Agenda item

Consideration was given to the report presented by the Co-ordinator of Governor Services (School Effectiveness Service, Schools and Lifelong Learning, Children and Young People’s Services) that outlined the Department for Education’s Consultation relating to changes proposed to maintained schools’ governing bodies (including groups of federated maintained schools).  The consultation opened on 13^th January, 2014, and was due to end on 14^th March, 2014. 

Within schools, the profile of Governors was high and rising, in particular relating to increasing attainment levels.  Governance now formed a key aspect of Ofsted inspections. 

The proposed changes to the Regulations were: -

·           All School Governing Bodies must reconstitute in accordance with the September, 2012 Regulations before September, 2014;

·           New appointments to Governing Bodies could be selected on the basis that they had the skills required to contribute to the effective governance and success of the school;

·           Following reconstitution of the Governing Body, any ‘surplus’ Governors should be removed based on the skills required rather than the current ‘juniority’ principle. 

The proposed changes to the Statutory Guidance were: -

·           Governing bodies should be no bigger than they needed to be to have all of the necessary skills to carry out their functions effectively;

·           Governing bodies should undertake regular skills audits and use the process of filing vacancies (as well as a commitment to continuous professional development) to fill any skills gaps;

·           Eligibility criteria for elected Governors was to remain unchanged.  However, Governing Bodies were to have greater flexibility to identify specific skills or experiences that would be desirable in a new Governor.  Relevant groups would still be able to vote for the candidate(s) of their choice. 

The Co-ordinator of Governor Services explained the likely implications for Rotherham based on the proposals being consulted upon.  These included the probable reduction in numbers of Local Authority Governor positions.  Other factors included the number of academy schools which contributed to a lowering of Local Authority Governor positions.  In Rotherham the process of appointing to Local Authority Governor positions followed two separate systems, the 2007 Constitution Regulations and the 2012 Constitution Regulations.  These needed to be brought into line and unified.  This would form the subject of a future report to the Cabinet Member. 

It was noted that the Local Authority’s response had been discussed with the Chair of the Improving Lives Select Commission. 

Discussion ensued on the training available to Local Authority Governors in Rotherham.  The Cabinet Member asked that consideration be given to providing training for prospective local authority governors in order that they could increase their knowledge and understanding of the role. 

The Cabinet Member endorsed Rotherham’s response to the consultation as it was in-line with the recommendations of the Improving Lives Select Commission’s scrutiny review into School Governing Bodies and built on the Review’s constructive conclusion.

Resolved: - (1)  That the response, as discussed, to the content of the Department for Education’s consultation on the constitution of Local Authority maintained governing bodies be approved and it be fed back to the Department for Education before the end of the consultation period.

(2)  That a further report be submitted to the Cabinet Member to outline the implications on the procedure for appointing Local Authority Governors.