Agenda item

This fourth interim report on the review of school governors provides additional information in relation to the survey of individual governors, following the consultation session held after the last meeting, and presents a draft questionnaire to be sent to governing bodies.

Members considered a fourth interim report on the scrutiny review of the role of School Governors (Part A).  The report set out details of work on the review to date.  It also provided additional information relating to the survey of individual governors, following the informal consultation session held after the last meeting, and presented a further draft questionnaire to governing bodies. 

Details of the comments made by governors at the consultation session, and the Committee’s responses, were attached as Annex A to the report.  Additional comments provided by governors on their completed survey forms  were set out in Annex B.  Officers reported that there had been an error in the number of returned survey forms indicated in this report and the report to the last meeting.  In fact, only about 354 forms had been returned; approximately one-third of the total sent out.  This meant that the apparent lack of response to particular questions, as highlighted in the reports, was no longer an issue, since it reflected the overall response to the survey rather than a reluctance to answer certain questions. 

In respect of the key objective ‘to identify ways of increasing the number of Community Governors’, it was reported that the exit questionnaire considered by Members at their meeting in January had now been circulated, but no completed forms were available as yet.  It had already been agreed that the latest interim report would be sent to governing bodies, along with a questionnaire requesting further information to support the review.  A draft questionnaire and covering letter were attached as Annex C to the report.  

Members discussed and agreed a number of amendments that they felt should be made to the interim report, covering letter and questionnaire before these documents were sent out to governing bodies for consideration at their full governors’ meetings over the half term period.

RESOLVED: (i)         That the interim report be amended to reflect the true position regarding the number of completed governor survey forms received, as reported at the meeting.

                        (ii)        That the covering letter at Annex C be amended to reflect the true position on the number of completed survey forms received, and also to:

·        express the Committee’s thanks and appreciation to those who responded to the survey;

·        clarify that governing bodies are welcome to provide feedback on the interim report, as well as responding to the questionnaire;

·        include a paragraph seeking information on governing bodies’ involvement in extended schools (Part B of the remit of this scrutiny topic);

·        emphasise the deadline date for responses, 19 May, by putting it in bold text.

                        (iii)       That amendments be made to the questionnaire at Annex C, as requested by Members at the meeting.*

                        (iv)       That the Scrutiny Officer circulate the amended documents to Members by e-mail for comment prior to sending them to the governing bodies.

REASONS:    To ensure that Members’ views on these documents are taken into account and to ensure that work can proceed as planned for this review, whilst complying with scrutiny procedures, protocols and work plans.

* Note: the amended questionnaire is attached as Annex 1 to these minutes.