Governing Bodies Association

AGM

24 April 2015

Chairman’s Report

• GBA• Priorities• Modus Operandi• GBA Director• Opportunities ahead…

GBA

Governing Bodies Association

GBAssociation

• Established 1940’s, 54...now 50...One third of all Post Primary School Children

• To ‘foster & develop close working relationships among VG’s and other Ed Bodies’

• Advance interests & well being of VG’s• Resource for the Governing Bodies– Much in common but distinct differences

...one size doesn’t fit all

Common Characteristics

• Owned by Trustees..foundation doc’s or deeds of trust expressing values..to promote & protect

• Run By Boards of Governors• Trustee members comprise the largest group• Recurring and Capital Funding comes direct

from Dept of Education• Employ ALL members of staff...recruit, deploy

materials, equipment, insurance etc…

Abbey Grammar. Aquinas Grammar Belfast, Assumption Grammar Ballynahinch

Ballymena Academy, Bangor Grammar, Belfast High School, Belfast Royal Academy

Campbell College, Christian Brothers' Grammar School, Omagh, Coleraine Academical Institution,

Dalriada School, Dominican College Belfast, Dominican College Portstewart, Foyle & Londonderry

College, Friends' School Lisburn, Hunterhouse College, Larne Grammar School, Loreto College Grammar

School Coleraine, Loreto Grammar School Omagh, Lumen Christi College, Methodist College Belfast,

Mount Lourdes Enniskillen, Our Lady and St Patricks, Knock, Our Lady's Grammar School, Newry, Portora

Royal School, Rainey Endowed School, Rathmore Grammar, Royal Belfast Academical Institution, Royal

School Armagh, Royal School Dungannon, Sacred Heart Grammar School Newry, St. Colman's College,

St. Columb's College, St. Dominic's Belfast, St. Joseph's Grammar School, Dungannon, St. Louis Grammar

School Ballymena, St. Louis, Kilkeel, St. Malachy's College, St. Mary's CBGS Belfast, St. Mary's Grammar

School, Magherafelt, St. Michael's College, Enniskillen, St. Michael's Grammar School, St. Patrick's

Dungannon, St. Patrick's Grammar Armagh, St. Patrick's Grammar School, Downpatrick, Strathearn

School, Sullivan Upper School, Thornhill College, Victoria College Belfast, Wallace High School

Management of GBA

• Executive Nominated/Elected by VG Schools– 12 school governors

• Max 6,Co-opted members to supplement skill setEg QC Brett Lockhart, Prof R. Hutchinson

• 1 Chairperson, 2 Vice-Chairs, 1 Treasurer

• P/T Director

Executive Members 2014-15• Mary Lou Winchborne Dalriada• John MacCrossan Thornhill• John Adrain Bangor Grammar• Dr Bryan Gregory Victoria• Sir Gerry Loughran St Malachy’s• Ian Noad Strathearn• Eimer Cleland Our Lady’s Grammar• Maeve Toner Our Lady and St Patrick’s • Sheila Crea Assumption Grammar • Stephen Gowdy Belfast Academical Institution• Brett Lockhart Methodist College, Belfast• John Stuart St Louis, Ballymena• Ronnie Hassard Campbell College• Jacqueline Weir Belfast Royal Academy• Prof Hutchinson Dalriada• Carol McCann St. Dominics• Scott Naismith Methodist College, Belfast• John Young Campbell College

Priorities

• Legislative Changes : Education Bill 2015– Voluntary principle

• Teachers’ Negotiating Committee– Sub-Committees

Priorities

• Exam Changes• Consultation Documents• Transport to School• Area Based Plans• Amalgamations• Governor Appointments• International League Tables

Priorities 2014/15 +

• Exam Changes S Naismith• Consultation Documents N O’Neill/Prof

R Hutchinson

• Transport to School J Stuart• Area Based Plans J Mac

Crossan• Amalgamations N O Neill/various

• Gov Apptmts G Loughran• International League Tables C. Mc Cann

Looking Ahead

• Education Authority B Lockhart/G Loughran

– Bedding in/Op issues/Delivering planned admin savings• School Financing

– Restructuring/Redundancies/Redeployment– Pupil- staff ratios…Entitlement Framework– Staffing/development/skills training

• Area Local Planning, BD/DMc G/JMac- school amalgamations, re-locations and restructuring

• Shared Education I Noad• Transport J Stuart

Modus Operandi

• Voluntary Professional Support– Legal Advice

• Eg B.Lockhart, S.Gowdy

– Sponsorship of Priorities• Eg J.Stuart, S.Naismith

– Membership of Bodies• Eg LRA, Court of Ulster: MLW, RTU: Dr E.Dermot

– Queens Ed Employers Stakeholders: S.Naithsmith

• Representation of VG’s interests Eg:-– SEELB ‘AP : D. Mc Govern

– WELB’AP : J.Mac Crossan, – TNC: J.Stevenson, G. Adams & N.O’Neill

Modus Operandi

• Specialist Advice– Legal....B.Lockhart, S. Gowdy– Political Lobbying.. Sir GLoughran– Educational Sector • Head T’s : SN, C Mc C, JS, RH…DM• F/HE :Prof RH

• General Business Experience..Various Exec– Bank Mgmt, Strategic Business Skills, NGO’s

Accountancy, SME’s etc etc

Work Streams for our Director• Internal

– Response to all school queries– Communication/Website

Publications– Mgmt of Accounts, Co-ordination

of levy etc– Preparation of all materials for

Meetings– Development & Dissemination of

position papers, questionnaire, surveys & follow-up

– Interaction with GBA nominated Reps...TNC’s, LRA, ABP etc

• External

– First point of contact for all queries, media, politicians, interest groups

– GBA Rep on TNC’s– Lobbying

• Minister of Ed• Education Committee• Political parties• Education Spokespeople

Issues

• Scale/scope of current role– Diverse range of activities...administrative to

strategic• Increasing workload– Amalgamations, new campuses..interim Boards– Educational initiatives– School Budgets in Decline

Options……

• Increase Subscriptions

Eg To Fund additional resource

• Rationalisation of Subs already undertaken

• Schools struggling as budgets decrease in real terms

Options..

• Optimise Exec • Invite specific skills through nomination process

• Encourage Full Attendance

• Leverage Exec as advocates/delegates

• Develop regional satellite model

Options..

• Further leverage of the willing and talented – Eg.TNC’sAppointment of another HT to work alongside JS.providing knowledge and experience and continuity.Freeing Director, to focus on other priorities..

Options

• Selective use of temporary resources under supervision, to address specific research needs…– Eg Intern to undertake analysis of PISA

performance tables

Options

• Increased Collaboration with related organisations including eg– Bursars Association– Controlled Grammars– Catholic Heads Association– Independent Schools Council– Etc..

Leverage the Association

• 50 Independent Operating Unitsthe whole is greater than the sum of the parts

• Explore Economies of Scale Opt-in basis

Eg Procurement•Oil• Electricity•Materials

Election of New Members

-John McDowell, Bishop of Clogher, Portora, Chairman Board of Governors

-Eimer Cleland, Our Lady’s Grammar School Board of Governors

-Stephen Black, Ballymena Academy-John MacCrossan, Thornhill Grammar School, Chairman Board of Governors

-Ronnie Hassard, Campbell College Board of Governors