Working the Governors for School Improvement (Management Solutions) Book

"Managing Better with Governors" recognises all the difficulties heads experience when working with governors. This practical manual contains valuable information on how to: *Increase motivation *Raise expectations *Get the boundaries right *Recruit and retain good governors *Promote team-building *Effectively manage the work *Involve governors in school improvement The ability to work well with the school's governing body is now a crucial attribute of a successful head teacher. All too often tensions in the relationship are a contributory factor when schools and head teachers get into difficulties. "Managing Better with Governors" offers practical help in building a working partnership based on: *the will to make the relationship work *high expectations *clarity about roles and responsibilities *good teamwork *sound working practices *effective communication *a shared commitment to school improvement. CONTAINING PHOTOCOPIABLE RESOURCES FOR DAY-TO-DAY SUPPORT This practical manual recognises all the difficulties heads experience when working with governors.It provides you with effective strategies for genuine sharing of your school's thinking and planning to ensure efficient use of your limited time. The manual contains photocopiable resources which can be used within your school to provide day-to-day support, including: *discussion papers to share with governors and colleagues *models for working processes and documents *case studies to illuminate common situations. FEATURING A SET OF 10 SELF CONTAINED GOVERNORS' GUIDELINES Each guideline relates to a major theme as it arises in the text and has been simply and concisely presented to ensure governors are able to: *understand their roles and its limits *become familiar with the school at work *accept corporate responsibility *develop as a team *manage their work effectively *generally perform to the highest standards. The author, Joan Sallis is widely known and respected for her writing and lecturing on school governance issues and has regular columns in the Times Educational Supplement and Managing Schools Today. She has worked with head teachers and governors in over 100 LEAs and has most recently been made a Fellow of the University Institute of Education.In 1996 she was awarded an OBE for 'services to education'. CONTENTS INCLUDE: SECTION 1 - MOTIVATION: THE KEY TO THE SHED *Governors' role in history and public acceptance *Potential support for professional values *Head teachers perception of governors Governors Guide No. 1: How it all began SECTION 2 - EXPECTATIONS: THE DRIVING FORCE OF RELATIONSHIPS *The 'nuts and bolts' of high expectations *Governors' expectations of each other *Model programme for a conference Governors Guide No. 2: What governors should expect from each other SECTION 3 - ROLES: RESPECTING THE BOUNDARIES *Are the boundaries really obscure? *Can we still talk about governance and management? *Rogue governors *Helpful illustrations: who is captain of the ship? Governors Guide No. 3: The Education Act 1998 and how it affects schools and governors Governors Guide No. 4: Head teacher's job or ours? Governors Guide No. 5: Whose job is it? SECTION 4 - COMMON PROBLEMS AND HOW TO TACKLE THEM *The timeless reasons for school failure *The two mistakes governors make *Ready reckoner: is this your problem?S ECTION 5 - FINDING AND KEEPING EFFECTIVE GOVERNORS *How to recruit good governors *Particular categories - appointed governors, parents, teachers *Induction and retention *How to 'audit governors' skills and experience *Finding a successor: a model letter *A suggested induction procedure for new governors SECTION 6: GETTING TO KNOW YOU *Effective induction *Reading the child post *Visiting the school *The problem of time *Teachers who resist being visited *Governors of the month Governors Guide No. 6: Getting to know your school SECTION 7: BUILDING THE TEAM *Common purpose *Training and development *The rules *Responsibility for its work *The role of the chair SECTION 8: GETTING THE WORK DONE *Thinking with governors *How governors react *The head teacher's report *Sharing the brain storming *Committees, confidentiality and governors' papers Governors Guide No. 7: Are you a good team? Governors Guide No. 8: Was it a good meeting? Governors Guide No. 9: Team work SECTION 9: BETTER COMMUNICATION *Communicating with governors *Governors' communication with parents *Annual report and annual meeting Governors' Guide No.1 0: Getting the work done a summary for governors SECTION 10: GETTING BETTER *Involving governors in an improvement culture *Improvement as a continuous process *Strategic information *Governors and OFSTEDRead More