All Change for The Exchange

Training Times Relaunches as The Exchange

Following feedback from schools last term, Training Times has been rebranded over the summer, and is now The Exchange. The September/October edition of the paper is now in schools, with a spotlight on radicalisation, and September Ofsted changes alongside Hertfordshire schools’ and HfL news.

As you will notice, the paper is now slightly smaller, and has been redesigned by HfL’s graphic designer, Niall Hargrave. There are more news stories, more Hertfordshire schools’ stories, and you will now receive the paper folded to make it easier to handle in the staffroom.

The link to the online version can be found here:

http://bit.ly/TE-SeptOct15 (or click the pic)

This HfL monthly newspaper has something for governors and staff based in schools, whether looking for a little light reading on current educational news or for courses to further your professional development.

This edition also includes:

Hertfordshire’s success in Stonewall Equality Index 2015
the right to be forgotten!
Exchanging Excellence – Closing the gap and a Hemel schools’ Transition project
HfL’S maths fluency project
top ideas for use in the classroom

… and much more!

Do you have something you want us to cover? Get in touch!

Please contact our editorial team with queries: theexchange@nullhertsforlearning.co.uk

If you or your chair of governors would like to receive extra copies for the governing body please get in touch. We welcome any feedback or content suggestions for future editions.

11 August 2015

Governance Case Studies

The ‘National Leaders of Governance – East of England‘ have recently published 3 case studies that will be of interest to Herts Governors:

School to School Governance Support in Luton

This case study, written by Craig Smith, NLG Central Beds, discusses a soft federation of seven secondary and one 11-18 special school, called Luton Futures, working collaboratively together to improve outcomes for learners. The federation has been in operation since 2011 and has developed real impetus – so much so that after starting as a Heads forum it further developed with LFIGs (Luton Futures Improvement Groups) designed to focus in on and support specific areas. These LFIGs were developed from 2012 onwards and focused on areas such as Teaching and Learning, Literacy, Data, SEN, Behaviour, Business Managers. In 2013 the model was extended to cover Governance and an LFIG Governors Group was set up – to offer peer to peer support to the Chairs of Governors of the eight schools and to support leadership development across the federation.

Read the full article here.

Teaching school alliance support for governance in Suffolk

Written by Victoria De Naeyer, this study discusses Samuel Ward Academy Trust, a multi-academy trust with a family of academies in Suffolk. The trust consists of 3 secondary academies, 3 primary academies and a special school. The Suffolk Borders Teaching Alliance was established in September 2015, led by Samuel Ward, and is made up of 15 schools in the locality. Samuel Ward has embraced its responsibilities for school to school support and system leadership as it relates to governance and is really having an impact on raising governance standards across its trust and wider teaching school alliance.

Read the full article here.

Developing governance system leaders in Hertfordshire

Written by our own Kathy Dunnett, this study discusses the evolutionary process from the creation of Herts Leaders of Governance, through to National Leaders of Governance and leading on to Strategic Leaders of Governance; this latter group has grown from a small kernel of 6 in 2012 to nearly 40 now helping schools in Hertfordshire to meet their objectives.

Read the full article here.

10 April 201510 July 2015

Training Times – March 2015

The March edition of Training Times is now in schools, with a spotlight on Herts for Learning’s science and MFL teams.

The link to the online version can be found here: Training Times March

This edition includes:

“Grit Gets Grades” – a look into the new focus on character education and what two Hertfordshire schools are doing to give pupils grit
Science and MFL – how can these teams support you? An introduction to the Lead advisers for Science (Joanna Conn) and Modern Foreign Languages (Jackie Rayment), their background and priorities.
Dame Carol Ann Duffy, Britain’s Poet Laureate, entertained at HfL’s national poetry conference, “The Power in Poetry: Language as Play” in March.
The Early Years pupil premium – School Leaders said they were inspired at HfL’s “Ready for Early Years Premium and Ofsted Inspection of Early Years” conference in February.
HfL’s new SBM service – headed by Natalie Dalvarez, the service aims to support school improvement, raise teh profile of SBMs and help standardize a role that is still new to many schools.

…and much more!

If your chair of governors would like to receive extra copies for the governing body please get in touch. We welcome any feedback or content suggestions for future editions.

Please contact HfL journalist Jessica Broadbent at jessica.broadbent@ hertsforlearning.co.uk with your feedback or if you would like your school to be included.

7 July 2015

CBI asks Ofsted to assess character

CBI leader calls for Ofsted to assess character education

John Cridland, director general of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), has argued that school inspections should focus on whether schools are producing “well rounded people” rather than exam outcomes.

