Governor response to Ofsted Part I: On data

We were judged Requires Improvement by Ofsted. I was a member of the group of governors that met with the Lead Inspector. It was a fair cop. We were an RI school and couldn’t quibble with the judgement. An external review of governance was ordered. We implemented the resulting Action Plan in full. That was back in 2013. Ofsted visited the school again in 2015. This time I was chair of governors. Matravers was rated Good for the first time in its history. Many outstanding features were highlighted in the report. Governance was held up as an area of strength. Not so when the inspectors came to call in 2018. The school was downgraded to RI and the governors were criticised in the report. In this instance we believe Ofsted got it wrong. 

Governors have not publicly responded to the October 2018 Ofsted report, as the school was in the process of appealing against the Requires Improvement judgement. The appeal has now been considered. The inspectorate has upheld the judgement. We continue to dispute that the school Requires Improvement when measured against Ofsted’s own inspection criteria. This is a statement on behalf of the Board of Governors detailing why we believe that the inspection and its outcome were flawed. The time has come in the words of the old journalistic adage to ‘tell the truth and shame the devil’.  

A panel of five governors was invited to meet with the Lead Inspector, Mr. Steve Smith (Her Majesty’s Inspector - HMI). In previous inspections the inspector allowed governors to outline how they had fulfilled their ‘core functions’. Mr. Smith adopted a different stance. In the 30 minute meeting the HMI seemed only to be interested in the historic 2017 performance data as set out in the Inspection Data Summary Report (IDSR). The validated version of which was published back in January 2018.  

Governors were surprised at this approach. We understood from the Ofsted Inspection Framework that more recent pupil outcomes should take precedence over historic data. When governors attempted to demonstrate progression from the 2017 to 2018 results, their efforts were brushed aside, as the 2018 data had not yet ‘validated’ by the Department for Education. Mr. Smith would not therefore accept that outcomes had improved in a number of areas.  

The HMI seemed reluctant to believe that governors were given access to national data, although we explained that all members of the board are given personal log in access to Analyse School Performance, and with it the IDSR. The Training Audit provided for the inspectors in the Governors’ Ofsted evidence folder showed that members of the board had received training in understanding secondary school data.   

The Lead Inspector expected governors to be able to recall some of the details of the IDSR (a 42 page report) from memory. When we could not, Mr. Smith seemed to take it as evidence that aspects of the data were not being drawn to the attention of governors by the Headteacher, which was not the case. The Lead Inspector disputed that the ‘Class of 2017’ were below national on entry and that their outcomes were defined as ‘on national’ according to ASP/IDSR. We agreed that A level results had not been as good as expected, but we did not think this was limited to girls as he alleged. IDSR stated that pupil numbers were too small for such lines of enquiry to be generated. In a follow-up note to Mr. Smith we were able to substantiate our claims by drawing attention to the appropriate pages on ASP and IDSR.  

Mr. Smith did not accept the claim of the Contextual Value Added version of the 2017 Fischer Family Trust Data Dashboard that the school’s Key Stage 4 outcomes were in the top 5% for pupils with a similar starting point and context nationally. Again, governors were surprised at this, as the DfE’s Governance Handbook (January 2017) and the National Governance Association recommend that governors be aware of the FFT dashboard, with the NGA laying special emphasis on the importance of understanding contextual data. The inspector seemed to be of the view that placing pupil outcomes in context amounted to limiting expectations for our students. We insisted that this was not the case and pointed out that in 2018 the attainment gap between disadvantaged and other pupils had virtually closed. We also explained that our Alternative Provision students vastly outperformed those in Pupil Referral Units across England. (Wiltshire has no PRUs).   

The 2018 IDSR, published in February 2019 demonstrates that the progress of disadvantaged students was an area of huge success for the school, not an aspect that requires improvement. Overall, the progress of disadvantaged students at Matravers was above that of other non-disadvantaged pupils nationally. That is also the case for the Maths, Open and Science elements of Progress 8. In the English, Ebacc, Languages and Humanities elements, progress for our disadvantaged students was potentially in the top 10% of schools nationally. When it comes to Key Stage 4 exam results for 2018, the Attainment 8 figure for our disadvantaged students was 42.2, compared with a whole school figure of 44.8 (above national average). That against a background where there is a huge gap in attainment between disadvantaged students and others in Wiltshire schools. The county-wide Attainment 8 figure for disadvantaged students was 33.5.  

