Involving MPs in School Governance

The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Education Governance and Leadership will meet next Tuesday, June 7th, in the House of Commons, Committee Room 5 from 17:30-19:00.  This is an important forum for parliamentarians to discuss the key issues affecting school governance.  Governors, trustees and clerks need to encourage their MPs to get involved in this group.

The meeting will be chaired by Neil Carmichael MP – who is also chair of the House of Commons Education Select Committee.  The group will discuss the implications of the new Education bill Education for All for governance and leadership.

In the past, this influential group has published:

• Twenty Key Questions for Governing Boards
  Strong governance is essential for good schools. In too many schools, governing boards are not effective or confident enough. One of a governing board’s three key functions is to support and challenge headteachers; holding them to account so that pupils get the best possible education. But governing boards also need support and challenge.
  
• Twenty-One Key Questions for MAT Boards
  Chair of the Group Neil Carmichael MP said: “These Questions address really important issues. MAT board effectiveness is important, it’s important that we get the structures right and it’s important that we get executive leadership right. For that to happen we have to ask the right questions.”

The APPG also hosted the launch of the publication Governing Groups of Schools: Staying In Control of Your School’s Destiny, which is aimed at senior leaders and governors and spells out the benefits and types of collaboration, as well as the steps they need to take to form a group of schools accountable to one governing board. More than half of academies are now part of multi-academy trusts, and maintained schools are coming together in federations.

Please ask your MP to attend this APPG.  You can find your MP by clicking here.

You can find out more here: APPG on Education Governance and Leadership.