This review of the effectiveness of governance models will be make for useful contextual reading for school governors and school leaders.
Governance models in schools
Synopsis
With over 300,000 school governors in England, the role forms one of the largest volunteer groups in the country. Since 1988, school governing bodies have taken on more responsibilities and their role has become more important as schools have gained more autonomy.
The Local Government Group commissioned the National Foundation for Educational Research to review the current model of accountabilities in school governance and consider alternative models that may be appropriate for schools in the future. This evaluation comprises of three main strands: a rapid review of literature; online surveys of governors; and interviews with a range of stakeholders.
The research indicates that an effective governing body can have a valuable impact on school improvement, and that the majority of governors felt that their governing bodies were effective. Coordinators were also positive about the overall effectiveness of governing bodies.