Regional Governance Newsletter

W elcome to the AoC West Midlands Governance Newsletter for the spring term.

This issue includes information about events we have run in the region, and up and coming activity for those involved in governance.

We’ve also included articles and information about resources and best practice.

In this edition:

• A round up of national and regional governance news and forthcoming events

• Top twelve tips on lesson observation for governors

• A letter from your new AoC WM Governors’ Council representative, John Bolt

• Links to resources

Spring Issue 2017

2

National and regional governance news

National Leaders of Governance – limited funding remains for colleges

Limited funding remains for colleges to access support from the current National Leaders of Governance (NLG) programme.

Consultancy support is available for chairs of governors, governance professionals and boards of governors on a range of subjects including area review implementation and Ofsted preparation.

There is no charge to colleges as the programme is funded by The Education and Training Foundation (ETF).

Colleges that have received support in previous years are able to apply again in this new round of funding.

Details of the programme and the application form can be accessed on the AoC website.

Please submit applications to Rhiannon_Evans@aoc.co.uk; all assignments needtobeconfirmedandinprogressby31March2017.

Clerks’ CPD opportunity

We are pleased to announce that we have secured funding from the ETF to deliver a professional development programme for clerks.

This transformational programme will include face to face induction training for new clerks, a national professional development summit and

National Activity webinarsalignedtotheICSALevel6AdvancedCertificateinCorporateGovernance, all of which will be underpinned by online support.

We will be contacting all FE clerks before the end of March with further details and a self assessment questionnaire to identify their needs and to help shape the programme content.

Regional Activity

We have continued to deliver our regular regional programme of Saturday workshops and weekday networks, together with additional project activity supported by ETF.

Introduction to College Funding and Financial Accountability

Steve Sawbridge, AoC WM Regional Director, and Peter Merry Finance Director at Walsall College, led this session, which covered: • Theeconomicandfinancialcontextinwhichcollegesareoperating• Howcollegesreceivefundingandtheparameterswhichaffectthis• Monitoringandassuringfinancialperformanceandhealth• TheimpactofAreaBasedReviewsonfuturefundingandfinancial

stability

Therewasplentyofdiscussionaboutcurrentissuesaffectinggovernors,andsharingofexperiencebetweenthegovernordelegates.

Introduction to further education and Governance conference

This was an induction session, supported by ETF, for new governors with presentations and input from college senior managers and people from

3

the key agencies including Ian Smith, Ofsted; Karen Riley, SFA; Nicola Bennison from Eversheds provided a legal perspective; and Tracy Cottee from Shrewsbury Colleges Group shared a lively presentation on role of the clerks. Peter Merry Finance Director from Walsall College also gave an update on FE funding. We’ve had very positive feedback from delegates and speakers, and it was an interesting opportunity for the speakers to worktogetherandgiveawiderjoined-upcontexttotheFElandscape.

Following on from a pilot project in 2015/2016, we have developed our Chairs’ Learning and Support Network facilitated by Brenda Sheils (NLG) and meetings are underway.

Theobjectiveofthesessionsistoprovidechairswithaplacetoexploreand discuss current issues, share best practice and advice, and to develop relationships with others in a similar role.

Planningforthenextstepsofthisactivityareunderway,andifyouareachair or an aspiring chair interested in taking part please contact Sara King.

A board assurance project is now underway with several regional collegesinvolvedinafacilitatedbenchmarkingexercise,usingRSM’sboardassurance toolkit to identify best practice and share ideas.

Thefinalprojectinourprogrammehasseenusworkingwiththesixadulteducation service members of the West Midlands Adult and Community Learning Alliance (ACLA) to help them implement stronger governance arrangements in their own services.

The project is a response to the ETF’s desire to see us spread the work we’ve done on governance with colleges to other provider groups in the sector. The project comprises a series of workshops complemented by individual support of an NLG.

Quality and Inspection

Led by Ian Smith, Ofsted Regional Senior HMI, this popular workshop looked at how governors can improve their oversight of teaching, learning andassessment.Thissessionwasinteractivewithcasestudyexamplesprovided, that generated lots of questions and discussion.

Please see our top twelve tips on lesson observations for governors that were shared by Ian and discussed in the session.

Papers from our events can be downloaded from our website.

