Governing Independent Schools

A Handbook for New and Experienced Governors

John Partington, Barrie Stacey, Alan Turland

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN:
  9780815365679
• eBook ISBN:
  9781351253925
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education General

Governors are a valuable but under-used asset to independent schools. Under the day-to-day pressures of running schools, they are too often sidelined, yet are frequently called to account by parents and the media when things go wrong. Both new and experienced governors of independent schools will welcome this lively and informative handbook, originally published in 1998, which describes the positive and constructive role which governing bodies can play in the life of their schools. It provides up-to-date management techniques which can be effectively applied to enhance the quality of education and thereby the attractiveness of schools to parents and students.

CHAPTER 1
What is an independent school?

An independent school is one which manages its own affairs and attracts its own finance from fees, investments, lettings and other sources.

The term ‘independent’ is actually of fairly recent origin. It implies independence from some sort of norm, nowadays from ‘state’ schools - more accurately referred to as ‘maintained’ schools. However it is often forgotten that independent schools were themselves the norm until about 100 years ago when Parliament first took an interest in funding schools from local and national taxes and created first local school boards in 1870, and then local education authorities in 1902 to set up and run their own schools. Since then state schools have captured the lion’s share of the market, so that they in turn have become the norm.

Until the 1980s local education authorities tended to run their schools in a fairly centralised way. Each would decide education policy centrally and the emphasis was very much on making schools very similar to each other. This was in marked contrast to the enormous range of provision in the independent sector, and was based upon the doctrine of ‘equality of opportunity’ which was interpreted as demanding the elimination of any social or educational advantage which might be achieved by attending any particular school. It was often criticised as social engineering.

It is of particular interest and concern to the governors of independent schools that this position has changed drastically since the late 1980s. Government policy towards independent schools has developed to the point that maintained and grant-maintained school governors now enjoy very much the same sort of freedom to act which their colleagues in the independent sector have always had - but with the added enormous advantage that they do not charge fees. Parents have now by law also been given an enhanced freedom to shop around among schools. Increasingly they are doing so, and the trend will undoubtedly continue. A consequence of this is that maintained schools are learning from independent schools and becoming more adept at marketing themselves, because they no longer have a guaranteed pupil intake through catchment areas. The size of their budgets depends - as with independent schools - on the numbers of pupils they attract. They have some freedom to develop their own policies on salaries and so on. Perhaps most importantly they are rapidly developing their own characters and ethos. In the long run therefore it seems that all schools will to all intents and purposes share the same degree of independence and freedom of action.

Particular competitors to independent day schools are likely to become the grant-maintained schools which are also free from local authority involvement and receive their funding directly from central government. Similarly the new City Technology Colleges have a particular slant in their curricula towards computer-aided learning and the application of technology to business and commercial affairs. These schools are often equipped with educational hardware, particularly computer hardware, to a standard which few independent schools can afford. Moreover they specialise in developing children of average ability, some of whom might otherwise have joined the independent sector.

Whereas politicians tend to take up positions for or against independent schools as a matter of principle, parents tend to view things differently. The choice of school for any family is limited by geography or finance to a small number of schools, and they will therefore decide which of these represents their best option. This means that independent schools, like all others, must for the most part first identify their major competitors and develop themselves accordingly.

The challenge for independent schools therefore may be to stress less their traditional characteristics and to think hard about what they are offering. This will be increasingly important for those many parents nowadays who are not committed to the independent sector per se, but who will first look to see whether they can get what they want without paying fees. There is now a national concern, even obsession, with examination results which affects both preparatory and senior schools. Examination results are influenced to a considerable extent (but by no means exclusively) by the intellectual calibre of the pupils themselves, and independent schools, particularly boarding schools which find it difficult to fill their places almost inevitably become academically less selective.

At the same time there are moves to permit grant-maintained schools to choose to be academically more selective, and to become something like the former, highly-respected direct grant schools which were phased out in the 1970s. Many parents will no doubt find this attractive. Thus some independent schools may find themselves still competing effectively where teaching resources and class size are concerned, but from a less advantageous intellectual base. The effect of this might well be to divert teaching time away from providing a rounded education and encouraging excellence in games and music and the arts into securing a higher ranking in the league tables. Already, for example, the summer term in many schools has been drastically modified to accommodate examination work. Similarly the 1992 expansion of the UK higher education system to well over 100 universities and degree-awarding colleges has meant that more and more schools are able to report a good level of university entries, which again produces competitive pressures for independent schools.

