Regional Governance Newsletter Spring Issue 2017
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Regional Governance Newsletter Spring Issue 2017 elcome to the AoC West Midlands Governance WNewsletter for the spring term. This issue includes information about events we have run in the region, and up and coming activity for those involved in governance. We’ve also included articles and information about resources and best practice. In this edition: • A round up of national and regional governance news and forthcoming events • Top twelve tips on lesson observation for governors • A letter from your new AoC WM Governors’ Council representative, John Bolt • Links to resources National and regional governance news National Activity webinars aligned to the ICSA Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Corporate Governance, all of which will be underpinned by online support. National Leaders of Governance – limited funding remains for We will be contacting all FE clerks before the end of March with further colleges details and a self assessment questionnaire to identify their needs and to help shape the programme content. Limited funding remains for colleges to access support from the current National Leaders of Governance (NLG) programme. Regional Activity Consultancy support is available for chairs of governors, governance professionals and boards of governors on a range of subjects including We have continued to deliver our regular regional programme of Saturday area review implementation and Ofsted preparation. workshops and weekday networks, together with additional project activity supported by ETF. There is no charge to colleges as the programme is funded by The Education and Training Foundation (ETF). Introduction to College Funding and Financial Accountability Colleges that have received support in previous years are able to apply Steve Sawbridge, AoC WM Regional Director, and Peter Merry Finance again in this new round of funding. Director at Walsall College, led this session, which covered: Details of the programme and the application form can be accessed on the • The economic and financial context in which colleges are operating AoC website. • How colleges receive funding and the parameters which affect this • Monitoring and assuring financial performance and health Please submit applications to [email protected]; all assignments • The impact of Area Based Reviews on future funding and financial need to be confirmed and in progress by 31 March 2017. stability Clerks’ CPD opportunity There was plenty of discussion about current issues affecting governors, and sharing of experience between the governor delegates. We are pleased to announce that we have secured funding from the ETF to deliver a professional development programme for clerks. Introduction to further education and Governance conference This transformational programme will include face to face induction This was an induction session, supported by ETF, for new governors with training for new clerks, a national professional development summit and presentations and input from college senior managers and people from 2 the key agencies including Ian Smith, Ofsted; Karen Riley, SFA; Nicola Quality and Inspection Bennison from Eversheds provided a legal perspective; and Tracy Cottee from Shrewsbury Colleges Group shared a lively presentation on role of Led by Ian Smith, Ofsted Regional Senior HMI, this popular workshop the clerks. Peter Merry Finance Director from Walsall College also gave an looked at how governors can improve their oversight of teaching, learning update on FE funding. We’ve had very positive feedback from delegates and assessment. This session was interactive with case study examples and speakers, and it was an interesting opportunity for the speakers to provided, that generated lots of questions and discussion. work together and give a wider joined-up context to the FE landscape. Please see our top twelve tips on lesson observations for governors that Following on from a pilot project in 2015/2016, we have developed our were shared by Ian and discussed in the session. Chairs’ Learning and Support Network facilitated by Brenda Sheils (NLG) and meetings are underway. Papers from our events can be downloaded from our website. The objective of the sessions is to provide chairs with a place to explore Upcoming programmed activity and discuss current issues, share best practice and advice, and to develop relationships with others in a similar role. Audit, Risk and Financial Regulation workshop with Grant Thornton on Saturday 11 March at Queen Alexandra College Planning for the next steps of this activity are underway, and if you are a chair or an aspiring chair interested in taking part please contact Sara King. Devolution and localism – what it means for further education and skills on Thursday 23 March at Solihull College and University Centre. A board assurance project is now underway with several regional This conference, supported by ETF, is for those in governance roles at colleges involved in a facilitated benchmarking exercise, using RSM’s board colleges and other education and training providers. assurance toolkit to identify best practice and share ideas. The Legal Framework for Governance on Saturday 29 April at The final project in our programme has seen us working with the six adult Birmingham Metropolitan College: Matthew Boulton Campus education service members of the West Midlands Adult and Community Learning Alliance (ACLA) to help them implement stronger governance Managing Performance workshop on Saturday 20 May at Walsall arrangements in their own services. College: The Hub The project is a response to the ETF’s desire to see us spread the work Governors’ Network on Wednesday 14 June at Warwickshire College we’ve done on governance with colleges to other provider groups in the Group: Rugby College sector. The project comprises a series of workshops complemented by individual support of an NLG. Clerks’ Network on Wednesday 12 July at Walsall College 3 Top 12 tips for lesson observations - Governors’ learning walks But what are they telling you? Coming to a view on the quality of teaching, learning and assessment at college can often be a daunting prospect for governors who don’t have a professional background in education. To help, many colleges now include facilitated ‘learning walks’ or similar activity in their governor support programmes. But what should you be looking out for in order to come to an informed view? At our recent Saturday morning seminar, Ian Smith, Ofsted Senior HMI for the West Midlands, provided a very helpful and straightforward set of pointers which will assist you in forming an initial view of teaching and learning quality. This can then be used to support further discussion with senior managers and other Board colleagues. 1. How ready to learn do students appear to be? 2. Do students appear to be engaged and enjoying their learning? 3. What are behaviours and attitudes like? 4. Do students have the materials and resources they need for the lesson? 5. What are the teacher/trainer’s expectations of the students and how are these being communicated? 6. What impact is the teaching having on the students? 7. Is there a support assistant in the class – what is he/she doing? 8. How are students involved in the lesson? 9. What contributions are they making? 10. How does the teacher/trainer check to see if students understand what it is they are being taught to do? 11. As you walk around the college are the college’s ethos and values evident in what you see? 12. Does what you see appear to match what senior managers are telling you about teaching, learning and assessment? 4 John Bolt is the newly elected regional representative on AoC’s Governors’ Council Here John explains his role and outlines some of his own background in the further education sector. I have been chair at Solihull College and I was surprised to be contacted to become University Centre since last July following a member of the AoC Governors’ Council to the sad passing of our previous chair, Lena represent the West Midlands and take over from Stockford. She was a well-known figure both Graham Briscoe who had served us well for the nationally and in the region, and I am somewhat past six years. daunted in trying to fill her shoes. I attended my first meeting in early January and I have recently been invited to become a the minutes have been circulated, although they member of the AoC’s Governors’ Council for a are cautious in tone due to the Chatham House three-year term starting in January this year. nature of much of the meeting. About myself; I have worked for more than However, it was agreed that agendas would be 40 years in and around further education. I circulated to colleges two weeks prior to each taught in two West Midlands colleges, and was a meeting, naming the external speaker who will member of the executive team of another. be attending. I spent eight years in several iterations of the College governors are then invited to submit funding bodies (FEFC, LSC and SFA) where I was questions that they might wish the speaker to the technical lead for the funding formula – a be asked. I’d welcome you to take up this offer. challenging role trying to match government The meetings take place every two months. aspirations with college needs, when there always seemed to be severe budget pressures I hope I can usefully represent the region at on the sector. these meetings and look forward to meeting some of you in due course. John Bolt | Newly appointed member for I spent two years as an external governor at the West Midlands on the AoC Governors’ Warwickshire College and have been a full John Bolt Council, and Chair of Governors at Solihull governor at Solihull for the past four years. College and University Centre. During that time, amongst other things at Chair of Governors, Solihull College and Solihull, we have had two Ofsted inspections, University Centre one good and the other less so.