Governor training and development

'The (governing) board's code of conduct should set an ethos of professionalism and high expectations of everyone involved in governance, including an expectation that they undertake whatever training or development activity is needed to fill any gaps in the skills they have to contribute to effective governance.' (Governance Handbook, October 2020)

Governors have a crucial role in the leadership and management of their school and are the key driving force behind raising standards of achievement. They are expected to be able to engage fully with discussions of the governing body, particularly relating to educational and financial performance data. We hope that the training and development programme that we are offering to you this year will help you fill any gaps in the skills you may have identified. It gives you access to expert and professional advice and information to help guide you most effectively through the plethora of your roles and responsibilities. 

The programme offers a wide range of learning opportunities which are led by experienced governance practitioners, both from the local authority and independent providers. Session contents are updated regularly to reflect changing legislative requirements, local and national developments and initiatives and can be modified to meet the specific needs of your individual setting. The programme is open to all Southwark maintained schools, academies and free schools.

We strongly recommend that all new governors attend the induction programme and more experienced governors use the programme as a refresher. Each governing body is held accountable for their own training and development and we would suggest that you discuss your training needs on a regular basis and plan attendance at training courses accordingly to ensure that you are aware of key issues and changes to the law.

To see courses currently offered in the programme please go to calendar-booking form ^{(docx, 56kb)}.