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Policies & procedures

Panel work: exclusions, complaints and employment

Training & development
12/04/2023
people looking at documents and making notes during a meeting

At a glance

Reviewing decisions made by the senior executive leader

Your role as a governor or trustee is likely to include taking part in formal panels to review decisions made by the senior leader of the school or trust.

Each of our panel work sessions will give you a clear idea of how the panel should be conducted, typical challenges you may face and what you need to do to fulfil your role confidently and effectively.

The three sessions are:

  • pupil suspensions and exclusions
  • parental and other complaints
  • staff employment related appeals and matters

Each two-hour session will cover:

Why panels are needed
The relevant regulatory framework
Principles and starting points
Roles and responsibilities
Judicial method
Preparing for the panel hearing
Fully bespoke

This session can be tailored to the circumstances of your school or trust.

2 hour session

At a glance

Each two-hour session will cover:

  • Why panels are needed
  • The relevant regulatory framework
  • Principles and starting points
  • Roles and responsibilities
  • Judicial method
  • Preparing for the panel hearing
  • The panel hearing
  • Post panel hearing matters
  • Next steps

about this course

Who is this suitable for?

  • Governors, trustees, and academy committee members (local governing body) appointed or likely to be appointed to a panel
  • The governance professional to the board (or the clerk to the panel if this is likely to be a different person)
  • The senior leadership team

about this course

What are the benefits?

Sitting on a formal panel and being expected to ask questions, evaluate evidence and reach a sound decision is a daunting prospect for governors, trustees and academy committee members (local governing body). Being required to attend a panel can be equally challenging for senior executive leaders, pupils and parents.

By the end of this session, you will have a clear picture of how a panel should work, your role in the process and how to follow the relevant law, guidance and policies. You should be able to participate confidently and contribute to a sound panel decision, applying the law and evidence.

about this course

How will you learn?

  • Each of these sessions is designed for a minimum of 10 participants and works best with between 13 and 25. It is for suitable for a number of schools to share
  • Each two-hour session can be delivered via face-to-face or online workshop
  • Each session includes a walkthrough of a panel reviewing the headteacher’s decision in relation to a particular matter such as permanent exclusion, staff discipline or parental complaint
  • Sessions will be facilitated by a quality-assured NGA consultant with relevant governance and training expertise
  • They will be interactive with a mixture of participant activities and facilitator-led explanation and discussion
  • They will be supported with session materials including a resource toolkit and suggested activities to help with next steps
  • Very professional presentation and made a difficult subject enjoyable

    Vice Chair

    Branston Community Academy

    Enquire now to book this for your board(s)

    Book your training

    If you would like to book the session or find out more then make an enquiry.

    This training is designed for a group of participants at a school, trust or other organisation.

    It is also suitable for a group of schools to share.

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