HAMPSHIRE GOVERNOR SERVICES
Introduction - Hampshire’s governor services provision has a national reputation and is held in high esteem both by the County Council and its schools and governing bodies. The awards in December 1995, 1998 and 2001 by central government of a Charter Mark as recognition of excellence in public service, is testimony to the quality of staff and the service they deliver. From 1/1/97 governor training and governor support were merged into governor services which operates as a centrally managed business unit within the Children's Services Department. The service to governors is locally based with a Governor Services Co-ordinator, Assistant Governor Services Co-ordinators and administrative officers located in Children's Services Department Offices in Fleet, Havant, and the New Forest. Both Governor Services Co-ordinators and administrative staff meet regularly with the Head of Governor Services and their colleagues from other local offices. As well as providing mutual support these meetings ensure that a common entitlement to information, advice, support and training for governors across the county is achieved in a co-ordinated and cost effective manner.
Staff & Staff Development - There are 19.85 full time equivalent posts in Governor Services. Each member of staff has a key part to play in ensuring the continued high quality of provision for governors in Hampshire. The Service takes seriously staff development needs and encourages all staff to develop their skills to meet the constantly changing demands of the work.
The Customers
Governors and Governing Bodies - There are approximately 540 governing bodies and nearly 9000 governors in Hampshire. Governing bodies can choose to purchase training, clerking and consultancy services from us.
Hampshire County Council, as the local education authority, has a range of statutory and strategic training, support, administrative and monitoring responsibilities in respect of the governing bodies of its schools. Governor Services fulfils these duties on behalf of the LEA under a contract negotiated with the Standards and Improvement Branch of the Education Department.
The Services
Information and Advice - In addition to printed information through newsletters and other publications the service deals with many requests for advice from governors often by telephone. A website was launched in July 2000 and is being continuously developed.
Administration and Monitoring - The service oversees the recruitment and appointment of new governors and maintains an up-to-date database of governing body membership. Governing body minutes are systematically monitored and support and advice provided to governing bodies as necessary.
Schools of Concern - The service provides an additional support and consultancy programme for governing bodies in schools in special measures, with serious weaknesses, or otherwise causing concern.
Clerking - The service runs a clerking service from which a governing body may purchase a clerk if they choose. Clerks are recruited from within the County Council and beyond and trained as appropriate. An accreditation programme, developed jointly with the national organisation Information For School and College Governors, can be accessed by clerks employed by individual schools as well as those employed by Hampshire Governor Services.
The Governor Training and Development Programme - The programme is published on a county-wide basis annually with local termly updates. In the 2003 to 2004 financial year 630 events adding up to 1542 training hours were delivered across the county.
The Core Programme covers the County Council’s core and strategic responsibilities for induction training for new governors, chairs and clerks and briefings on new areas of legislation and policy. The County Council provides the service with a budget for this work which is delivered to governors free of charge.
The Extension Programme is charged to governing bodies on a full or selective access basis. They fund this from their school budget. An income to the service in excess of £450k is derived from this source. As well as centre based courses the extension programme has a wide range of whole governing body training sessions which are delivered to individual governing bodies at a time and place of their choice. Over 400 events were delivered in this way in the last financial year..
The Tutors are drawn from a variety of sources. Governor Services works closely with Hampshire Inspectors, education officers, personnel and finance sections, architects department etc. all of whom provide trainers for parts of the programme. Where appropriate freelance trainers from outside the authority are used. A growing number of governors and school staff (heads and others) are employed as associate tutors and governing body advisers. Governor Services Co-ordinators co-ordinate and manage the activities of the full range of course presenters and are themselves required to deliver training.
Service Development and Quality Control are central to the successful operation of Governor Services. All training events are evaluated as a matter of routine. The clerking service is evaluated every other year and other aspects of the service reviewed on a rota basis, one area per year. Website usage is monitored electronically.
Service administration plays a key role in ensuring the high quality of provision for which the service is known. Information technology systems provide the backbone of both our service to customers and the management information on which service developments are based.