An ideal book for new or prospective education advisers which focuses on why governance is needed, what forms of governance are necessary and how these are implemented in practice. As the third instalment of The Education Adviser series, it offers essential background reading for anyone involved in advising within the education system.
Divided into three sections, this book details the specifics of governance, illustrating the skills, knowledge, understanding and approaches required for governance advising. As a contributed volume, it presents a diverse range of perspectives from MAT leaders, headteachers, key influencers, and education advisers at local, regional, national and international levels. Each chapter concludes with the author's analysis of the impact and differences made, resulting in a thorough, insightful, and practical text. These case scenarios also encourage readers to reflect and consider integrating these approaches to their own practice.
Chapter contents include:
- the importance of quality advice for school governors;
- regulatory frameworks across the UK jurisdictions;
- the principles of good governance;
- governance and partnerships;
- the role of governance in transformative change within the school setting.
Readers will be fully equipped with an understanding of the role of governance in education advising and how this can enhance the educational outcomes of children, young people, and the overall effectiveness of educational settings.
About the AoEA and the editorial team
About the contributors
Overview
Introduction to the AoEA and the purpose of the book series 4
Les Walton, CBE
Introduction to Book 3: Advising on Governance – a repertoire of skills and 6
approaches
Dr Tony Birch
Part 1: Why governance is needed
1. Why governance matters and why quality advice to governance boards is important - Emma Balchin
2. Lessons learned from the Trojan Horse Inquiries in England: why vigilance in governance matters - Ian Kershaw
3. The purpose of governance: balancing values and compliance - Ian Potter
4. The evolution of governance in England’s schools: reflections on supporting improvement from 2010 to 2024 -Emma Knights
5. The importance of the middle tier in the English education system - Jonathan Crossley-Holland
Part 2: What governance is needed
6. What is governance: key elements and dimensions - Ian Lane and Dr Tony Birch
7. The ‘Policy Clock’: knowing the boundaries within which governors and leaders work - Les Walton, CBE
8. Is governance a role for civilians? A United States’ perspective - Regina H Paul
9. When governance can go typically wrong: helping to prevent this from happening - Martyn Beales
Part 3: How governance is applied
10. Clerk or governance professional? The impact of the role in relation to board effectiveness - Fiona Collier
11. Reporting to governance: effective and precise communication, whilst adhering to The Nolan Principles of Public Life - Dr Susan Mandala
12. Establishing a governor monitoring programme to account for progress in school improvement outcomes -Alister Moses
13. Establishing support for the chair of governors: lessons learned from an adviser’s experience - Joanna Pryce-Jones
14. Securing accountability and effective performance, whilst supporting wellbeing - Ed Dawson
15. Advising on the appointment of a new headteacher and supporting the subsequent working relationship - Eric Halton
16. The role of governance in ‘Transformational change’: a Northern Ireland case study
Conclusions
Reflections on Book 2, Advising on Governance
Dr Tony Birch, Ian Lane and Les Walton CBE
Biography
The vision of the AoEA is that every school, college and education provider has access to high-quality support, advice and challenge, which is independent and focused on improving outcomes for children, schools and their communities. They provide an accredited quality standard, offer continuous professional development, and have created a collaborative community for their members.
