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'Struggle' over school governance 'Struggle' over school governance
(1 day later)
Schools in poorer parts of England are struggling to find enough governors to cope with what is an increasingly complex role, a study has said.Schools in poorer parts of England are struggling to find enough governors to cope with what is an increasingly complex role, a study has said.
A Joseph Rowntree Foundation report said the idea every school should have its own governors might seem "bizarre".A Joseph Rowntree Foundation report said the idea every school should have its own governors might seem "bizarre".
One way forward could be to have experienced, committed and perhaps paid governors covering groups of schools.One way forward could be to have experienced, committed and perhaps paid governors covering groups of schools.
The report argued there was a need for a wider-ranging public debate about the whole issue of school governance.The report argued there was a need for a wider-ranging public debate about the whole issue of school governance.
There are some 350,000 places on school governing bodies in England, to be filled by volunteers drawn from the staff, parents, local authorities and communities.There are some 350,000 places on school governing bodies in England, to be filled by volunteers drawn from the staff, parents, local authorities and communities.
Recruiting governors is a problem, and recruiting governors with time, commitment and expertise is particularly difficult Joseph Rowntree Foundation The study was located in three different areas which all had social and economic disadvantages.Recruiting governors is a problem, and recruiting governors with time, commitment and expertise is particularly difficult Joseph Rowntree Foundation The study was located in three different areas which all had social and economic disadvantages.
The researchers identified schools serving most of the children there and interviewed more than 100 people connected with them, including governors, head teachers, and local authority officers. The researchers identified the 14 schools serving most of the children in those areas and interviewed more than 100 people connected with them, including governors, head teachers, and local authority officers.
'Burdensome' business'Burdensome' business
Their report said that, in recent decades, governments had expected school governors to take on more responsibility without ensuring they had the capacity to do so.Their report said that, in recent decades, governments had expected school governors to take on more responsibility without ensuring they had the capacity to do so.
Most interviewees felt governors were working hard and that, under the right circumstances, could make a valuable contribution to the running of schools.Most interviewees felt governors were working hard and that, under the right circumstances, could make a valuable contribution to the running of schools.
"Those circumstances include, above all, an adequate supply of governors with time, commitment and expertise to engage with the burdensome and complex business of governance," the report said."Those circumstances include, above all, an adequate supply of governors with time, commitment and expertise to engage with the burdensome and complex business of governance," the report said.
But it added: "Those circumstances are difficult to create. Recruiting governors is a problem, and recruiting governors with time, commitment and expertise is particularly difficult."But it added: "Those circumstances are difficult to create. Recruiting governors is a problem, and recruiting governors with time, commitment and expertise is particularly difficult."
A series of options had therefore been discussed.A series of options had therefore been discussed.
"In general terms, there was a strong sense that the government needed to reduce its expectations of what governors could reasonably manage, the report said."In general terms, there was a strong sense that the government needed to reduce its expectations of what governors could reasonably manage, the report said.
'Valuable' role'Valuable' role
One option - albeit out of tune with recent policy - was to abandon the idea of governing bodies and let some other agency get on with running schools.One option - albeit out of tune with recent policy - was to abandon the idea of governing bodies and let some other agency get on with running schools.
But there were also a number of "halfway houses".But there were also a number of "halfway houses".
"Federated schools exist currently, of course, and it is not difficult to envisage an experienced, committed - and perhaps paid - core of governors taking responsibility for a group of schools.""Federated schools exist currently, of course, and it is not difficult to envisage an experienced, committed - and perhaps paid - core of governors taking responsibility for a group of schools."
People had pointed out, though, that this sat uneasily with "a standards agenda that remains highly school-focused and with the continued pressure on schools to compete for students", the report added.People had pointed out, though, that this sat uneasily with "a standards agenda that remains highly school-focused and with the continued pressure on schools to compete for students", the report added.
The leader of the study, Professor Alan Dyson, said: "School governors carry out an important and extremely valuable role in the management of schools.The leader of the study, Professor Alan Dyson, said: "School governors carry out an important and extremely valuable role in the management of schools.
"But in the light of these findings we need to ask questions about whether we are asking too much of them - especially in disadvantaged areas.""But in the light of these findings we need to ask questions about whether we are asking too much of them - especially in disadvantaged areas."
The report concluded that the options could not be considered without more fundamental questions being addressed.The report concluded that the options could not be considered without more fundamental questions being addressed.
"These are questions about the sort of school governance we want and what we want governance for," it said."These are questions about the sort of school governance we want and what we want governance for," it said.
A spokesperson for the Department for Education and Skills said good governance could make a real impact in the classroom.
"Standards of attainment, quality of teaching and pupil behaviour are all likely to be better in schools where governors are active, vigorous and enthusiastic," she said.
The government had given schools unprecedented freedoms to build a governing body which best suited their individual needs and circumstances.