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Visible governance

Visible Governance in Schools and Trusts

Over 250,000 people volunteer their time, skills and experiences to ensure schools and trusts succeed and give the best education to children and young people. We are asking you to join us in championing the positive difference good governance makes to schools and trusts.

Campaign
01/03/2023
news-views sign saying Visible governance in schools

We know that school and trust governance is almost always invisible when it is working well, and very much in the spotlight when things go wrong. We want that to change. 

That is why we are asking you to join us to champion the positive difference good governance makes to schools and trusts.

We are asking governors, trustees, and governance professionals to be bold and positive and stand up and shout about what they do and why they do it. We want you to highlight your contribution to the education system, and the difference you make to children and young people and your communities.

We are also encouraging the people and organisations who value the role of school and trust governance to champion and participate in the campaign.

With your support, we can achieve a higher profile and better understanding of governance, and further improve outcomes for children and their communities – a goal which we know will be important to you too.

Visible Governance campaign aims:

Raise the profile of school and trust governance

Highlighting the positive impact governance makes on the education and wellbeing of young people.

Celebrate the 250,000 volunteers who govern

Those who volunteer to govern deserve their commitment and contribution to be celebrated .

Encourage more people to govern

We want more and more people to govern from a range of backgrounds and experiences.

Watch our film on the role of governors and trustees!

This 30 second film explains what governors and trustees do and how they support schools and trusts to succeed.

Help us spread the word – find out how you can share the film to raise the profile of governance and help recruit new volunteers. Find out more.

Help us make governance visible

Whether you govern or are interested in the role, there is plenty you can do to help us make governance visible:

Visible Governance: actions you can take

Visible Governance for employers

Volunteer to be a governor or trustee

Visible Governance stories

Across the campaign, we’ve been sharing the stories of volunteers and those who support them.

Campaign supporters

  • “I welcome, and am pleased to support, the relaunch of NGA’s Visible Governance campaign. Governing boards and governance support has an important role in our school system and this campaign recognises the contribution of over 250,000 volunteer governors and trustees and their governance professionals and clerks. Robust and effective governance is central to overseeing the strategic direction of a school or trust and has a key role in improving and raising standards for children and young people with the aim of delivering excellent outcomes.”

    Baroness Barran,

    Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the School System

  • "ASCL is delighted to back the Visible Governance campaign to highlight the vital contribution of governors and trustees. People freely give up their time to do these unpaid roles so that they can make a difference, providing in equal measure the scrutiny and support which helps schools to deliver successful outcomes for their pupils. Visible Governance is a great way of celebrating their work as well as encouraging others to become governors and trustees so they too can make a difference.”

    Geoff Barton

    General Secretary

    The Association of School and College Leaders

  • “NAHT recognises the critical role that school governance plays in the health and success of the school system, and promotes the need for governing boards and school leaders to effectively work together to ensure school improvement. We are pleased to see these volunteers being given more attention, as we need high-quality individuals who can best represent their school communities, with an emphasis on diversity and an insistence on mandatory training. As such we will commit to making governance more visible within our work in 2020, supporting school leaders to engage well with their governing boards in the interests of children and young people.”

    Paul Whiteman

    General Secretary

    NAHT

  • “ISBL recognises that good governance is a really important part of successful schools and trusts, as one of the three pillars of education leadership. We commit to making governance more visible within our work throughout 2020, and we encourage school business professionals to support the campaign and recognise the role of school governance too. We know that so many school business professionals already choose to govern in a different school/trust and that they really value the experience, in particular how it enables them to work more effectively with their own governing board, and hope to encourage many more to do so.”

    Stephen Morales

    CEO

    The Institute of School Business Leadership

    Get in touch

    If you'd like to share your story, ask about how you can help make governance visible or have any ideas on what we can do next, please get in touch.

    Contact Us
    Become a governor or trustee

    Could you be a governor or trustee?

    Reasons to volunteer:

    Improve the lives of children and young people
    Make a difference in your community
    Build professional skills and networks
    Get your voice heard
    A rewarding experience
    Find out more