Local governors in some multi-academy trusts are frustrated by not having a role managing headteacher performance, a new report reveals.
The National Governance Association report, published today, also warns that finding volunteers to work in the local tier of governance in MATs can be challenging.
The NGA’s findings are based on research with 10 MATs of varying sizes in different parts of the country.
The report comes after the NGA strongly criticised the Department for Education for not including the need for a local tier of governors in its new descriptions of what MATs should deliver.
The report explores the roles, responsibilities and challenges faced by local governors in academy trusts. Here are its key findings.
1. Concern over headteacher management
The report identifies big differences in the approach that trusts take to local governor involvement in headteacher performance management.
Some local chairs welcomed the opportunity to be involved in the appraisal of their headteacher.
But in other MATs governors reported finding “the transition to a central line-management structure difficult, with an underlying sense of frustration at the lack of involvement in the process”.
2. SEND and safeguarding are key roles
The report identifies areas - what it describes as the “four Ss” - that are typically delegated to a local tier of governance in academy trusts.
These are special educational needs and disability (SEND), safeguarding, stakeholder engagement and standards.
The NGA says: “Intentional and purposeful delegation takes full advantage of local knowledge and expertise, facilitating meaningful, well-informed decisions of the trust board.”
3. MATs should avoid ‘top-down’ communication with its local governors
The report says that “effective communication channels between the trust board and the local tier are essential” as this amplifies local governors’ voices “and the stakeholders they represent”.
The NGA says that communication was prioritised by the trusts it spoke to, but adds that some local governors wanted improved communication in order to be able to engage in “debate and active discussion as opposed to exclusively top-down conversations”.
4. Finding local volunteers is challenging
The success of the local tier of governance is limited by the challenges of recruiting local volunteers, the NGA warns.
It says that although governance professionals are providing vital support in recruiting for co-opted governor vacancies, parental and foundation vacancies remain particularly challenging to fill. This can result in trust boards reverting to professional and personal connections to fill vacancies.
5. Collaboration with other schools and trusts would help
Local governance in trusts would benefit from greater collaboration with other schools and trusts, according to the report.
Although findings showed that communication within MATs was strong, the local academy committees of governors would benefit from sharing good knowledge and practice with outside schools or trusts to improve the quality of governance in the local community, the report says.
6. Success of local governors linked to the identity of the MAT
The reputation and identity of the trust in the local area have a direct influence on the success and impact of the local tier of governors, the report says.
”Trusts with a strong image and positive reputation had better recruitment and stakeholder engagement in their local communities. This connection and visibility allowed for meaningful impact to happen throughout the trust,” it adds.
The NGA has called on the DfE to ensure that local governance is explictly mentioned in its guidance on how MATs should operate. Governance differs in academy trusts and maintained schools. In MATs legal decision-making responsibility sits at the trust board level rather than at individual schools.
The NGA report notes that 98 per cent of trusts operate with some form of local governance arrangements in place.
