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Chairing

Chairing a meeting

How to chair an effective board or committee meeting

Guidance
10/12/2025
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1. Before the meeting

Set the agenda with the governance professional and CEO/head – NGA’s annual governance planner is a helpful resource for this activity across the school year.

Ensure that:

  • each item has clear objectives, including a timeframe for the discussion
  • the governance professional distributes the agenda and any reports or relevant documents at least a week in advance of the meeting
  • board members are aware that they are expected to read the papers in advance of the meeting

2. During the meeting

Chair the meeting, proceeding through each item on the agenda.

Ensure that:

  • any conflicts of interest and confidential matters are identified and handled appropriately
  • agenda item discussion doesn’t extensively go over the allotted time (unless serious issues are raised)
  • discussion remains strategic – don't be afraid to interject if a conversation is straying into operational matters
  • discussion remains on topic, directing it back if needed – if something is raised that isn’t on the agenda but does need to be discussed, you can ask for it to be deferred to the Any Other Business (AOB) section of the agenda or tabled for a future meeting
  • all board members contribute to discussions and individuals do not dominate
  • discussion is clear and can be easily minuted by your governance professional, making sure to clarify any decisions and actions if needed
  • the senior executive leader does not read through reports extensively – these should be reviewed by board members in advance of the meeting to save time, and only salient points and questions should be discussed at length in the meeting

3. After the meeting

Receive the draft minutes of the meeting from the governance professional to check their accuracy, and respond with any alterations in a timely manner.

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