The HMI claimed that schools in the neighbouring towns of Trowbridge and Warminster had a similar context to that of Matravers, yet their outcomes were better. Governors countered that this was not the case. In 2017 our attainment figures were in line with, if, not better than John of Gaunt School and Clarendon Academy in Trowbridge, while below those of Kingdown School in Warminster. An internal analysis of local schools’ KS4 results for 2018 had been supplied to governors by the Headteacher so we could benchmark our performance against that of our near neighbours. According to the data provided, the Matravers Attainment 8 and 4+ and 5+ English and Maths figures had pulled away from the Trowbridge schools and were either above or virtually in line with those of Kingdown. This analysis was not accepted by Mr. Smith, although it is borne out by the DfE’s ‘Compare School Performance’ figures (Table 1). In fact, Westbury has a higher percentage of SEND and Disadvantaged pupils than our neighbouring towns (Table 2).  

Table 1 ‘Compare School Performance 2018 

School	Attainment 8	Grade 5+ Eng & Math
Matravers	44.8	40%
Kingdown	46.8	42%
John of Gaunt	41.7	33%
Clarendon	38.7	32%

Table 2 May 2018 Census  

Area Board	Any SEND %	Disadvantaged %	Any SEND & Disadv %
Westbury	18	23	7
Warminster	13	15	4
Trowbridge	18	20	6

The results detailed above are a tribute to our dedicated staff and exceptional students. It is no good Ofsted saying that their inspection judgements are not all about performance data. Mr. Smith was interested in little else when he spoke to governors. The 2017 data, at least.  

In Part II I will discuss other matters in relation to governance and the inspection judgement. 

Guy Davies 
Co-Chair of the Board of Governors 

"For things to remain the same, everything must change"

I was interested to see an article in a recent edition of the White Horse News on the discovery of the grave of John Matravers. When he died in 1753, Matravers left £1000 in his will to set up an educational establishment for the children of Westbury. His bequest was used in 1814 to found a new 'charity school' for the sons and daughters of ordinary working people. Matravers School, named in honour of the benefactor, is a direct descendant from that original place of learning. I wonder what the man himself would think of modern Matravers, with its interactive white boards, and other techy stuff? 

My time as chair of governors at Matravers doesn't quite stretch back to the school's historic origins. But mine has been rather a lengthy period of office, starting in July 2013. It's been a privilege and I still enjoy serving as chair, but from now on I will be sharing the role with a colleague, Mr. Brian Ralph. 

Brian has been a governor at the school since November 2014. He was vice chair of governors and is chair of our Resources committee. Brian's children attended the school. With his background in the military and business management skills, he brings a wealth of experience to his role as co-chair. Brian is as committed as I am to ensuring that Matravers School continues to go from strength to strength. 

Our ambition is to be a system leading school. The board's Vision Statement includes the commitment, "Our bespoke collaborations with other organisations will positively influence both our own learning community and the wider education system." The move to co-chairing is designed to enable me to play a wider role in the school system. I have joined the board of the Wiltshire Governors' Association and have been appointed to serve on the Wiltshire Education Standards Board. WESB has been set up to oversee all schools and academies in the county from September 2018. 

It has been said, "For things to remain the same, everything must change". John Matravers wanted to ensure that children from the Westbury area had access to an education that would help set them up for life. We remain true to that same vision, although approaches to schooling will have changed massively over the centuries. 

There have been many changes at Matravers even during the time I have served as chair. Hopefully for the better. But the school's essence remains intact. We continue to offer a broad, balanced, arts-rich education to the young people of Westbury and beyond. I hope old John Matravers would approve. 

Governor Visit Day: Term 4

It was a case of 'back to school' for the governors last Tuesday for one of our twice-yearly Visit Days. While we access a wealth of data and information about the school in our governor meetings, there is no substitute for spending time in school, visiting lessons and speaking to students. 

It was great to see students engaging so well with their studies. Their behaviour around the school was exemplary. We were grateful to the teachers who kindly received us into their classrooms. Sitting in on a Year 10 assembly helped the governors see how high expectations of conduct and commitment are promoted to students. 

The focus of the visit was on the curriculum. We wanted to see whether Key Stage 3 students were stimulated and stretched by the range of lessons on offer. The students to whom we spoke appreciated the breadth of the curriculum at Matravers. They especially enjoyed arts subjects. The Year 9 students on our panel had evidently given thought to their future career choices, which helped inform their  GCSE options. 

It was reassuring to hear that the students felt safe and cared for in school, and were aware that they can always talk to members of staff should they have any problems. The students said they felt proud to be members of the Matravers community and were happy that they had come to our school. They appreciated recent investments in the school’s facilities and resources. Particularly the resurfaced tennis courts and new style exercise books. The latter were a real aid to learning. All the governors were impressed by the students’ polite attitude and the spirited and thoughtful answers they gave to our questions.

