Re-imagining Christian Education Conference Governance presentation
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Transcript of Re-imagining Christian Education Conference Governance presentation
Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
MIKE SIMMONDSEducation Consultant
A project of
Governance in the 21st Century:
Faith informing professional engagement
Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
• a governing body is "A sprawling committee and proliferating sub-committees.”
• Governors are, “Local worthies who see being a governor as a badge of status not a job of work.”
• Meetings have, "Discussions that ramble on about peripheral issues, influenced by fads and anecdote, not facts and analysis.”
Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
EQUIPPING CHRISTIAN GOVERNORS FOR THEIR ROLE IN CHURCH SCHOOLS
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Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
CONTEXT
The ‘hidden givers’:
A study of school governing bodies in
England
PROJECT REPORT
Chris James, Steve Brammer, Michael Connolly, Miles Fertig, Jane James and
Jeff Jones
UNIVERSITY OF BATH
Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCHOOL GOVERNANCE
83% of governors come from professional or managerial
occupations and nearly 40% having experience of an
education-related occupation (Scanlon, Earley & Evans, 1999).
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Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCHOOL GOVERNANCE
Academy IndependenceProfessionalisation of governance
Foundation Governors
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Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
SIGNIFICANCE OF GOVERNANCE
Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
Good governance is characterised by, "smaller governing bodies, where people are there because they have a skill, not because they represent some political constituency. They concentrate on essentials such as leadership, standards, teaching and behaviour.”
Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
SIGNIFICANCE OF GOVERNANCE
“an effective governing body makes a difference and standards of attainment are more likely to be higher. (Ofsted, 2002).
Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
SIGNIFICANCE OF GOVERNANCE
“I’ve already said our new inspection arrangements will focus much more on governance than ever before, and there will be a subsection under leadership and management to say important things about governance.”
Chief Inspector of Schools, Sir Michael Wilshaw,
Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
SIGNIFICANCE OF GOVERNANCE
Chair of governors part of the leadership, not only of the school, but also within the parish and diocese
The Way ahead (Archbishops’ Council, 2001)
Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
SIGNIFICANCE OF GOVERNANCE
The findingsThe ‘hidden givers’: a study of school governing bodies in England
The role of the chair – a significant educational and
community leadership responsibility
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Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
CHRISTIAN PARTICIPATION IN SCHOOL GOVERNANCE
survey of evangelical Christians suggested that 9% serve as governors compared to 0.7% of the population
How many and what impact?
Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
CHRISTIAN PARTICIPATION IN SCHOOL GOVERNANCE
Foundation Governors
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“foundation governors must preserve and develop this.
They must also ensure compliance with the trust
deed, if there is one” (Guide to the Law, 2012).
“role of Church School governors is expanded to ensure the school is both inclusive and Christian in nature” (Archbishops Council, 2012).
Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
CHRISTIAN PARTICIPATION IN SCHOOL GOVERNANCE
Foundation Governors
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Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
CHRISTIAN PARTICIPATION IN SCHOOL GOVERNANCE
Foundation Governors
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Maintaining Ethos Protecting Christian
Distinctiveness
Training and supportneeds
Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
A CALLING TO A DISTINCTIVELY CHRISTIAN ROLE
Encouraging vocationDefining ‘distinctive Christian Character
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Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
“the school aims to serve its community by providing an education of the highest quality within the context of Christian belief and practice. It encourages an understanding of the meaning and significance of faith and promotes Christian values through the experience it offers to all its pupils”.
‘distinctive’ means ‘characteristic or ‘authentic’.
Tim Elbourne (2009)
Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
A CALLING TO A DISTINCTIVELY CHRISTIAN ROLE
Encouraging vocationDefining ‘distinctive Christian CharacterDefining the purpose of education
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Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
www.purposed.org.uk
Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
“Knowledge is power. The moral purpose that animates the work we all do”
16 June 2011
Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
A CALLING TO A DISTINCTIVELY CHRISTIAN ROLE
How does faith inform strategic decisions?
What in the Christian story results in distinctiveness?
Chairs and ‘servant leadership’
Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
THE TRAINING CHALLENGEMissionary Context
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School is a part of the ‘Churches mission to the
nation’ (Archbishops’ Council, 2001).
Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
THE TRAINING CHALLENGE
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“As guardians, their (Foundation governors) role must be enhanced; as well
as training and support improved by, amongst others, the Diocesan Boards of
Education.” Chadwick Report (2012)
Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
MAKING PROGRESS, PROVIDING SUPPORT
“A Church of England College of Higher Education might be expected to offer: In its continuing professional development courses, the college might be expected to provide for the needs of head teachers, teachers and governors of Church Schools.” The Way ahead (Archbishops’ Council, 2001)
Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
MAKING PROGRESS, PROVIDING SUPPORT
1. A review of governance in church schools and the compilation of good practice, especially focusing on Chairs of Governors and Foundation Governors
2. The establishment of a nationally agreed training package for Foundation Governors on their role as guardians of the Christian foundation;
Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
MAKING PROGRESS, PROVIDING SUPPORT
3. An online community developed specifically for Foundation Governors.
4. The development of a web presence to equip Christians who are school governors (possibly building on the existing www.transforming governing.org.uk website) .
Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
MAKING PROGRESS, PROVIDING SUPPORT
5. A resource for clergy in training, to enthuse and inspire them in their role and of their schools
6. A resource for churches (perhaps based on Grove Books Education series).
Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
MAKING PROGRESS, PROVIDING SUPPORT
The governors role in Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development
The effective Christian who is a governor in a non-Church School
Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
More overt recognition of the importance of school governance
Commitment to more fully resourcing the training, enrichment and facilitation of foundation governors in particular.
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Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
Canon Charles Smyth, Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, on 150th Anniversary of the Foundation of The National Society, 12.10.61
“it is the task of the Church in every century
to serve its generation according to the will of
God.”
Governance in the 21st Century: Faith informing professional engagement
GOMikeS
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