An introduction to being strategic
Strengthen your board's strategic thinking and leadership to help shape your school's or trust's future and deliver lasting improvement.
Bespoke training
Practical, expert-led training for boards, trusts and organisations, tailored to your group’s needs.
Tailored to your needs
Bespoke training designed around your board, priorities and governance challenges.
Expert-led sessions
Learn from experienced governance professionals with real-world expertise.
Immediate impact
Practical learning that strengthens decision-making, challenge and strategic oversight.
Delivered your way
Online or in-person, scheduled around your board's availability.
Expert governance training tailored to your organisation
Tailored governance training designed around your organisation's context, priorities and development needs. We deliver practical, engaging sessions that strengthen decision-making and support effective governance.
How we deliver
- Virtual or face-to-face delivery
- Up to 20 participants online; up to 25 in person
- Break-out rooms, scenarios, skills practice and Q&As
- Weekdays, evenings and Saturday morning sessions available
- Typically 2 hours (flexible)
- Suitable for boards, trusts and groups of schools
Popular training topics
Examples of bespoke sessions designed around your governance priorities.
Governance induction
Build confidence for new governors and trustees with essential governance knowledge.
Strategy and vision
Strengthen board effectiveness and support strategic decision-making.
Board effectiveness
Develop stronger relationships, behaviours and ways of working.
Data and accountability
Build confidence in understanding information and asking better questions.
Trust-specific challenges
Training designed around your organisation's unique priorities.
Bespoke sessions
Create a tailored programme around your team's development needs.
Designed for your governance role
Supporting boards, trustees, leaders and governance professionals with practical training that strengthens confidence and impact.
Governing boards
Strengthen strategy, challenge and decision-making across your board.
Local academy committees
Build consistent governance practice while supporting local priorities.
Academy trustees
Develop strategic oversight, assurance and accountability.
Executive leaders
Improve partnership working with governors and trustees.
Governance professionals
Refresh expertise and strengthen governance practice.
Training course search and filter
Examples of group training we can provide
An introduction to data and performance measures
Build the confidence to understand performance data, ask better questions and hold leaders effectively to account.
An introduction to governance: maintained school governors
An essential induction for new governors or a valuable refresher, helping you contribute confidently from your very first meeting.
An introduction to governance: MAT academy committee members
Develop the knowledge and confidence to make an effective contribution as a local governor within your MAT from day one.
An introduction to governance: multi academy trustees
Give new and existing trustees the knowledge, responsibilities and confidence needed to govern effectively within a MAT.
An introduction to governance: single academy trustees
Build the knowledge and confidence to fulfil your trustee role and contribute effectively from your first meeting.
Board dynamics and good relationships
Discover how stronger board relationships, trust and behaviours create more effective governance and better decision-making.
Creating a new vision and strategy for your organisation
Take time away from routine business to develop a clear vision and practical strategy for your school's or trust's future.
Effective chairing – an introduction
Develop the leadership skills needed to chair confidently, lead your board effectively and support stronger governance.
Effective chairing of meetings
Learn practical techniques to chair productive meetings that improve discussion, decision-making and governance impact.
Effective clerking – an introduction
Gain the essential knowledge, skills and tools to provide a professional, compliant and effective clerking service.
Effective governance of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
Understand your governance responsibilities for SEND and help ensure every pupil receives the support they need to thrive.
Equality, diversity, inclusion and pupil belonging: getting governance right
Build confidence to lead on equality, diversity and inclusion while promoting pupil belonging and meeting governance responsibilities.
Financial oversight in academy trusts
Understand funding, budgeting and financial oversight so trustees can make informed decisions and secure value for money.
Financial oversight in maintained schools
Learn the essentials of school funding and budgeting to provide effective financial oversight and meet statutory responsibilities.
Forming or joining a MAT
Explore the benefits, risks and key considerations before making informed decisions about joining or establishing a multi academy trust.
Generating income: the governance role
Discover how boards can support sustainable income generation to help deliver strategic priorities and improve pupil outcomes.
Getting complaints management and investigation right
Learn how to handle complaints fairly, confidently and in line with best practice, reducing escalation and protecting valuable leadership time.
Getting stakeholder engagement right: the governance role
Strengthen engagement with parents, staff, pupils and communities to improve governance, trust and decision-making.
Getting the right people round the table
Build a stronger governing board by understanding the skills, knowledge and behaviours needed for effective governance.
Governing AI in Schools and Trusts: responsibilities, risks and opportunities
Demystify AI and understand the opportunities, risks and governance responsibilities for schools and trusts.
Greener governance: environmentally sustainable schools
Explore practical ways to make environmental sustainability a strategic priority and develop a meaningful climate action plan.
Local Governance Essentials
A flexible programme that equips local governors with the knowledge and confidence to make an effective contribution within their MAT.
Navigating Ofsted – what governors and trustees need to know
Help your governing board prepare confidently for inspection and understand its role before, during and after an Ofsted visit.
Panel work: exclusions, complaints and employment
Build the confidence to undertake panel work fairly, lawfully and effectively across exclusions, complaints and employment matters.
Question, challenge and courageous conversations
Develop the confidence to ask the right questions, provide constructive challenge and strengthen accountability across your board.
Safeguarding: fulfilling the governance role
Refresh your safeguarding knowledge and understand your governance role in helping to keep every pupil safe.
Senior leader performance management
Understand the appraisal process and your role in supporting effective leadership and organisational improvement.
Successful governance visits
Learn how to plan and carry out governance visits that provide valuable insight and strengthen board oversight.
The governance role in managing risk
Build a practical understanding of risk management and how governing boards provide effective oversight and assurance.
Your governance framework: roles and responsibilities
Understand your responsibilities and how governance differs across maintained schools, academy trusts and local governing bodies.
Not sure which session is right for your group?
We’ll help you choose the best option.
Pricing
NGA aims to deliver training in an economically feasible way and has a nationwide team of consultants and offers virtual delivery to reduce travel costs. As a non-profit charity, NGA strives to work within your budget to meet your training needs.
Standard session
From £525
Two-hour session for a single governing board or local governing body.
Custom programme
From £620
Fully tailored training designed around your organisation's needs.
Reduce the cost
If you have a smaller governing board, you can share a training session with another governing board or trust and split the cost.
Training and development
Why choose NGA training?
Benefit from our unrivalled expert knowledge of best governance practice.
Stay compliant
Keep up to date with latest government legislation and guidance
Relevant content
Tailored to your role and organisation
Practical learning
Clear “how to” guidance and resources to take away
Expert knowledge
Delivered by sector-expert consultants
Fast track your learning
On-demand content for your needs
Bespoke solutions
Specifically designed for your school, trust or setting
Group training enquiry
Browse our FAQs to help you find answers to some of the most common questions we receive.
If you do not find the answer in the FAQs, please use this form to submit an enquiry.
This form is for making enquiries about group training. If you are looking for training for individuals, please visit Training for individuals.
Please state the session topic(s) you want to enquire. As soon as we receive your completed form, we will arrange a short call for you and our Head of Training Development to make sure that the session you booked meets your requirements.