News update – February 2018

1Governors Online – Newsfeed

The governors Online Newsfeed is updated weekly with articles relevant to governors and clerks. This can be accessed by all governors and clerks on the following link:

2Updated Guidance Documents

The following guidance / documentshave been updated:

Updated Ofsted Inspection Handbook / Changes to inspection of schools from 30th October 2017
Scheme of Delegation amended to reflect correct procedural regulations / Information for when the current Scheme of Delegation requires updating.
Updated Headteacher Recruitment Guidance / Guidance for Governing Boards through the legal context and principles of recruitment.
Updated Safer Recruitment Policy / Updated model policy
Updated Managing Staff Absence Policy / Updated model policy
Schools Finance Update – Spring 2018 / Spring newsletter from Schools Finance

3Authority Governor Panel

The Panel for approving the nomination of Local Authority Governors was previously undertaken by the Governor Panel (a Panel of County Councillors). This task has now been delegated to the Director of Children’s Services and Senior Officers within the Standards and Learning Effectiveness Service. This means that any applications for nomination as an Authority Governor can be processed quickly without having to wait for the next panel meeting. The Application Process remains the same and we will still take up the appropriate references, meeting attendance and training history.

Details of how to apply to be an Authority Governor, including the application forms can be found on the East Sussex website here:

Existing governors and re-applicants should complete the re-applicant form, with new applicants completing the “New Application Form”.

Governing Boards will still need to approve the appointment of the governor to their GB once the panel has approved the applicant.

4Training Programme – Terms 3-6.

The governor training programme for terms 3 – 6 has been published. Details of all courses can be found here. This includes a new course on governor retention and succession planning:

Governor Succession Planning – Exploding the Myths! / Competency Framework for Governance
This training supports:
Section 1 Strategic Leadership
Section 3 People
Section 4 Structures
Section 6 Evaluation
Course Outline / Succession planning is the responsibility of all governors and includes recruiting for vacancies on the governing board. We will seek to explode the myths about leadership of the governing board (skills, professional etc.). This is a facilitated course that will enable good practice to be shared and offer the opportunity to discover practical ways to identifying leadership roles.
The course will explore the concept of all governors as leaders. The need for the governing board to have a governor development plan in place. We will examine leadership development – as an ongoing process, look at the introduction of governor appraisal.
Dates / 06.02.2018 / GOV604 / 18:00 - 20:00 / Wellshurst Golf Club
21.02.2018 / GOV605 / 18.00 - 20.00 / East Sussex Training and Development Centre, Eastbourne
Target audience:
  • All Governors
/ Cost:
£0 (SLA)
£75 (Pay as you use)

5Governor to Governor Network – GDPR

21st March 2018 – Wellshurst Golf Club 6pm – 8pm.

The first Governor to Governor network will focus on the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which brings in substantial changes to the rules around personal data and its use. Governors will be expected to ensure that their school is effectively compliant to the new regulations by 25 May 2018.

The Governing Board will need to have a manager/senior leader in place who understand the requirements of the GDPR and are well equipped to plan, implement and maintain a compliance programme and to have a trained data protection officer (DPO). Governors will be expected to monitor and be confident that your school is compliant with the new regulations.

Across East Sussex, Senior Leadership teams and governing boards are developing their own procedures and practices, their own audits of existing practice and developing monitoring templates and schedules. The first Governor to Governor network event will provide an opportunity to hear what governors across East Sussex are currently doing to prepare for the new regulations, to share emerging and existing good practice and to discuss and provide practical solutions together around the issues that all governors will experience with the new regulations.

Please encourage your governors to attend, especially if they are confident how this will be managed as their role in supporting other governors will be valued. Bookings can be made via the portal.

6Safer Recruitment Training

Governing boards of maintained schools must ensure that at least 1 person on any appointment panel has undertaken safer recruitment training. This doesn't have to be a governor, but best practice is that at least 1 governor should betrained in safer recruitment, especially for the recruitment of a new Headteacher.Governors can access Safer Recruitment training via the following link.

**Please note the course reference changes monthly**

  • SR007 – January 2018
  • SR008 – February 2018
  • SR009 – March 2018
  • SR010 – April 2018
  • SR011 – May 2018

7Managing Allegations Training – Chairs of Governors

The section 175 Safeguarding audit stipulated all Chairs of Governors should attend the above training. At present there are no events available, but we are working with the LADO to arrange more courses and will let Chairs and Clerks know when the dates are released.

8Reminders:

  • Is the schools membership to The Key for School Governors up to date? Is all of the information held under your'School Profile'current? Clerks can check who is registered, remove old governors and invite new governors to join my clicking on 'School profile' on their sign in screen.
  • Are you signed up for VSB alerts? Visit Czone to register
  • Ensure that you advise Governor Services of changes to your Chairs of Governors and Link Governors - Changes to be advised via Governors Online. Please also ensure all Governors, regardless of other positions, have ‘Governor’ as a position.
  • Have you got a password to webshop to access the model policies? Contact your School Business Manager to arrange this.

Local Experience - Local Knowledge - Local Support

News Update – Clerks Area Network Meeting (February 2018)

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