Basics for School Governors
by Joan Sallis
Second edition, brought up to date in Spring 2000, and fully
revised with additional information to cover new regulations.
Often referred to as 'required reading' for school governors since
its original publication, Joan Sallis' down-to-earth approach
ensures that it is the most relevant introduction to working
practices for new and recently appointed governors.
School governors are overwhelmed with instructions on what they
have to do. This book is different - it concentrates on helping
them to do it. It gives governors a survival kit based on a clearer
understanding of their role. This includes guidance on boundaries,
better management of sensitive relationships, and knowledge of
those rules and good practices which make for better
teamwork.
Joan Sallis is nationally known and respected for her writing and
lecturing on school government and her weekly advice column in the
TES. Above all, she is known for treating difficult issues with
humanity and humour in everyday language. She was awarded the OBE
for services to education in 1996.
In her role as the national president of the Campaign for State
Education and as a consultant working with and on behalf of school
governors for many years, Joan believes passionately that a better
partnership between schools and their users offers the only hope
for better funded and respected state education. She has been
a governor of her local comprehensive school for many years.
Price: £6.50
Obtainable from: Network Educational Press Ltd, PO Box 635,
Stafford, ST16 1BF
Heads in Partnership: Working with your Governors for a
Successful School
by Joan Sallis
A good school needs inspired leadership, but its success also
depends on clear shared aims, high expectations and good working
relationships among all the partners. Too often the
relationship between heads and governing bodies is tense and
unproductive, and becomes a source of stress. In contrast,
when that relationship is marked by trust and based on shared
values and sound working practices, it can liberate great reserves
of creativity and energy.
Heads in Partnership sets out to build sound foundations for that
relationship:
- the will to make it work;
- high expectations;
- clarity about roles and respect for boundaries;
- good teamwork;
- effective communication;
- and a shared commitment to school improvement.
It demonstrates in concrete terms how much direct
influence a head can have on the calibre of the governors
recruited, their motivation and their understanding of children's
learning, and how important a head can be in building the team and
enhancing the quality of its work. This is backed up by case
studies, checklists and models to help build harmonious and
productive relationships.
Equally relevant to both primary and secondary schools, this
practical book will be an indispensable source of support to head
teachers, aspiring head teachers, senior managers, governors and
education management students.
Joan Sallis has worked with over 100 LEAs and is an honorary Fellow
of the London University Institute of Education. She is
widely known and respected for her writing and lecturing on school
government issues and for her regular columns in the Times
Educational Supplement and Managing Schools Today.
The School Leadership & Management Series gives you the
information you need to survive in the management jungle.
This series links the best current educational leadership and
management ideas and translates them into accessible texts to
provide up-to-the-minute cguidance for school leaders and
managers.
Written by leading experts in the field, it brings high quality
ideas and solutions to give you a thorough grounding in every
pressing topic in school leadership and management today.
Price: £18.99
Obtainable from:
http://www.pearsoned.co.uk/Bookshop/subject.asp?item=35
Joined-up Governance: Making Sense of the Role of the School
Governor
by Jame Martin and Ann Holt
This is a practical book that will help all
governors become more effective while actually cutting down on what
they do.
School governors are confused and frustrated as much by not
understanding why they are being asked to do something as by not
knowing what to do.
Written by two of the country leading experts on governance,
Joined-up Governance blows away the fog by establishing the
underlying principles of the governors work and linking them to
their responsibilities. The result is to reveal a pattern
with a purpose which will help governors to focus on the essential
tasks and give them the confidence to do less of what other could
or should be doing.
New governors will find that this book gives them a clear and
complete picture of what they have to do and why. Experienced
governors will find it a map that makes sense of what they have
been doing and how they could do things even better. Trainers
will find it filled with ideas to enthuse all governors and help
them really make a difference in their schools.
Price: £9
Obtainable from:
Adamson Books
Akeman House
High Street
Stretham
Ely
Cambridgeshire
CB6 3JQ
Tel: 01353 649238
Fax: 01353 648184
E-mail:
info@adamsonbooks.com
Governance Matters
by Simon Bird
This guide provides an analysis of LEA support for
school governors, including many examples of good practice. It is
based on extensive original research, supplemented by Ofsted
data. The result is a unique insight into the current state
of support for school governance, and an invaluable source of ideas
for improvement.
Price: £15.00
Making it Better: Improving School Governance
@ Crown copyright 2001
Office for Standards in Education
Alexandra House
33 King sway
London
WC2B 6SE
Telephone: 0207421 6800
This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for
non-commercial educational
purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim
without adaptation and on condition that the source and date
thereof are stated.
This report may be downloaded from the OFSTED website
(www.ofsted.gov.uk)
An additional printed copy may be obtained from OFSTED Publications
Centre
Telephone: 07002 637833
Fax: 07002 693274
E-mail: freepublications@ofsted.gov.uk
Reference no. HMI 281
Roles of Governing Bodies and Head Teachers
INTRODUCTION
- New Regulations come into force on 1 September 2000 which set
out the "terms of reference" for governing bodies of all maintained
schools in England (the Education (School Goverment) (Terms of
Reference) (England) Regulations 2000). This guidance explains
content of the Regulations. It also invites governing bodies to
consider the division of responsibilities between them and their
head teachers and to review their procedures. The aim is to help
governing bodies and head teachers work together as effectively as
possible without duplication of effort. With one exception, the
Regulations do not give governing bodies new duties, but clarify
that their role is mainly strategic, and that they should act as a
"critical friend" to the head teacher. The Regulations replace
provisions in previous Articles of Government which were abolished
on 31 August 1999 following the reconstitution of governing
bodies.
- The one new element in the Regulations is the requirement
(Regulation 9) on the governing body to establish a written
performance management policy. All schools will get a model policy
and governors and heads will be trained so that this task should
not be too burdensome. There is also a requirement for a curriculum
policy (Regulation 8), but this is not imposing a new burden on
heads and governing bodies who have always had to determine and
organise their curriculum and ensure that it is followed within the
school.
- The full text of the Regulations can be found on the governors
website: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/governor/governor.htm. Governors
and heads may also refer to the Guide to the Law and the A-Z of
School Leadership and Management for further information. They may
also call the School Government Team on 0207 925 5791 and the
Governors' helplines: NGC on 01363 774377 or ISCG on 0207 2290200
or NAGM on 0800 241242 for advice.
Available for download from:
www.governornet.co.uk
Governing Bodies and Effective Schools
The role of governing bodies is to help schools provide the best
possible education for their pupils. This booklet aims to
help governing bodies carry out that role. It briefly
discusses:
- what makes an effective school;
- the role of the governing body in raising standards;
- monitoring the school's effectiveness;
- development planning;
- action planning;
- what makes an effective governing body.
Available from:
www.governornet.co.uk
Planning, Managing and Implementing Your Own School Building
Project
Please click on link below:
Planning, managing and implementing your own school building
project (Word 421kb)