In case you have not seen it, school Governors are in the press a certain amount just now. In a nutshell it seems their responsibilities and the complexities of the job have increased dramatically over the last few years. However, the skills and abilities of those in the job have not always increased in the same way.
The BBC reports it like this:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/6720593.stm
The Times puts it like this:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/article1884393.ece
Interestingly they comment that performance managing a head-teacher is one of their harder jobs.
Let us not forget though that our Governors are a dedicated bunch, giving a lot of time to our school, and doing their very best.
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The second article mentioned on this blog, from The Times, starts off as follows:
"School governors often lack the necessary financial and managerial expertise and are not qualified to assess staff, research suggests.
The result is an army of volunteer governors willing to commit hours of their spare time “for the good of the school”, but often without knowing what they are doing.
Governors are supposed to function as a “critical friend” to the head teacher, but too often they feel that their lack of expertise makes it difficult to be critical, the report says. Governors are particularly reluctant to conduct performance appraisals of the head, even though it is a key part of their responsibilities. "
All this sounds very much like our school. TG, you praise the dedication and hard work of the governors, but are they actually being effective? Afterall, they hired Mrs. Cleugh, and from what I understand, without checking references.
I thnk TG is being very 'generous' in his assessment of the governing body when he says "Let us not forget though that our Governors are a dedicated bunch, giving a lot of time to our school, and doing their very best."
The comment in the Times article "an army of volunteer governors willing to commit hours of their spare time “for the good of the school”, but often without knowing what they are doing." Resonated with me. They will all trot out the phrase "for the good of the school..." but I don't actually believe that this is simply the only pure and noble motive operating when people choose to become school governors. There are loads of vacancies for governors all over the country. The only requirement is that you are over 18 and have a pulse. Yet some feel that the position holds a certain 'cache'on CV's , school application forms and so forth.
It is self evident that in our situation, the governors are neither intellectually nor experientially equipped to deal with what they are facing. This is why Ann Blyth never makes any decision without leaning very heavily on Mr Pittendriegh of the diocese, who, you may realise is the only real 'governor' with any clout. Except for the fact that he's not actually a governor. In fact he's the ex headteacher of St Aloysius in Highgate, which would make him very well aquainted with the process of a school going into 'special measures'.
I don't think I'm cynical but in any position, paid or otherwise, of 'influence' and decision making, I never assume that the first motivation is 'the good' of the organisation that the position is serving. I don't think that that motivation is necessarily lacking entirely ( though it can be) but I think it comes way down the list after "the good of me" and "the good of my kids" and "the general 'feelgood' of being 'on the inside'"
The more this pot is stirred, the more fetid and malodourous it is appearing.
I was curious about the claim made to parents that the school website was somehow 'blocked' and therefore currenly innaccesible for updating etc. This was the explanation given to the question about why the website has been so neglected of late.
I decided to phone the webmaster and find out if this was true.
IT IS'NT.
Mrs Cleugh told him when he first made contact with her shortly after her arrival in post that she no longer needed his services.
Unpaid and as a matter of goodwill, he continued to post newsletters as they were sent to him by Mrs Goodrick. This all stopped in October last year ( which would correspond I think to when she went off sick). he continues to monitor the message board as a goodwill gesture. Rather noble of him I think. Particularly in the light of his dismissal, and subsequent suggestions that he has left the school 'in the lurch' in terms of making the website inaccessible.
The stories are so at variance, 'someone' or 'some people' are not telling the truth.
Mrs Cleugh, Ann Blyth and governors: Most of these stories don't require the sleuthing skills of Miss Marple to uncover. It is often a fairly simple matter, as in this instance, to get to the truth. Please don't patronise us by making up stories to mollify us.
Further to Tonys suggestion that you write to your MP Andrew Slaughter with any concerns, I just wanted to let you know that it is also possible to email a message to him here:
http://www.writetothem.com/write?who=26293&pc=w3+9jf&fyr_extref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theyworkforyou.com%2Fmp%2Fandrew_slaughter%2Fealing%252C_acton_and_shepherd%2527s_bush
Hope that link works OK, it's rather long and I think it's been truncated here. If not just try
http://www.writetothem.com/
and then enter your postcode.
I know email is easier for some of us :-)
Good evening/morning from Teresa Roscow.
I get the feeling that loads more people visit this site to READ than ever comment, and of the commenters, I and Clare C and Tony Loftus seem to be the only ones willing to put a name to a comment...I have had four separate mentions of "oh yes, I read your comments on the blog..." this evening.
So, it's about a month since the Governors Meeting. Almost a year since so many teachers left, revelation upon revelation on the blog and still there is no obvious path for what we current parents might need to do.
This Blog is not necessarily the best forum for real debate, as it is open to reading by governors and indeed the Headteacher, so I will stick my neck out and say ARE THERE ANY PARENTS OUT THERE WHO WANT TO GET TOGETHER AND PLAN WHAT WE CAN DO? I have a couple of weak ideas, maybe together we can get a proper action plan together? This would have to be taken off-site, so here is my e-mail address. If, in the next week, half a dozen parents contact me, then I know there are enough parents out there prepared to organise something. If no one contacts me then I will know that the Blog really is only a site for venting some pretty useless hot air.
So here is my e-mail address and here's hoping that 6 of you reply
teresa@stratlink.co.uk
The Diocese,The Scool Govenors and the LEA at St John Rigby College,
West Wickham , Kent also failed in their duties. please go to the link
for more information. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/3013637.stmt
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