Governor Forum update

Please find below details of updates relating to Governance and Governors. Please feel free to share this with relevant parties.

Governor Forum

Bexley has a termly Governor Forum which all Bexley Governors/Trustees are welcome to join.  The dates are as follows:

• 7th December 2023 6-7.30pm
• 29th February 2024 6-7.30pm
• 27th June 2024 6-7.30pm

The next Forum will take place in person on 7 December 2023 at the Civic Offices in Bexleyheath.  Governors will be able to park in the rear car park for the duration of the Forum.  Please note, that we are unable to provide any catering at the Forum.

The agenda for all dates is as follows:

6-6.30pm – Education Update provided by Education colleagues – this will bring you up to date on Schools Forum, Headteacher Forum and the Strategic Partnership.

6.30-7.30pm – This section will be provided by the Head of Schools HR and Governor Services – It will be a space for governors to network and will also be used to hear governor voice on topical themes and wider pieces of education work in the Borough, linked to the Education update where required.

If you would like to come along to the event (or if you have any questions), please email governorsupport.els@bexley.gov.uk and you will be added to the register.

Governor Recruitment

Bexley is holding a virtual recruitment event in partnership with Governors For Schools on 30 November 2023 at 6pm, to try to get more volunteers to join the governing boards of schools in Bexley.  We need your help to make the event a success so please do share the attached poster (see below) with any volunteer groups that your school may work with and with your parental community.  The details of how to register can be found through scanning the QR code on the poster.

Do you have any vacancies on your Governor/Trustee Boards that need to be filled?

If you do, then please send through the requirements you have along with a role descriptor (if you have one) to kalina.zlatkova@governorsforschools.org.uk.  The vacancy will then be registered with Governors for Schools and they will start actively searching for your new Governor/Trustee.  It is hoped that the recruitment event on 30 November, will spark interest locally and we will have a pool of new governors to fill any vacancies that you may have.

Bexley LA x Governors for Schools event Dec 23

Bexley’s Schools Forum

We would like to invite you to volunteer to join Bexley’s Schools Forum. The Schools Forum is a statutory body that is responsible for advising the local authority on its funding and provision of education. It is an important opportunity for governors to have a say in how their schools are funded and to ensure that all schools in the area have access to the resources they need to provide high-quality education for their pupils.

The Schools Forum meets several times a year, and members are expected to commit to attending the majority of these meetings. There is also some preparation work required outside of meetings, such as reading the various papers that are sent out ahead of the actual meetings. However, the time commitment is relatively small, and the benefits of being involved are significant.

As a member of the Schools Forum, you would have the opportunity to:

• Influence the allocation of funding to schools
• Participate in consultations on the Local Authority’s education policies and plans
• Scrutinise and strengthen decision making in the best interests of all children and young people in Bexley.
• Network with headteachers and other governors to share best practice.

We are particularly keen to hear from governors of small schools, special schools, and schools in disadvantaged areas, as these schools are often under-represented on the Schools Forum. We would also be interested to hear from governors with expertise in particular areas of education, such as finance, curriculum, or SEND.

If you are interested in volunteering to join the Schools Forum, please send an email to the Clerk to the Bexley Schools Forum, chantelle.queenbarrows@bexley.gov.uk, by noon on 10 December 2023.