The visit concluded with an excellent lunch at the school canteen. We didn't just come in for the food, though. Honest. 

Effective School Governance by Mark A'Bear

Directory of Social Change, 2016, 174pp 

Very few people know exactly what they are letting themselves in for when they join a school governing board. I certainly didn't. 

Whatever your preconceptions may be, you'll find that it isn't quite as you imagined. Your admirable desire to 'make a difference' will have to be channeled through the appropriate decision making processes.

You may have skills that could be of use to the board, but knowing how to apply them in the context of governance is another matter. For example, the role of a governor with accountancy expertise isn't to do the school accounts. That's the business manager's job. But your background may help you enhance the board's ability to ensure value for money is achieved in the use of school funds. That's the idea, anyway. 

The same applies whatever one's work experience or skill set. Governors aren't there to do stuff, but to decide what important stuff needs doing and ensure that it's done well. In the jargon, governance is a strategic, not operational role. 

If  that doesn't appeal, there are always other things people can do with their time. 

Mark A'Bear would agree. He even has a chapter on 'When should you not become a governor?' But there are many good reason for becoming one, and those who do should want to maximise their effectiveness. 

Good governance makes a difference by giving a school a clear sense of direction, and then ensuring progress is being made towards the direction that has been set.

It's all about vision and strategy. 

Simples. But how do you go about creating a compelling vision for a school, how may governors contribute to the strategy devised to make that vision a reality, and how can they tell if the vision is being achieved? 

That's where A'Bear's book comes in. He breaks down the essentials of governance into their component parts, chapter by chapter, and puts them all back together again at the end. A bit like James May does on the telly with Hornby train sets, or electric guitars, but in this case the author is working with the concepts and procedures of school governance. 

All the key parts are here, including who should govern, stakeholder engagement, operating strategically, establishing accountability, governance structures, the roles of the chair and clerk, Ofsted preparation, and more besides. 

A'Bear writes in a  clear, crisp and accessible way that will not leave new recruits to the world of governance scratching their heads. More experienced colleagues will find his guide a useful primer and source of best practice.

The recent Ofsted survey report, 'Improving Governance' suggested that lack of self evaluation is a common feature of weak governance. This book is a self evaluation aid in itself and contains some of the key documents that have been produced to help governing boards evaluate their effectiveness. Such as the All Party Parliamentary Group's 20 questions for governing boards and an equivalent 21 questions for MAT boards (Appendix V). Governors would do well to use the material in this book to help them reflect critically on how their own systems of governance measure up. If we don't, Ofsted certainly will next time they come a-knocking. 

A'Bear has governed in both primary and secondary sectors, but those involved in governance at secondary level will notice some gaps in his coverage. For example, newly appointed secondary colleagues could probably do with having things like Attainment 8, Progress 8, EBacc, and Sixth Form accountability measures included in the glossary alongside info on SATs and Sports Premium Funding. Can't have it all, I suppose. Maybe such gaps can be made good in a second edition?

As the author acknowledges, it isn't easy to keep up with the rapidly changing world of education in England. He does his best to ensure that his treatment is up to date, addressing both the LA maintained and academy sectors. He also has a word or two to say about the shiny new world of multi academy trusts (MATs). Greater attention is given to governance in the maintained sector, however, with details provided of the different categories of governor in LA schools that don't apply in academies. Little is said about the roles of members, trustees and local governors in a MAT. The main functions of governance apply whatever the type of school, but more academy-specific information wouldn't have gone amiss.

The government has made it clear that it would like to see all schools become academies, with MATs the preferred model. According to the Department for Education, 97% of schools converting to academies in the last couple of years have joined MATs (see here). In his foreword to the new Governance Handbook Lord Nash urges schools to consider the benefits collaborating within MATs. The model is central to the DfE's vision of a 'school led system'. MAT-land is the direction of travel for education in England.

A key question for governors of LA schools is whether they will take the initiative and form a MAT with other like-minded local schools, or wait until they have to join an already established one to avoid being left high and dry. It would have been useful had A'Bear given some guidance to schools in making that choice, or at least flagged up the excellent materials provided by the National Governors' Association created to help governors make informed decisions regarding academisation options - see here and here (subscribers only). 