Independent schools are in the enviable position of being able to pick and choose from the good things in the world of education. But both governors and teaching staff need to be very much on their guard lest their independence produces isolation. One of the factors which has stimulated recruitment to independent schools has undoubtedly been the pace of change in the state sector since the seventies which has at times produced unsettling major upheavals. However some of these changes have undoubtedly been educationally for the better and independent schools need to have clearly understood mechanisms for ensuring that they do not miss really worthwhile developments elsewhere. Whereas state schools come under pressure from government and local education authorities to develop in new ways, governors of independent schools need to create their own pressures to keep up to date. No-one will do it for them.

CHAPTER 2
Governing bodies - hands off? hands up? or hands on?

It is usually considered something of an honour to be invited to join the governing body of a school, particularly if it is a highly successful and prestigious one. Even so, new governors are understandably curious about what the work involves and often ask searching questions: and even well-established governors sometimes wonder while travelling home from meetings what precisely they have actually achieved by spending their valuable time in this way.

The way in which governors’ meetings are conducted is a highly significant indicator of governors’ real contribution to the life of their schools. We look in below at three different types of governing body and describe the ways in which they conduct their business. Most governing bodies do not (we hope!) fit neatly into any one of these categories, but experienced readers will be able judge for themselves how close their own comes. New recruits will then be able to decide after a couple of meetings whether to stay!

The ‘hands off’ governors’ meeting

Governors are usually noteworthy men and women who have achieved success in government, business, politics, the professions, industry or education. A commonly-heard phrase is that governing bodies have been ‘fortunate to have secured the services of x or y as a governor’. For the most part these men and women may be nationally or internationally distinguished, and, particularly in the case of schools with a large boarding element, may well come from all over the United Kingdom or even further afield.

The dates of meetings will have been agreed well in advance, two or three during the year. The agenda arrives a short while before the meeting, and will make it clear that the meeting will finish at a certain time, possibly with drinks, lunch or dinner as appropriate. There may be an overnight stay in the case of boarding schools. The agenda may well contain a considerable number of items, and, of course, may include the usual ‘Any other business’.

When the meeting starts the Chair’s opening remarks are likely to include congratulations to the head teacher and the bursar on yet another successful term since the last meeting.

Item 1: School budgets and accounts

These are in the form of a large wad of paper which may be largely unintelligible to governors who are not accountants or who do not run their own businesses. The Chair stresses that he or she, together with the bursar and one or two ‘invited’ governors have been through the figures very carefully and are satisfied with them, and the bursar says that they will find favour with the Charity Commission when lodged there. There are murmurs of approval, particularly from those who do not fully understand the figures.

The budget papers of course cover the whole planned activity of the school -buildings, investments, maintenance costs, teaching costs and so on. Governor A who has a keen interest in local history has studied the section headed ‘Teaching costs’ and asks why the budget for the history department in the school has been cut for the last three years. The head teacher replies that there are ‘a few local difficulties’ here, and that the matter is ‘a little sensitive’. Governor A asks for an explanation, but the Chair intervenes and points out that there is a long agenda ahead and that the budget is a long document. Other governors nod agreement.

Governor B who is chief personnel officer for a large firm is also interested in ‘Teaching costs’. She points out that the school appears to be spending very little on computer training for its pupils, and sees this as inadvisable in the present climate. The head teacher points out that his or her priority for the next two years is the restoration of the games pitches. Governor B persists, however, and the head teacher agrees to think it over. Governors observe that the bursar, who is taking the minutes, does not note this undertaking.

Governor C, an architect who has travelled almost 200 miles to the meeting, feels outraged by the design of a new school building and its cost. The Chair points out that the ‘Chair’s Group’ has considered the matter very carefully and is satisfied that it represents good value for the money. The Chair adds that an attempt was made to contact governor C by telephone, but it appears that he was away for three days. Since contracts had been signed with the builders it was now too late to make anything other than minor alterations.

At this point the Vice-Chair gently points out that time is pressing and the agenda is long.

Item 2: The head teacher’s report

The head teacher describes the successes of the school since the last meeting, both sporting and academic. The school is full: recruitment is buoyant.

