Governor Training Programme - Summer Term 2022

Across the region it has been agreed via ERW that where pre-bookings of courses is below 8 in number then the session will be cancelled. It is therefore, more important than ever to pre-book your place in advance. A request is also made that where you find yourself unable to attend a training event after booking would you please notify us of your cancellation.

Don’t forget that working in partnership across the ERW region means that you are able to book and attend a number of training sessions in other locations that might be more suitable to you. Attendance at a training event with another local authority will still count towards your training record back at your home authority/school. ERW local authority partners are: Neath Port Talbot, Swansea, Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Powys and Ceredigion. A list of all the available training sessions across the region is available on the ERW website.

Check when booking that the particular course is open to all governors and not LA specific such as some HR training. Governors are politely asked that should you need to cancel your booking please do so using the usual email address, as some courses have an upper attendance limit and could become oversubscribed. By notifying us of your need to cancel your place can then be offered to someone else. Details of how to cancel are the same as those for booking a course.

How to make a booking

All online training sessions now have a link to book your place via Eventbrite. Just click on the link on the page, or copy the link and paste it in to your internet browser and it will take you to the booking form for that training session. Registration will remain open until the session begins; however, in order to allow trainers time to set up each session, please book your place in good time before the session takes place. Once registered, you will be sent an email invite to the Teams training/ face to face training - please ensure that the email address you provide when registering is correct, as this is the address that the Teams invite will be sent to.

For courses provided by the City & County of Swansea, please email: schoolgovernorunit@swansea.gov.uk
OR
telephone 01792 636550.

Please remember when signing the attendance sheet at a Swansea run event to clearly state you are a Neath Port Talbot Governor to ensure the information is passed across and your training record updated.

Feedback

All training evaluation forms are read and individual course content and relevance is reviewed based upon the comments provided so please take the time at the end of the training session to complete the form. As always these comments are always welcome and taken fully on-board.

This last academic year, 2020 – 2021, saw an the highest number of governors attending training sessions – all via TEAMS. I hope that this trend continues now that we are returning, albeit gently, to face to face training sessions.

Clerks To The Governing Body – Training For New Clerks (repeat event)

The clerk to a governing body has a vital role to play in the running of a school as through his/her organisational skills a clerk can help governors have a meaningful input into the school’s improvement.

Since the implementation of mandatory training for clerks in September, 2013, all clerks are required to have both attended and understood the training session to a sufficient standard within a one year period of the legislation being introduced or appointed as a new clerk. This session considers the make-up of governing bodies and their powers, and the statutory duties of the clerk. To ensure compliance with the mandatory requirements and assess that clerks have achieved the required level of competency from the training, there will be a short assessment the end of the session in the form of an individual written quiz or Q&A session.

Target audience: All clerks but especially new clerks who have yet to complete their mandatory training

Course provider: Mrs. Kathryn Gilbert, Principal Schools Governance Officer

Governor Induction - Mandatory Training (repeat event)

If you are a newly elected or appointed governor, it is a mandatory requirement of Welsh Government that you attend for induction training within one year of your appointment or election. Failure to attend within this time limit will mean an automatic suspension as a governor.

Induction training for governors is vital to understand the role and the parameters of responsibilities that come with the position. The induction training will help ensure that as a new governor you have the necessary knowledge and understanding to fulfil the role effectively to support the school in raising standards. The session will develop your confidence to enable you to take a full and active part in the role of the governing body. The training will reflect the legislative framework for school governance in Wales and will focus on what should be expected from governors in meeting their legal requirements. It will also explain a governor’s strategic role and how this supports and challenges the work of the school and the senior leadership team; your role in setting policies and targets and how these should be monitored and evaluated and how and to whom governors are accountable.

Target audience: All newly elected or appointed governors who have not previously attended this mandatory course.

Courser provider: Neath Port Talbot: Mrs. Kathryn Gilbert, Principal School Governance Officer

Safeguarding & Child Protection: A General Overview (Repeat event)

The role of protecting and safeguarding children belongs to everyone who comes into contact with children and young people. The Education Act 2002 places specific child protection duties on schools and requires them to: ‘Make arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children’.

All schools have identified a governor who is linked to child protection. Safeguarding training sessions are aimed to meet the requirements of providing bi-annual training to all governors. Governors need only attend one session, but may wish to undertake a refresher session after two years.

This session will consider what are the requirements of the governing body, how can they be fulfilled and what are child protection procedures?

Target audience: All governors who have not attended safeguarding training within the past two years.

Course provider: Mrs. Sam Jones, Safeguarding Officer

Mandatory Training For New Chairs Of Governors (repeat event)

Since the implementation of mandatory training by the Welsh Government, all Chairs are required to attend this training session within six months of being elected to the role. Governors who have already attended since first being elected as Chair are not required to attend again.

The session focuses on leadership and maintaining effective relationships with key partners such as the headteacher, clerk to governing body and the local authority. It will also equip Chairs of governors with the necessary skills to run an efficient and effective governing body and to work with, and provide challenge to, headteachers to raise standards.

Aspiring Chairs of governors or vice-Chairs of governors are able to complete the mandatory Chair training if they wish. If you become a Chair within two years of attending the training you will not be required to attend again.