Speaking to an audience of academics, Cridland said that:

changing the inspection framework to ensure an equal focus on how schools are supporting the development of key attitudes and behaviour as on the more traditional academic measures would be a good first step in producing the well rounded young people business needs.

The Secretary of State for Education, Nicky Morgan, has emphasised previously her commitment to character education and the Department for Education announced the recipients of funding from its character grants scheme last week.

For more discussion of how governors can ensure their school is promoting their pupils’ personal development, see this recent Governing Matters article: Character education (NGA Membership required to access).

26 June 201529 June 2015

Governance is on the radio!

David Owen - The Discovery Show — David Owen – The Discovery Show

Governance is on the radio!

On Friday 26 June, between 4 – 6 pm David Owen (Governance Trainer and Disc Jockey) will be playing an interview recorded with Kathy Dunnett, in her role as Vice Chair of Herts Association of School Governors) talking about governance and how to be a governor. It will be played around 4.45 – 5pm.

The station is internet based and you can listen via:

There will be a catch up of the interview online via the show’s webpage after Friday:

www.davidowen.org.uk/the-discovery-show

If anyone knows anyone with a fascinating story or passion for a subject, David is always looking for people to interview!
Contact David Owen on thediscoveryshow@nullgmail.com

22 June 201522 June 2015

UKGovChat – What’s That?

What is UKGovChat?

UKGovChat is a weekly Twitter discussion normally taking place between 8:45 and 9:15 every Sunday evening, providing a home for Governors to learn, share, challenge and support each other and improve the governance of all of schools to the benefit of the children and young people. From the original concept being born in 2013, well, as the website says:

Exactly a week later #UkGovChat was born, delivered to over 400 eager followers in a fast and furious chat encompassing “top tips” for new governors and the biggest challenges to effective governance.

The website remains totally independent of any government or commercial interest. To find out more visit UKGovChat at ukgovchat.wordpress.com, search Twitter for hashtag #ukgovchat or follow the group @UKGovChat. The site also has an impressive list of inks to a range of useful blogs and archives of weekly chats going back to 2013. Recent chats were on subjects such as:

What is the GBs responsibility as far as Health and Safety is concerned?
What are your hopes for the newly announced Foundation for Leadership in Education?
What is your school doing about the DfE challenge of ‘character education’?
What is a Coasting School?
What will inspection of governance look like under the new framework? Ofsted Special with Sean Harford.
Your Hopes and Fears for the Next 5 Years.

Some recent news updates from UKGovChat

[rssonpage rss=”https://ukgovchat.wordpress.com/feed/” feeds=”5″ excerpt=”true” target=”_blank”]

28 April 201511 June 2015

Training Times – Anniversary Competition

The first anniversary edition of Training Times published by Herts for Learning arrives in Hertfordshire schools during w/c 20th April 2015 and can be viewed online through the following link http://bit.ly/TT-AprMay15 or clicking the picture.

To gauge how useful you have found the paper in its first year and to hear governors’ and teachers’ suggestions for improvement, HfL have created a short online survey suitable for all school staff to complete.

The survey can be found by clicking the link http://bit.ly/TT-Survey2015, or scanning the QR code.

HfL is giving away a bumper hamper of goodies for one randomly selected entering school – the winner will be announced in June. No limitations on entries per school. Link to survey also found on front page of this edition.

This edition also includes:

teacher recruitment – the HfL recruitment fair and what’s next,
new online resources added to subscription service,
Parent2Parent ® – how can you help your parents in supporting their child’s learning?
the Early Years reception baseline,
news from primary and secondary schools across the county.

Extra copies or feedback?

If your chair of governors would like to receive extra copies for the governing body please get in touch. We welcome any feedback or content suggestions for future editions.

Please contact our journalist Jessica Broadbent at jessica.broadbent@nullhertsforlearning.co.uk with your feedback or if you would like your school to be included.

11 June 2015

Training Times – Post Election; where now?

Training Times – Post Election – where now for education?

The June edition of Training Times is now in schools, with a spotlight on the general election and Herts for Learning’s Schools’ (HfL) HR team. The online version can be found at:

http://bit.ly/TT-June15 (or click the picture)

This edition includes:

HfL governor roadshows –
6th, 9th, 15th, 27th & 29th June;
General election 2015 – where now for education?
“This month HfL spoke with some of Hertfordshire’s leaders to hear their impact of the result for schools.”
Schools’ HR – how can this team support you?
“The Schools’ HR advisory service provides specialist professional advice and support for headteachers and governors on all aspects of employment law.”
Research from HfL’s new Education Policy and Practice Intern, Jasleen Dhillon-
Analysis of Finnish education;
Hertfordshire schools’ news and much more!

