Governance workload: balancing efficiency and effectiveness
A recent NGA study revealed that over a quarter of governance volunteers in schools and trusts are thinking about resigning. Increasing workload and the pressure of the role is posing a threat to its sustainability, straining even the most dedicated governors and trustees and adding to recruitment difficulties.
In this webinar, NGA Head of Content, Ella Colley, and Senior Advice Officer, Adelaide Chitanda discuss the demands placed on governance volunteers and what can be done to make the role manageable. We look at potential solutions at board level and how the government might address some of the issues.
The webinar explores:
• understanding the role and remaining strategic
• the impact of board culture
• how boards can become more efficient
• making governance training work
Relevant resources
Board relationships & culture
- Effective teamwork: a guide for governing boards
- What governing boards and school leaders should expect from each other
- Governing board diversity indicators form
- Role descriptions for governors and trustees
Meeting practice
- Virtual governance guide
- Annual governance planner (plan board business and agendas)
Policy approval
Training and development
Ella Colley
Head of Content and Publishing
As Head of Content and Publishing, Ella leads the development and delivery of NGA’s cross-organisational content strategy, ensuring clarity, consistency, and an audience-first approach across all member-facing content. She oversees core outputs including NGA’s Knowledge Centre, Governing Matters magazine, newsletters and research reports, making sure they are accurate, relevant, and impactful.
Adelaide Chitanda
Senior Advice Officer
Adelaide provides advice to NGA GOLD members, alongside writing for the website, magazine and weekly newsletter. She is also an EDI lead. Previously she was a research assistant for an insight and intelligence agency specialising in higher education.