A'Bear's Effective School Governance lacks the political dimension present in its nearest equivalent on the market, Improving School Governance by Nigel Gann (Routledge, 2016). The latter title could almost be styled A Guardian Reader's Guide to Governance. You won't find a critique of Thatcherite educational neoliberalism and its deleterious effects on schooling in A'Bear's volume. Both books cover similar ground when it comes to the practicalities. Gann is stronger on the history of school governance. But I'd probably want to place Effective School Governance into the hands of a new colleague ahead of Gann's lengthier work.

Educational structures in England are in a state of flux at the moment and school governance is being shaken up as the system moves towards wholescale academisaion. This timely book is a reminder that good governance makes a difference and sets out exactly what that looks like in practice. Let's ensure for the sake of our pupils' education that school governance at all levels is as powerfully effective as it can be. That's certainly one of the things that needs to happen if we are going to construct a school led system in which every child exceeds their expected potential.

* I am grateful to the publishers for providing a complementary review copy. 

Governor Situations Vacant

Governors. What are they for, exactly?

For starters, we set the vision of the school. A vision may be defined as 'a clear mental picture of what  could be, fired by the conviction that it should be.' You will find our Vision Statement on the right hand side of this blog. It offers, we think, a compelling picture educational excellence. In essence we want Matravers to be 'a world class centre for teaching and learning at the heart of the Westbury Community'. What's not to like? 

It's one thing to have a vision, but you also need a carefully devised plan to make it happen. Governors work with the Headteacher to develop an all-encompassing school improvement strategy that is designed to make our vision a reality. 

We also set 'Key Performance Indicators' so we can judge whether the actions detailed in the strategy are having the desired effect. Some of them concern the academic progress of pupils, others are related to student attendance and behavior, staff development, enhancements to the school site, and so on. Governors then hold the Headteacher to account for delivering these goals.

Governors monitor the school budget to make sure that funds are spent on our strategical priorities and that value for money is achieved. 

But it isn't all facts and figures. We have two Governor Visit Days per academic year. Governors get to sit in on lessons and speak to students about their experiences of school life. We never cease to be impressed by what we see. Fascinating lessons. Exceptional students.

When we visit the school, we often ask students what they think we as governors do. Recently a Year 7 student piped up, 'You try and make the school better'. That's about it, really. Under the leadership of our Headteacher, Dr. Riding, Matravers has been on a rapid journey of educational improvement over the last few years. It's been a privilege for those of us who have served on the governing board to have played our part in this transformation. But we are not at all complacent. We want Matravers to be better still, for our students, staff and the local community. 

Being a governor takes time, effort and commitment. We make no bones about that. But we believe it's worth it. Education can have a massive effect on children's life chances and they only get one shot at schooling. We want to make sure that the education they receive at Matravers is nothing less than 'world class'. 

Right now we have a number of vacancies on the Board of Governors – 1 for a parent governor, 2 in a ‘co-opted’ governor position and 2 in a ‘partnership’ position. Co-opted governors can be anyone with the relevant skills, including parents of children at the school, and local authority or school employees, as well as other members of the community. Partnership governors are nominated by parents or other members of the community, but cannot be parents of children at the school, or members of staff. 

See the Governor Vacancies page of the school website, which also contains contact details if you want to find out more. We have extended the deadline to 18 November to give time for more people to apply.

You don't have to be from the world of education to be a school governor. Current members of the board bring a wide range of skills and experience to their role. New governors receive induction and training. Opportunities will be flagged up to undertake further training for specific areas of governor responsibility. We may not be paid for what we do, but that does not make us any less professional in our attitude and approach to governing the school.

Help make Matravers even better. Consider becoming a school governor. 

The Chair's Handbook NGA Guide

The Chair's Handbook: A guide for chairs of school governing boards,
Gillian Allcroft & Emma Knighs, National Governors' Association, 5th Edition, 2016, 72pp

I didn't especially want to be Chair of Governors. I joined our school's governing board as a Parent Governor, not really knowing much about governance. The existing chair seemed pretty well established and didn't look as though she was going anywhere. Only I was wrong about that. One FGB she suddenly announced that she was standing down. Soon. By that time I'd only been a governor for a year (since January 2012) and didn't feel up to taking on the role. Neither did anyone else for that matter. "Would anyone like to be considered as chair?" asked the outgoing one. The wind whistled around our ears like in that tense moment after a gunfight in a cowboy film when the Colt 45s have fallen silent. No one made eye contact. Tumbleweed rolled across the boardroom floor. "That's a 'no', then." Certainly was.

