Awards & AGM

The HASG Governor Awards and Annual General Meeting will be held in the Oak Room and prior to the opening keynote speaker.

Seminars

On the booking application you will be asked to choose 4 seminars from the list below; you will attend 2 out of the 4 on a first come, first served basis.  Seminars will be advised upon arrival at the conference, as it will not be possible to confirm before the day. Please see seminar details below to assist with you making your 4 choices.

Chris Carter

Code A: Data Security and Cyber Protection

Brief: Data Protection regulations are changing next year and there have been some very high-profile news stories recently about cyber-attacks in the UK and beyond. These attacks are frequently not targeted at anyone in particular and schools are as vulnerable as any other type of organisation. Most data protection breaches or cyber-attacks are initiated by human error, so a general understanding of how to protect data and minimise the risks of a cyber-attack is essential in all staff. This non-specialist, non-technical session outlines the awareness and behaviours we should be expecting from school staff and how we can promote these.

Cheryl Faint

Code B:  Focus on finance – improving your financial performance

Brief: This session will look at the latest developments in school funding and looks ahead at the possible impact. We will also look at approaches to improving your financial performance and approaches to making sure you are getting the best out of your resources.

Content

• The Financial picture ahead
• Key messages on managing your financial challenges
• The role of Governors in driving financial efficiency and achieving sustained financial health – approaches and techniques
• Lessons from case studies
• Group discussions – identify your next steps

Donia Knott and Claire Edwards

Code C: The Business Management role – Income and expenditure management.

The workshop will explore the role of the Business manager and how the financial management element of the role extends beyond financial monitoring!  It will firstly examine the breadth of the role incorporating budget controls, procurement management, and financial policy, strategies for repairs and maintenance and staffing structures. Then it will also examine the success criteria for the business manager and governors to work together to the benefit of the school. We will then address the growing priority of schools for income generation and strategies to ensure an action plan is put in place including a focus on fundraising, community engagement, grants and lettings.

Marcus Cooper and Felicity Evans

Code D:  Understanding the Effective Use of Pupil Premium

Brief: Schools are facing ongoing challenges on how to spend Pupil Premium funding effectively.  This workshop will provide insight into accountability measures and how schools can prepare for and meet Ofsted inspection requirements in relation to the funding. The workshop will allow you to return to school with ideas to put into practice straightaway.

Ali Pepper

Code E: The Role of an Executive Headteacher

Brief: Executive headteachers are increasingly becoming a key part of the school leadership landscape. Their role is distinctive from the traditional headteacher roles, requiring higher levels of strategic thinking, a greater emphasis on delegating and achieving change through others and capacity to look outwards. In addition, there is a wide range of governance and accountability structures associated with Executive Headteachers, which may be complex and sometimes unclear.

This seminar will explore the various models within which an Executive Headteacher may operate and will help governors to consider how this level of strategic leadership might fit their current structure or any future structure they may be considering.

Kieran Murphy

Code F:  Children, youth and mental health – the story so far.

Brief: Children’s and young people’s mental health is something that we hear so much about, but what are the issues?  What do schools need to think about and more importantly, what can we do to change the status quo? Come to this session to hear from Hitchin-based youth organisation Phase that have been working on young people mental wellbeing for over 15 years.

Anne Taylor

Code G:  Maximising the recruitment opportunities in your school

Brief: This seminar will cover the following:

Teach in Herts

• Understanding the role of Teach in Herts (TIH) recruitment team and their activities to drive candidates towards the Teach in Herts website.
• Identifying how schools can make the best use of their TIH microsite and school website throughout the year; promote your school’s USP to attract potential staff?
• Using and managing social media channels to raise your school profile throughout the year; use news items to aid recruitment when needed.
• The importance of following the correct recruitment processes and procedures particularly in relation to safeguarding.

Recruiting for Heads and Senior Leaders – how do you prepare?

• What to consider when planning your new appointment.
• Potential pitfalls to avoid.
• Recruitment services available to support you – Standard, Enhanced, Psychometric Testing and Assessment Centres.
• Induction, training and ongoing support for Senior Leaders once in post

Ben Fuller – HfL Assessment Advisor

Code H: Assessment Update

Primary

Brief: This session provides a brief overview of the way school performance data (Key Stages 1 and 2 and Early Years Foundation Stage) is shown in ‘Analyse School Performance’ (the replacement to RAISEonline).  It discusses how governors should use this data to understand how their school is performing relative to the national context.

 Secondary

Brief: This session provides a brief overview of the way school performance data (Key Stage 4) is shown in ‘Analyse School Performance’ (the replacement to RAISEonline) and Inspection Dashboard.  It discusses how governors should use this data to understand how their school is performing relative to the national context.