Major review into strengthening school governance is launched by Jim Knight

A major review to strengthen school governing bodies and make them more effective was launched yesterday by Schools Minister Jim Knight.

We want to raise the profile of school governors, attract talented and skilled people into this vital role, and provide them with the best support.

The review, announced by the Secretary of State Ed Balls in the Children’s Plan last December, will develop firm proposals to give every school a highly skilled, smaller and better trained governing body to deliver the best service they can for the children and parents in their communities. Mr Knight will chair a working group to advise ministers on equipping governing bodies to give schools clear strategic direction and ethos; listen to parents and local communities; and be at the heart of turning round underperforming schools.

Business in the Community's research to inform government review

BITC and the University of Bath are carrying out a review of school governance and the role that businesses can play in encouraging and supporting their employees to volunteer as school governors.

Interim findings will be made available to the National Council for Educational Excellence at the end of June 2008 with the final report available in October 2008.

The review will consider:

• What lessons can be learned from different principles and models of governance in a range of governance settings
• The current state of school governance
• What companies are doing to help their employees serve as governors
• Barriers that obstruct further employer and employee engagement
• Ways in which companies can arrange and manage their employee-governor programmes to achieve the highest degree of effectiveness and the greatest benefits to employers, employees, schools and students.

For further information about the review and how your company can get involved, please contact Nick Chambers, Education Director, Business in the Community.