The LA was approached and they managed to rustle us up a recently retired headteacher to act as chair. Her main task was to oversee the appointment of a substantive headteacher, as an interim head was in place at the time. Oh, and she also had to lead us through an Oftsed inspection a couple of months after taking the chair. We were judged Requires Improvement. Another thing was to spot a successor from our own number. A substantive headteacher was appointed, with Dr. Riding due to start in September 2013. That job done, the chair could now concentrate her efforts on digging an escape tunnel. Cue 'Great Escape' music. 

Only I was the escape tunnel. Won't bore you with the details, but I was persuaded that I was the right man for the role and was duly elected to serve as chair in July 2013. Steep learning curve. You don't know what it's like to be chair until you're it. The clerk is calling for a decision. The headteacher wants to discuss how best to handle a tricky situation. Then there's the board. You have to ensure that they become a strategic leadership team, united behind a common vision, working with the Headteacher in pursuit of shared goals. Now you can't become aware of an 'issue' and think, 'Oh I'm sure someone else will see to that', because if you don't get it seen to, it's likely no one will. 

I was used to chairing meetings and leading a group of volunteers, which was a good start. Those bits are part and parcel of my role as a Baptist Minister. The Church Members' Meetings which I chair as pastor have formal agendas; the church's vision, goals and activities are discussed, accounts received and so on. But those were the only types of meetings that I'd ever chaired. I was a bit worried that I'd begin my first FGB in a non-denominational school by saying, "Let us pray" and finish up pronouncing the benediction. Thus far I've managed to avoid confusing pulpit and chair.

When Ofsted came to call in February 2015 they found the GB in much better shape. The school was judged 'Good' with many outstanding features. We're forging ahead with our ambition to ensure that the school is a world class centre for teaching and learning at the heart of the local community. But there's still a lot to do and I'm going to need to be at the top of my game as chair to ensure that the governing board plays its part effectively. That's why the NGA's The Chair's Handbook is such a useful publication. For newbie chairs it is an invaluable guide to help you get a handle on a role that has in all likelihood been thrust upon you. For more experienced colleagues, the work offers an opportunity for us to review what we do against the models of best practice offered here. 

In crystal clear prose and with the help of user friendly diagrams the guide focuses on on seven crucial areas for chairs: 1. Leading governance in schools. 2. Leading and developing the team. 3. The chair, the headteacher and accountability. 4. Leading school improvement. 5. Leading governing board business. 6. Becoming the chair. 7. Leaving the chair. This edition is fully up-to-date, including when required, differentiated advice for chairs of governors in maintained schools, Academies and MAT boards. It really is a one stop shop for all things chairy.

Especially when you've been chair for a few years it's good to stand back, take stock of your work and consider what needs improving. With clinical accuracy authors Gillian Allcroft and Emma Knights expose chairing shortcomings that need correcting. I tend to be quite self-critical anyway so reading stuff like this can be quite painful. But there we are. I suppose it's worth triggering a bout of gloomy introspection if it makes me a better chair. There's certainly nowhere to hide for poor practitioners, from control freaks who can't delegate to inadequate numptys into whose heads a remotely strategic thought has never popped. Although they don't put it quite like that.

I once heard a fellow-chair say that his role was not to give the board leadership. That kind of thing was down to the headteacher. While it's true that the head is expected to lead the operational running of the school, it's not his/her job to lead the board to which they are accountable. That is very definitely the chair's role. As the headings listed above indicate, the guide has a welcome emphasis on the chair as leader of governance. The authors state,

The chair leads the governing board, ensuring it fulfills its functions well. The culture of the board is largely determined by the chair, for better or worse. A good chair will ensure its focus is on the strategic, and it is no exaggeration to say that the success or failure of the board depends heavily on the caliber of the chair. (p. 10)

No pressure, then.

Reading The Chairs Handbook may also serve to highlight issues that have been relegated to the back burner which need to be addressed with greater urgency. Succession planning is one thing. I don't want to leave the GB in a position where they are unable to appoint my successor from among our own number. By the time I'm done, who knows what help the LA may be able to offer? 

Being chair of governors is an immense privilege and is actually rather enjoyable. Especially as you see the board growing in strength, colleagues stepping up to take on new roles, and, above all the school you serve going forwards in leaps and bounds. It also helps if you like a challenge. But more is required of a chair than well-meaning enthusiasm. They need a clear understanding of their role and the qualities needed to make a success of it. The Chair's Handbook very definitely points us in the right direction. The guide should be mandatory reading for all current practitioners and wannabes.

Thanks, @NGAMedia. An electronic version for Gold members would make it easier to share some of the excellent material for board-level discussion.  

Now to that escape tunnel. Da da dah dah dah da da...