Governor D is pleased to hear that the school is full and asks what proportion of the parents who enquire about the school, or who visit it, actually register their children. The bursar does not have the figures to hand. Governor D points out that if the school is now accepting virtually all its applicants, it is foreseeable that recruitment will become more and more difficult. Should the governors not be addressing the issue now?

The Chair expresses confidence that recruitment to the school is’ safe in the hands of the head teacher and the bursar’ and turns to governor E.

Governor E has heard from her nephew at the school that a recent fight one evening between two pupils in one of the boarding houses had resulted in one being taken to hospital for emergency treatment. She wonders why this has come about and why the matter was not dealt with by the school’s own doctor. The head teacher replies angrily that this is a slur both on a highly respected housemaster and a valued school doctor. The other governors say nothing, so, after a few seconds of embarrassed silence, the Chair moves on to the next item.

‘Any other business’

Governor R explains that he is very concerned about future planning. Several changes are taking place nationally and the school should be keeping abreast of the times. The Chair replies that his ‘Chair’s Group’ will be thinking about the matter soon. Since time is pressing it would not be helpful to discuss the matter further now. Lunch is waiting and it would be discourteous to the domestic staff to be late. The meeting closes.

Readers will by now probably recognise what is happening at this meeting.

• The emphasis is on governors being informed about rather than contributing to the life of their school. Moreover it appears to be the head teacher and Chair who have decided what the governors should be told. Critical decisions have to a large extent been made elsewhere, probably by the head teacher, the Chair or possibly the Chair in conjunction with one or two other governors, the ‘Chair’s Group’. (By the way - who appointed these governors to work with the Chair?)
• Meetings tend markedly to look backwards to what has happened, rather than forward. There is no space on the agenda for forward policy planning by the governing body (although there is, again, this mysterious ‘Chair’s Group’).
• There is a shared understanding, probably arrived at by intuition rather than by declared policy, that certain matters are ‘no go’ areas in governors’ meetings. One of these seems to be even the day-to-day life of the school itself. Our example of the intriguing developments in the history department sounds like one such area. Another seems to be the nocturnal happenings in one of the boarding houses.
• The Chair and head teacher (who, incidentally, cannot be a governor since he or she is a paid employee of the governors, but is nevertheless normally invited to attend meetings) are in almost total control of what appears on the agenda. Governors are therefore obliged to rely on the Chair, head teacher and possibly the bursar to inform them atmeetings. They probably know very little about their school from independent sources, particularly if they live a long way away. If they do have worthwhile information, it may be ruled’ out of order’ - unless it is flattering to the school when it will be welcomed and the governor warmly thanked for his or her interest!
• Meetings have the effect of minimising the contribution to policy development which the majority of governors might be able to make. At worst, meetings are carefully stage-managed. Governors who criticise decisions made elsewhere without consultation easily become characterised as trouble-makers. Soon the Chair might even invite them to’ consider their position’!

The ‘hands up’ governors’ meeting

We have never actually seen one of these, and, while fearing the worst, hope that they are only a figment of our imagination!

The governors meet and are welcomed by the Chair. The Chair, head teacher and bursar report that all is well and that everything is firmly under control. The head teacher lists the complimentary remarks made by parents and others, and requests that a letter be sent to a member of staff thanking her for 25 years of magnificent service to the school. The head teacher expresses gratitude to the Chair for support, and the Chair says how fortunate the school is to have such a fine head teacher at the helm. A governor (in professional life an accountant who is employed by the building firm owned by the Chair) praises the Chair for conducting such an efficient and punctual meeting.

The longest item on the agenda is to agree the date of the next meeting.

The ‘hands on’ governors’ meeting

Before sending out the agenda for the meeting the clerk to the governors circulates all governors asking for items for the agenda.

With the meeting papers are included minutes of all the sub-committee meetings which have taken place in the most...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Introduction: Ahealthwarning
• 1 What is an independent school?
• 2 Governing bodies - hands off? hands up? or hands on?
• 3 Organising governors’ work
• 4 Relationships with the Charity Commission, DfEE and other bodies
• 5 The head teacher’s role and relationships with the governing body
• 6 Governors and school finances
• 7 Governors as investors in people
• 8 Governors and the curriculum
• 9 School policies and governors’ responsibility for pupils’ education
• 10 Governors and parents
• 11 Governors in difficulty
• Appendix A: Useful addresses
• Appendix B: Some useful things to read
• Appendix C: How do you rate your governing body?
• Index