Target audience: Newly elected and aspiring Chair of Governors.

Course provider: Neath Port Talbot: Mrs. Kathryn Gilbert, Principal Schools Governance Officer, School and Family Support Team

School Development Plan (repeat event)

From 1^st September, 2015 it became a legal requirement for all schools to have in place and publish a School Development Plan.

The School Development Plan is the school’s strategic plan for improvement. It sets out the actions a school will take to improve learner outcomes. A School Development Plan will be informed by the regular self-evaluation a school undertakes of its own performance and contextual data, and will contain the school’s improvement priorities together with the short and longer-term targets.

Estyn inspectors will use the School Development Plan, school’s self-evaluation report and other information to identify and formulate lines of enquiry during an inspection. This essential information will assist the inspection team to choose evidence to sample in order to verify the accuracy of the school’s judgements.

This session will outline to governors what the main aspects of a School Development Plan are, what areas should be included and the timescale involved.

Target audience: All governors

Course provider: Mike Daley & Andrew Herbert - Education support Officers

Understanding Data - Mandatory Training (repeat event)

This training session is mandatory by Welsh Government and requires all governors to attend within one year of appointment or election. Failure to attend within this time limit will mean an automatic suspension as a governor.

This session will help develop your understanding of the data which is now routinely provided to schools and how to use the data to improve school performance. Being able to analyse school performance data and drill down to the core information will enable governors to make comparisons and benchmark how your school is performing compared with other schools in similar circumstances.

Learning about school data and understanding what it means for your school and what needs to be done to raise standards should give you the confidence to ask challenging questions of the headteacher and school leadership team in order to improve performance and pupil attainment.

One of the sessions will specifically be tailored towards secondary school data; however, governors are welcome to attend any of the listed events.

Target audience: All governors not previously attended this mandatory session.

Course provider: Neath Port Talbot Education Support Officers

Managing Complaints (repeat event)

All schools have a statutory duty to have a complaints procedure in place which must be published and available to parents, pupils, staff and governors. The vast majority of concerns and complaints are dealt with by schools immediately, satisfactorily, and through informal discussions by the class/subject teacher or a more senior member of staff of the school. However, there are occasions where complaints are escalated or are required to be dealt with in a more formal manner.

This session will look at the roles and responsibilities of both the headteacher and governing body when handling both 'informal' and 'formal' complaints from parents and other members of the community. The session will also look at effective practice in the various stages of the procedure to ensure that complaints are handled appropriately in order that they are resolved satisfactorily.

Target audience: Chair of Governors and members of the Complaints Committee.

Course provider: Neath Port Talbot: Mrs. Kathryn Gilbert, Principal Schools Governance Officer.

Chair & Vice-Chair Of Governors Termly Meeting With The Education Senior Management Team

On a termly basis, the senior management team of the education directorate meet with chairs and vice-chairs to discuss and share national and local educational issues. In addition, at each meeting an opportunity is used to provide a bespoke short training and information session on a particular and relevant topic.

These meetings are an important vehicle of communication between the authority and governing bodies and are generally well attended.

Target Audience: All NPT Chairs and Vice of Governors

Course Provider: Education Senior Management Team

The New Curriculum/The New Curriculum For Wales (repeat event)

In February 2015 Welsh Government published the findings of Professor Graham Donaldson. His report, ‘Successful futures’ is a comprehensive, independent review of the curriculum and assessment arrangements in Wales.

His report also identifies the shortcomings of the current curriculum arrangements, which essentially remain as devised in 1988, a world before the World Wide Web and the advances in technology and globalisation that affect the way we live and work today. His report argues that the curriculum has become overloaded, complicated and, in parts, outdated.

The report identifies 4 purposes for the curriculum. It recommends that the entirety of the school curriculum should be designed to help all children and young people to become:

• ambitious, capable learners, ready to learn throughout their lives
• enterprising, creative contributors, ready to play a full part in life and work
• ethical, informed citizens of Wales and the world , ready to be citizens of Wales and the world
• healthy, confident individuals, ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society.

Professor Donaldson’s recommendations mark a radical departure from the curriculum of the last century.

The course will explain in more detail the four purposes and the areas of learning and experience as well as what the implications are likely to be for schools in NPT.

Target Audience: All governors.

Course Provider: Education Support Officers

An Introduction To Online Safety (repeat Event)

Following the publication of the Digital Competence Framework (DCF); schools have been provided with Welsh Government approved eSafety teaching materials. There has been a regional recommendation to begin implementation of the DCF by evaluating current provision and addressing any shortcomings in schools’ eSafety curricula.

In addition to the eSafety curriculum resources and family tip sheets, all schools within NPT have been advised to engage with the eSafety self-assessment toolkit ‘360 degree safe’. This toolkit allows schools to benchmark current provision and identify areas for celebration and development. Governors are responsible for the approval of schools’ online safety policies and for reviewing effectiveness.

This session will provide governors with information to help understand roles and responsibilities and how to access relevant resources.

Target Audience: All governors

Course Provider: Mr. Darren Long – Teacher Development Officer, EDIS