Upcoming programmed activity

Audit, Risk and Financial Regulation workshop with Grant Thornton onSaturday11MarchatQueenAlexandraCollege

Devolution and localism – what it means for further education and skillsonThursday23MarchatSolihullCollegeandUniversityCentre.This conference, supported by ETF, is for those in governance roles at colleges and other education and training providers.

The Legal Framework for Governance on Saturday 29 April at Birmingham Metropolitan College: Matthew Boulton Campus

Managing Performance workshop on Saturday 20 May at Walsall College: The Hub

Governors’ Network on Wednesday 14 June at Warwickshire College Group: Rugby College

Clerks’ Network on Wednesday 12 July at Walsall College

4

Top 12 tips for lesson observations - Governors’ learning walks

Coming to a view on the quality of teaching, learning and assessment at college can often be a daunting prospect for governors who don’t have a professional background in education. To help, many colleges now include facilitated ‘learning walks’ or similar activity in their governor support programmes. But what should you be looking out for in order to come to an informed view?

At our recent Saturday morning seminar, Ian Smith, Ofsted Senior HMI for the West Midlands, provided a very helpful and straightforward set of pointers which will assist you in forming an initial view of teaching and learning quality. This can then be used to support further discussion with senior managers and other Board colleagues.

1. How ready to learn do students appear to be?

2. Do students appear to be engaged and enjoying their learning?

3. What are behaviours and attitudes like?

4. Do students have the materials and resources they need for the lesson?

5. What are the teacher/trainer’s expectations of the students and how are these being communicated?

6. What impact is the teaching having on the students?

7. Is there a support assistant in the class – what is he/she doing?

8. How are students involved in the lesson?

9. What contributions are they making?

10. How does the teacher/trainer check to see if students understand what it is they are being taught to do?

11. As you walk around the college are the college’s ethos and values evident in what you see?

12. Does what you see appear to match what senior managers are telling you about teaching, learning and assessment?

But what are they telling you?

5

John Bolt is the newly elected regional representative on AoC’s Governors’ Council

I have been chair at Solihull College and UniversityCentresincelastJulyfollowingthe sad passing of our previous chair, Lena Stockford.Shewasawell-knownfigurebothnationally and in the region, and I am somewhat dauntedintryingtofillhershoes.

I have recently been invited to become a member of the AoC’s Governors’ Council for a three-year term starting in January this year.

About myself; I have worked for more than 40 years in and around further education. I taught in two West Midlands colleges, and was a memberoftheexecutiveteamofanother.

I spent eight years in several iterations of the funding bodies (FEFC, LSC and SFA) where I was the technical lead for the funding formula – a challenging role trying to match government aspirations with college needs, when there always seemed to be severe budget pressures on the sector.

IspenttwoyearsasanexternalgovernoratWarwickshire College and have been a full governor at Solihull for the past four years. During that time, amongst other things at Solihull, we have had two Ofsted inspections, one good and the other less so.

John Bolt | Newly appointed member for the West Midlands on the AoC Governors’ Council, and Chair of Governors at Solihull College and University Centre.

I was surprised to be contacted to become a member of the AoC Governors’ Council to represent the West Midlands and take over from Graham Briscoe who had served us well for the pastsixyears.

IattendedmyfirstmeetinginearlyJanuaryandthe minutes have been circulated, although they are cautious in tone due to the Chatham House nature of much of the meeting.

However, it was agreed that agendas would be circulated to colleges two weeks prior to each meeting,namingtheexternalspeakerwhowillbe attending.

College governors are then invited to submit questions that they might wish the speaker to beasked.I’dwelcomeyoutotakeupthisoffer.The meetings take place every two months.

I hope I can usefully represent the region at these meetings and look forward to meeting some of you in due course.

John Bolt

Chair of Governors, Solihull College and University Centre

John.Bolt@solihull.ac.uk

Here John explains his role and outlines some of his own background in the further education sector.

Useful resources

There is a number of resources and material updated regularly on the Governance section of the AoC website which will

be of value to both clerks and governors.

Contact us

For any questions, comments or suggestions relating to the programme, please contact AoC West Midlands Projects Manager, Sara King.

Additionally, please also send Sara any suggestions for content or articles you wish to be included in future editions.

Association of Colleges West MidlandsWolverhampton Science ParkGlaisher DriveWolverhamptonWV109RU

01902824399

www.aoc.co.uk/wmFollow us on Twitter

Follow our blog for AoC college member success stories across the West Midlands

© Association of Colleges