nationally

Hampshire/ISCG – accredited model

9 241 £250-£1800 12-16

Individual LA programmes 5 70 Free-£1000 6-12


HAMPSHIRE MODEL

Accredited by ISCGHampshire and NCOGS in discussion – decide this Spring

whether to recommend as national modelSeeking Level 3 status – national recognitionAccommodates Academy clerkingAffordable


School Leadership Systems – Governors Virtual Officewww.schoolleadershipsystems.comTel: 0844 800 6421

Clerkmatewww.clerkmate.comemail: [email protected] Tel: 07788 446 567

USEFUL INTRANETS FOR GBS


LibraryAn online storage facility that allows the Clerk to deposit

important documents which can then be accessed by Governors whenever they need.

The library is structured to reflect the organisation of your school's Governing Body.

Gives Governors access to all relevant papers and documents in one place.

Ability to search for documents by subject, author, date etc.Ability to control access to individual documents to

nominated governors only.

GOVERNORS VIRTUAL OFFICE (GVO)


CalendarAn online calendar where the school and Governors' calendar

can be maintained and accessed via the world wide web.Links to the meetings management function to allow

Governors access to information for each meeting.Meetings ManagementA facility to help Clerks and Chairs schedule meeting for the

Governing Body and for sub-committees and to prepare and distribute meeting packs.

Prepare, discuss and approve agendas.Link meeting papers to the agenda.Distribute agenda and papers electronically without

Governors having to handle multiple attachments.

CALENDAR/MEETINGS


TasksAn online tool to help manage delegated tasks within the

Governing Body Create a record of tasks that have been allocated to

nominated individuals or groups (e.g. sub-committees).Develop a comprehensive task 'folder' that contains all

relevant material.Track progress towards completion with updates from the

nominated task manager.Generate automatic prompts for tasks that are becoming due.

TASKS


News, Views and CommentsFacilities where Governors with specific responsibilities can

keep one another informed between meetings.Post news items to help keep Governors up to date.Governors can hold online discussion on subjects of mutual

interest.Can be used to solicit Governors' views on a topic.

NEWS ETC


Policy ManagementAn online repository for all the school's policies where they

can be accessed when needed without having to refer to the Clerk.

Reminder system highlighting which policies need review.Policy owner can make new or amended policies available for

review.Governors can add comments, suggestions and questions

that all Governors can see.On line ratification or rejection by Governors.

POLICIES


Secondary School £695 £1,195

Primary School £395 £695

Small Primary Schools (<200 pupils)

£295 £495

1st price=12 months; 2nd price =24 months

3 month support=£195

On site support=£595

WHAT DOES IT COST?


a web-based system developed specifically to assist clerks asthey play their part in achieving outstanding school governance

At the beginning of each school year the clerk configures Clerkmate with the information that will drive the system through the year:

Areas of ResponsibilityPeopleCommitteesSchool Calendar

CLERKMATE


Fourteen days before a meeting Clerkmate automatically emails the clerk and governors to remind them that the agenda for the meeting is due out in seven days and items for the agenda must be submitted as soon as possible.

At any time the clerk can work on the agenda for the meeting. The following items will be added automatically:

Standard items (e.g. minutes of last meeting, matters arising)Apologies (generated as a result of people clicking on the

Apologise link in their reminder email)Statutory responsibilities from the School Calendar (e.g.

“Review Child Protection”)

AGENDAS


The clerk can now add, edit, delete and re-order the agenda items. They can also choose to bring forward an item to the next meeting if they know that it cannot be dealt with at this meeting.

When it is complete the clerk confirms the agenda and a link to the agenda is automatically sent to all members of the committee. Clerkmate is now ready for the meeting itself.

AGENDAS 2


The agenda is displayed on the screen and the current item is highlighted.

The clerk can add any amount of text underneath the current item heading.

Once the minutes are ready the clerk confirms them and an email is sent to every member of the committee with a link to the minutes.

Clerkmate sends an email for every action in the minutes to the person to whom the action was assigned. This email has three links for the recipient to click on – “Acknowledge”, “Completed” and “Bring Forward”. If no link is clicked within seven days the clerk is alerted.

Actions are automatically added to the agenda for the following meeting as matters arising.

MINUTES


£375 + VAT per year. The price includes email support.Discounts are available for multiple subscriptions (for

example if all schools in a cluster agree to subscribe at the same time).

WHAT DOES IT COST?


What do you like and dislike about the examples?What value could a governors’ intranet add to your situation?What do you use at the moment?Which of the examples would suit you best, if you had to

choose?


DISCUSSION

A conference for clerks and chairs of governors STRENGTHENING CLERKING.

Documents

Transcript of A conference for clerks and chairs of governors STRENGTHENING CLERKING.