Does your school have a dedicated link governor for more able learners? If so, are you using this role to full effect? If not, how could you benefit from and effectively develop this role?
In this blog post, NACE Associate Jon Murphy – a former teacher governor representative, headteacher governor (ex officio), clerk to governing bodies for seven years, and currently chair of a primary school governing body – explains the benefits of the more able link governor role and shares advice for effective implementation.
Great school governing bodies are not at arms-length; they are hands-on. School leadership is done with them, not to them. Strong governing bodies are acutely aware of the differentiation between their leadership role, the day-to-day management responsibilities of the headteacher, and the fine dividing line that enables them to work in harmony.
Prior to March 2020, visitor registers reflect the considerable amount of time governors spent in school, often in their link governor role. Blank pages for last year’s entries are testament to the impact of national lockdown measures on the many people who enhance and enrich life of a school.
Media platforms such as Teams and Zoom have thrown us a lifeline, boosting our mental wellbeing by keeping family, friends and the wider world in touch. For school governing bodies, these platforms provide a virtual route into school, enabling them to carry out their core school leadership function. However, even though we have been grateful for the contact video conferencing has given us, not being able to physically visit schools has narrowed the full contributions school governors are able to give. One of the key roles that has suffered most has been that of the link governor, the nature of which is hands-on and school-based.
However, the much talked-about tunnel light is now shining brighter and growing larger. Soon, under careful risk assessment management, governors will again be signing the visitor register and crossing classroom thresholds.
Earlier this term the DfE published an
updated guide to external reviews of school governing bodies in England. It cites reasons for a review, including to help the governing body be more skilled, focused and effective; to be confident that it has a clear delineation of roles and responsibilities; to have the right number of skilled and committed governors to meet the needs of the school or academy; and to hold school leaders to account for improving outcomes for all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged.
As schools re-open to all learners, it seems timely to refresh our memories of the key purpose of link governors and how they contribute to continuous school improvement and the raising of standards.
Appointing a more able link governor: what, why and how to get started
The primary role of the more able link governor is to provide a conduit between the governing body and the school, to collaboratively monitor how strategy translates into practice, and ultimately the impact policy has on the raising of standards for more able learners.
It is not a mandatory requirement for a school governing body to appoint one of its members to the position of more able link. However, most appreciate the value and benefit for more able learners that this more operational governor role brings to the school.
School governing bodies are most effective when they undertake an interests and skills audit to enable them to best deploy their members to specific roles. Interests and skillsets of individual governing body members should be carefully considered when allocating them to a specific link role. Aligning the skills of an individual to the area they are supporting will directly impact on the success and effectiveness of that person in the role of link governor.
Guidance for more able link governors: how to be effective in the role
Seek out opportunities for continuing professional development
More able strategy and operation in school is diverse. Understanding the extent of its reach and the depth of its provision can prove a challenge to the non-initiated or non-educationalist. In undertaking preparation for this role, it is advisable that appropriate professional development is undertaken. Many governor services offer excellent CPD on curriculum provision and specific areas such as more able and ALN/SEND, often facilitated by school-based staff.
In best practice, the school’s more able lead will make presentations at governing body meetings on provision the school makes for more able learners. These presentations are an excellent first-hand source of expertise, information and experience. To be fully effective the link governor should grasp professional development opportunities which will enable them to keep abreast of local and national developments (particularly significant in Wales at present, with the pace of reform and the inception of the new Curriculum for Wales).
Develop your knowledge and understanding of school data
Data training is an important part of the induction of a new governor. Prior to classroom visits, a great deal can be learnt about the impact of a school’s more able provision by looking at and understanding what data is saying about the performance of the cohort of more able learners. In its raw numerical form data gives an overview of performance, but it is at its most useful when accompanied with a commentary explaining patterns, trends, comparisons and reasons – not excuses – for performance.
Governors should never react to data but they should think about it. Data is at its most useful and powerful when it is used to generate questions. A thorough knowledge and understanding of data allows governors to undertake one of their core responsibilities: to hold the leadership team to account and to challenge standards and performance.
The more able link governor should be aware that data generally only covers “academic” subjects, and that provision for the more able extends far beyond just academic achievement.
NACE’s approach is to look beyond definitions that focus solely on academic achievement, “to include those who may be underachieving or whose skills and knowledge may extend beyond national measures of progress and attainment.” Understanding the school’s target-setting processes provides another source of data and can say a lot about a school’s aspirations and ambitions for more able learners.
