Governance Today Summer 2021

GOVERNOR AND TRUSTEE RECRUITMENT Many boards, quite understandably, put the recruitment of new governors or trustees on hold during lockdown. The number of vacancies on some boards is starting to become a concern, with fewer individuals remaining in post to share the responsibilities and workload. A vacancy on the board is a good opportunity to look at governance in general. Does your current composition work? Do you have sufficient people to deal with the workload, or does the board need to grow? Conversely there may be duplication between committees and the full governing board, or insufficient opportunity for individuals to contribute their skills, knowledge and expertise, meaning that they do not feel valued. Perhaps your board is too big, or the way that the board and committees or portfolios work needs to be reconsidered. Are the meeting times accessible to all, or does it make it difficult for people to attend, which may restrict the search for new recruits? Does your governing board reflect the diversity of your school and local community? Have you been carrying vacancies for some time, but the work is being appropriately and effectively dealt with? Perhaps rather than filling ‘paper’ vacancies you should consider the whether the size of the board needs to reduce (within statutory and constitutional limits). What do governors and trustees do? Many people may have a hazy view of what governors and trustees do. The first part of any recruitment process must be to give an accurate picture clearly explaining the role; what the expectations are; what the time commitment is anticipated to be and what skills the board is seeking to add to the mix. The Governance Handbook stresses the importance of ensuring that potential new governors and trustees understand what governance will involve and that they are willing to commit fully to the expectations of the role, including the Nolan Principles of Public Life. Not that your governing board ever would, but any suggestion of recruiting through the ‘you’ll be great - it’s only a couple of meetings’ route is strictly off the agenda! A good approach is to look at recruitment as an ongoing process, so that when a place comes up the board may already have people who are eager to become involved. Even if there are no vacancies on the governing board it is still possible to recruit associate members who can then readily fill any vacancies as and when they arise. Raise the profile and approachability of governance in your setting by ensuring that there is plenty of readily accessible information about the governors and trustees and how the governance structure works to support the school. Governance is about overseeing the success of the school. It is about agreeing priorities and monitoring progress towards them. It is not about running or managing the school or college; that is the job of paid professionals. Governance is about providing constructive support and challenge. Make sure you also remember to sell the role. Identify the personal and professional benefits of being a governor or trustee as well as outlining what you expect from the individual. Board self-evaluation What will your new governor or trustee see when they join the board - strategic governance and an equitable division of responsibilities; good and clear communication; open and honest meetings; committed and knowledgeable governors; meetings with a clear focus where everyone has the chance to contribute and which run to time? Your board may wish to use the ‘20 Key Questions for Governing Boards’ or ‘21 Key Questions for Multi Academy Trust Boards’ published by the All Party Parliamentary Group for Education Governance and Leadership to review their work. These documents are available on the National Governance Association (NGA) website. The Competency Framework for Governance from the Department of Education (DfE) also provides clear parameters for the skills, knowledge and attributes the corporate board needs to deliver strategic governance effectively. The Governance Handbook mentions interviewing possible candidates and seeking references, certainly if the candidate is already a governor or trustee in another setting. ‘Anyone appointing governors to the governing board must appoint someone they believe has the skills to contribute to effective governance and the success of the school. Their decisions should be informed by interviews and references’. Your skills audit becomes essential to the recruitment process so you can have a real understanding of what your governing board needs. Some existing governors or trustees may be reluctant to complete a skills audit, feeling that they are being asked to apply for their own job, or somehow prove their worthiness for a role they have been successfully carrying out. Perhaps the word ‘skills’ needs unpicking, to make clear that it does not pertain solely to ‘professional’ skills such as finance and law, but encompasses a host of knowledge, experience and personal attributes which effective governors and trustees can bring to the table. The challenges facing different schools and settings will vary widely; therefore the range of skills needed by the board will also be different. In addition to using a recent skills audit to identify potential gaps the board also needs to consider any specific challenges or changes which might be on the horizon. Is the school on the cusp of change - growth, ethos, structure or status? Is the chair likely to move on in the next 1 - 2 years and if so do you have a succession plan in place, or are you seeking chairing skills from your new recruit? A vacancy on the board is a good opportunity to look at governance in general “ 14 Governance Today