When I retired from headship in July 2019 at a relatively advanced age for a school leader, my reluctance to walk away was certainly testimony to the job I loved. But it also reflected the support that I enjoyed from a great staff team and notably, an excellent governing body.
I had no idea how fortuitous the timing of my departure was. Less than a year later the job became much more difficult, when our schools were transformed by Covid to become providers of uninterrupted educational and welfare support, particularly to the most vulnerable. Flexible learning models, based on vastly increased use of technology had to be rapidly introduced. School leaders became experts at risk assessment, implementing a raft of constant, usually last-minute directives to safeguard their communities. As the workload and stress increased, the support of committed, sensitive governors was crucial.
In January 2022, PaJeS Chairs of Governors received a well-deserved JVN team award for the work of governing bodies during this period. Heads across our network endorsed the nomination with strong examples. ‘We built an important, trusting relationship which enabled me to do what I needed to support the families, knowing that my Chair was there to talk through ideas, run things past and that was hugely supportive.’ ‘My Chair ensured that my staff were offered early vaccinations so they could feel completely safe and confident to come to school‘.
While some governors undertook training to deliver the vaccine in their schools, others applied their professional expertise to the increased demand for technology. In some schools, governor support took the form of a coffee truck, or regular thank you messages to the staff team. These examples demonstrate the best aspects of good governance; strong strategic partnership working to address challenges in the best interests of the school community, underpinned by genuine concern for the wellbeing of those with operational responsibility.
The legacy of the pandemic, alongside more recent global shocks has struck schools hard. Unprecedented numbers of headteachers left their posts in the post pandemic years, citing pressures surrounding pupil outcomes, workload, attendance, school inspections, the cost of living crisis, spiralling fuel costs, staff absence, and parental demands. Whether a governing body is included in the list of push factors depends on their ability provide the kind of governance that won the award.
Across our Jewish schools, successors have thankfully been appointed, several of them a tribute to the development they have received in our schools. But governing bodies face significant challenges in sustaining high quality leadership. The latest school workforce data from the DFE indicates that three in ten primary headteachers leave their post after 5 years. 14% of secondary headteachers walk away after just one year of service, more than a third after 3 years and almost 4 in 10 after 5 years.
If governing bodies are to be part of the solution, rather than adding to the challenges, they must provide the excellent practical and moral support for our leaders. Over the past 5 years, by developing a programme of networking, coaching, mentoring and bespoke support for leaders and aspiring leaders, and by sharing best practice with governors, PaJeS has seen the retention rate of Jewish school heads reach almost 90%.
While good governance includes the ability to ask the right questions, the most important question a governor can ask the Head is surely ‘And how are you?’
Susy Stone MA BEM
Headteacher and Governor Support PaJeS
