Employer Engagement in FE: A research project from Runshaw College
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How well do you know your Board of Governors/Trustees?
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Date11th Jan 2021AuthorSally Lawson-RitchieCategoriesLeadership
Organisational failure is almost always deemed to be the result of poor governance. When things go wrong a Board is—quite rightly—put under intense scrutiny. However, conversely, high-performing boards are rarely given the credit they deserve. Indeed, the majority of people in an organisation will not be familiar with Governors’ names and responsibilities nor the skills and values that they bring.
In recent years the Government and commerce have increased oversight regarding board compliance, effectiveness, accountability and transparency. And, crucially, there is now an expectation for Boards to demonstrate that they actively encourage participation from under-represented groups to closer reflect the communities they serve.
It is worth remembering that these individuals are volunteers giving their time and experience to help improve outcomes for young people. They often have to juggle high-profile jobs and home life with the time commitment that is necessary for making an effective contribution to the Board. The Chair and Governors/Trustees will have been selected precisely because their experience matches the skill sets required for sixth form governance, and this is extended with additional responsibilities on sub committees. They are highly accountable taking the strategic decisions for the college Corporation or academy Trust and supporting the executive (who are delegated responsibility for operational delivery through the scheme of delegation).
Ideally everyone in any organisation should understand:
- Who has the power;
- Who takes the decisions;
- Who is accountable;
- How stakeholder voices can be heard.
Unfortunately, though, “the Board” is often a faceless group (to be either revered or treated with suspicion), with few people in the organisation having a clear understanding about how they function.
Does this sound familiar – how well does your sixth form college interact with governance?
This is generally down to lack of communication, time commitment and historically how Boards have tended to operate. For standalone sixth form colleges of course students and parents generally have a two year relationship with the college, which is shorter than at other education providers. However, given that this is arguably the most crucial stage in education, building the bridge into young adulthood and higher education, training and careers, effective governance and strategic decision making is vital. And never more so than in the uncertain world of COVID and with reductions in sixth form funding.
The senior executive are likely to report to the Board regularly and the CEO/Principal will sit on the Board and work closely with the Chair. All too often the relationship with the Board in an organisation stops there. The rest of the staff, support staff, students, and parents tend to be unfamiliar with the personalities on the Board (other than as a page on the website or a board of photographs in reception). Meanwhile, the importance of student voice and parental engagement is now recognised and measured by Ofsted. Capturing the views of young people is both vital and powerful. This is partly about communicating effectively and in the ways that young people themselves participate through social media. It is also essential that the Chair and executive team support Governors/Trustees in understanding the daily life of the college. This is NOT to be confused with becoming engaged in the operational day to day running of the college, but to help the Board to reflect the views of staff, students, parents, and the community. We have all become used to meetings and college life being by Zoom and remote learning, and this is how it will now be for the foreseeable future. On a positive note, this now provides the ideal opportunity to arrange a “meet the Board session” for your college with Q and A for different stakeholder groups. And I guarantee your students will ask the best questions and make the most salient points! Chairs should work with the clerk and executive to make this a regular occurrence and to “demystify” the workings of the Board.
At Peridot we take huge pride in the resource we put into searching for and identifying the best candidates, and it is a competitive selection process albeit for un-renumerated positions. Investing in recruiting a high calibre Board will provide you with governance professionals who are experts in finance, marketing, IT, human resources, safeguarding, and wellbeing. Most importantly for sixth form colleges Governors/Trustees should represent a wide variety of careers and employers. It is well worth putting in place opportunities for your college community to get to know who is taking decisions on their behalf. Remember, successful organisations are the result of good governance and everyone should feel part of that process.
Sally Lawson-Ritchie is Business Manager of Peridot's Education Practice.
SFCA's Clerks Conference, for professionals supporting college governors, will be held on the 20th of January; click here to book.