Support and training for governors

Support and advice

Governor Services provide information, support and advice to governors, headteachers and clerks across Kent.

• We offer a helpline service by telephone on 01622 203800 and by email at schoolgovernor@kent.gov.uk
• We provide procedural and regulatory advice on the statutory functions of governance
• We develop resources to support effective governance, including a series of web pages for governors and clerks on Kent Trust Web
• We share information on new initiatives through our Governor Briefing Notes three times each year, which are posted to each governor on our database
• We support the recruitment of school governors by providing resources and support direct to schools as well as central recruitment campaigns
• We provide induction materials to all new governors and direct them to training opportunities
• We maintain a database of over 8000 school governors in Kent, with details of their appointment and term of office
• We provide training for clerks and offer a BTEC qualification
• We provide a clerking agency deploying clerks to individual schools
• We support governance in school reorganisations
• We support an independent governors association, Kent Governors Association.

Training and development

Schools are able to buy into an annual package, using part of their Standards Fund.

We provide training and development for governors, headteachers and clerks across Kent and we do this by:

• providing an annual conference on topical issues
• providing a published, comprehensive and flexible programme of training for individual governors which addresses both national and local priorities
• focussing particularly on school improvement and better outcomes for Ofsted inspections
• focussing on the importance of school self evaluation, planning and awareness of the Five Outcomes for Children and inclusion of vulnerable groups
• emphasising the governors’ strategic role as part of the leadership of the school
• facilitating induction sessions for new governors
• facilitating induction sessions for new chairs of governors
• buying into an online training package for governors to access
• the provision of tailored bespoke sessions for individual governing bodies, groups of schools and local partnerships which focus on local needs
• by administering the clerks’ training programme
• individual mentoring and coaching.

For more information and details of our current courses please visit Kent CPD Online and select ‘Governors’.

For specific enquiries, please contact Governor Services on 01622 203800 or email advisoryservice@kent.gov.uk (please quote 'Governor Training').