Partners: AGBIS The Hero Volunteers Providing good governance

THE HERO VOLUNTEERS

PROVIDING GOOD GOVERNANCE

Richard Harman looks back across turbulent times for governors and contemplates some of the challenges ahead.

It was wonderful to be able to gather again in person on 17th March for our 2022 AGBIS Conference at the QEII centre, Westminster. The last time I had spoken on that platform was a few a efore t e fi r t loc own in arc 2020. I had just visited a member school to deliver a talk entitled “What Could Possibly Go Wrong”? Well, now we know! But whilst we’ve learned that a pandemic wasn’t high on most of our risk registers, we have also discovered how resilient and adaptable we are.

Looking at the world in 2022, we certainly are continuing to live through highly anxious, turbulent times with a series of massive external shocks to absorb.

We are now working out how best to deliver ‘hybrid’ services to our members, with a mixture of in-person and online offers. Demand is high; the helpline is busy with queries, from TPS to committee structures to relationship issues between Heads, Bursars and Chairs. Governing bodies are engaging our services to facilitate strategy away days, as they recognise the importance of expert input and proper strategic alignment in this volatile environment. Meanwhile, our full Reviews of Governance are more popular then ever before.

Things are changing too in the independent schools’ marketplace, with a myriad of pressures to contend with. We see continued political, media and public perception issues as well as questions of compliance, TPS and industrial relations. eanti e, fi nancial pre re are rowin rapidly for all of us, schools and parents, incl in ri in in ation an ta ation

So, given all this volatility and pressure, what should the priorities be for our schools’ governors? Don’t lose sight of the essentials of good governance. ‘Guidelines for Governors’ remains AGBIS’ key handbook; it’s all in there! Then there are my three Cs – Compliance; Culture; and Communication. I might add a fourth – Compassion. It is all about listening well and asking good questions. Commit to memory also the AGBIS mantras: ‘Eyes on, Hands Off.’ ‘Trust but Verify.’ ‘How Do We Know?’ A governor’s role is all about setting the strategy, not doing the operations.

If you are a governor, or want to be, please do keep in touch. Above all, thank you for all you do: the ‘hero volunteers’ of our sector. ●

massive external shocks

RICHARD HARMAN is CEO of AGBIS. He was previously Headmaster of Aldenham and subsequently Uppingham. Richard is a past Chairman of the BSA and HMC.