Establish strong and positive relationships with school staff
As with any link governor position, establishing a working relationship with the more able coordinator and teachers based on mutual trust and transparency will determine the success of the role. Sensitivity to the perception that staff have when the link governor is invited into the classroom is critical. Teachers must see the purpose of a link governor as a source of support and as a critical friend, not as an inspector. Do not approach the task in terms of “I am…” but instead “I will…”. For example: “I will look forward to learning from you and supporting you in further developing provision for our more able learners.”
Following adequate preparation to undertake the role of more able link governor, the first port of call for staff contact would be with the school’s more able lead/coordinator. Initial discussions should focus on the more able policy that has been adopted (or not, as may be the case) by the school governing body. A valuable insight can be gained about how, when and by who the policy was developed. Discussions will focus on how the more able coordinator ensures that policy and strategy translate into practice within the classroom. Ownership of policy is directly linked to its effectiveness and the more able link governor has a vested interest in becoming one of the co-owners.
A governor new to the link role should approach their first learning walk or classroom visits as an informal awareness-raising exercise, an opportunity to talk to staff, to get to know them, and to learn about the different strategies and methods used to provide for the more able. Until you know what the practice is, you can’t start to make contributions to support and develop it. First impressions on initial classroom visits are critical in establishing a good working relationship between the link governor and school staff. Positivity opens doors; negativity closes them.
Undertake regular monitoring through visits and discussions
As the more able link governor builds experience, confidence and staff trust gained from the initial awareness-raising visits, they can start to extend their more formal monitoring responsibilities. Monitoring of provision and standards is an important function of the link governor. Learning walks and classroom visits will allow a well-informed link governor to monitor how well policy is being implemented.
Visits should not be ad hoc; the purpose of classroom visits should be carefully planned and focused. Provision for the more able is extensive; it touches most areas of curriculum delivery and wider aspects of school life. The more able link governor should let staff know the purpose and focus of their visit so staff can prepare and share best practice. During the classroom visit only the agreed focus should be monitored; it is important not to be distracted from that focus. Staff trust can easily be lost if a link governor comments on aspects of practice that are not part of the agreed focus.
Discussions with teachers provide a measure of how consistently policy is being delivered. Importantly, listening to pupil voice is a key priority as part of the monitoring process and will give a strong indication as to the impact policy is making on individual learners. Discussions with parents can be valuable, and where held, governors’ annual meetings provide a vehicle to listen to the parent voice and to gain their opinion on the provision made for their more able child. Through stakeholder discussion, monitoring allows the link governor to understand any pressures or barriers (budgets, lockdown!) that may affect implementation of policy.
Recognise and celebrate good practice
We all thrive on praise and the proverbial pat on the back is always most welcome. Praise can be a self-fulfilling prophesy (and teachers can be their own worse critics). Tell someone they are doing a great job and they aspire to do even better! Learning walks and classroom visits provide that face-to-face opportunity to acknowledge hard work and good practice. Link governors are the conduit between the staff, and at times, an otherwise faceless governing body. They are ideally placed to acknowledge, thank and celebrate a job well done by committed and dedicated staff.
Report back to support whole-school review and improvement
Following a learning walk, classroom visit, or listening to stakeholders, the link governor should prepare a brief bullet point report for feedback to either a governor’s sub-committee (e.g. teaching and learning sub-committee) or to the whole governing body. In no way should reports be personalised and name individual members of staff; they should be based on how well policy is being applied and its impact on the provision that is being made. When any report is more widely shared with governors, there should be no surprises for staff.
Full governing body meetings provide an ideal platform for the more able coordinator to champion the provision the school makes for more able learners and to make the case for the further allocation of budget and resources. The strength of a governing body lies in the sum of its parts and each link governor constitutes a part of the whole. When each feeds back their observations, the full governing body gains an invaluable evaluation into how effectively their strategic lead and policy development is impacting on raising standards for learners.
There is a direct correlation between well-informed and strategically effective governing bodies and the work undertaken by their link governors. Each governor link role adds value to school improvement. It is incumbent on each link governor to do the best possible job they can: “a chain is as strong as its weakest link”. We get out of bed in the morning to make a difference, and the difference a well-informed and skilled link governor can make to the learning opportunities for more able learners is indisputable. In my own link governor role, I for one look forward to when we can walk back through the school gates again, alongside staff and pupils, to make a difference together.
Additional reading and support:
Ask NACE... Could you benefit from additional guidance in establishing or developing your school’s more able link governor? Whether you are newly creating this role, or keen to develop its impact, our “Ask NACE” service offers 1-2-1 support bespoke to your individual needs and school context. Find out more.
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