If your Chair of governors would like to receive extra copies for the governing body please get in touch. HfL welcome any feedback or content suggestions for future editions. Please contact their Journalist Jessica Broadbent at jessica.broadbent@nullhertsforlearning.co.uk with your feedback or if you would like your school to be included.

20 May 2015

Governor Recruitment Roadshow

Kathy Dunnett Vice Chair of HASG and Mayor of Broxbourne

Vice Chair of HASG MP Broxbourne and interested volunteer

Governor Recruitment Roadshow Comes to Cheshunt – 16th May, Wolsey Hall.

Schools and Academies in the Cheshunt, Broxbourne and Waltham Cross areas were rallied with the support of the Hertfordshire Association of School Governors (HASG) to recruit people for their governing bodies. They held a successful Governor Recruitment Roadshow Event at the Wolsey Hall last Saturday 16th May. This was one of a series of events which will take place throughout May and June in other areas across Hertfordshire.

The national organisation which supports governor recruitment – School Governors One Stop Shop (SGOSS) and the local governance team from Herts for Learning also supported the event. The Mayor of Broxbourne Mayor, Cllr Mrs Bren Perryman attended in the morning and local MP Charles Walker during the afternoon (both pictured right), and both were delighted to meet experienced and potential governors from the locality.

Mike Scandrett, Chair of the Hertfordshire Association of School Governors stated…

Being a Governor is not just about attending meetings. It is much more about being part of your local school and local community while making a contribution towards the development and learning of young people who are the citizens of tomorrow. Governors are there to ensure that schools are run well, to shape their future and that children thrive and enjoy learning. Being part of that is a reward in itself. Be proud to be a Governor. I am.

As a school governor you are part of the strategic leadership team for the school. You will steer the school vision, aims and objectives, ensure financial best value and support and enable the staff to provide an excellent learning environment. Could you be a school governor?

If you have the time and commitment to help improve the education of the pupils in your chosen school
If you are prepared to attend governors’ meetings and visit the school
If you are prepared to attend training to ensure that you fully understand your role

Then you would make an ideal school or academy governor!

If you are interested in finding out more about becoming a school or academy governor, please try and attend the events at Stevenage on the 6th June at the council offices by the bus station and 27th June at Hemel Hempstead in the volunteer centre at Marlowes Shopping Centre.

Mike Scandrett, Chair of HASG chair@nullhertsgovernors.org

28 April 2015

‘Hertfordshire Governor’ – Summer Edition

The summer edition of Hertfordshire Governor published by Herts for Learning (HfL) is now on-line and can be accessed online by logging on at www.hertsdirect.org/governors (select ‘Hertfordshire Governor – current issue’ under ‘Signpost’ at the foot of the page) or click the picture.

The Introduction:

Message from Governance

Dear Governors

As we enter into the summer term and head towards the end of the 2014/15 academic year it is a good time to reflect on the work carried out this year and the impact it has had on the progress and attainment of pupils. The pace is fast so we are very often only looking forward and thinking what needs to be done next, however as the academic year comes to an end it is important that you celebrate past success as well as identifying key actions for addressing in the future.

This term we have received feedback on an eSafety focus during recent Ofsted inspections within primary schools and academies, with governors knowledge being put to the test. Our eSafety Adviser has provided a useful summary for governors which you can find in the News section. Have a go at answering the questions included in the article and if you don’t know the answer that’s an action after Easter.

Also in the News section we have included a Health & Safety update on abestos. This is particulary relevant as we head towards the summer holiday season and many large building projects are planned in schools/academies.

We are also pleased to inform you of our forthcoming Governor Recruitment Roadshow supported and sponsored by Governance Team, Hertfordshire Association of School Governors (HASG), and School Governors’ One Stop Shop (SGOSS). Do you have vacancies on your governing body? If so, why not come along and help to recruit new governors and promote the role of governance in schools and academies – raise the profile of governors and give it the status it deserves!

The edition includes

Governor Recruitment: Details of forthcoming ‘Governor Recruitment Roadshows’.
eSafety (tips from the eSafety Adviser following feedback from recent Ofsted inspections).
Health & Safety update ahead of building projects over the summer: Managing asbestos in your School.
Summary of changes to recently updated DfE statutory guidance – ‘Keeping children safe in education’ and ‘Working together to safeguard children’.
Changes to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme.

Contact Cathy Irons Cathy.Irons@nullHertsforlearning.co.uk of the HfL Governance Unit for any questions or if you would wish to contribute to a future on-line edition.