Pupils

This area of the Better Governor website, focuses on news articles and reports that highlight school issues impacting on pupils, their needs and requirements, and how governing bodies can ensure their school provides the right support, at the right time, to all pupils, from the most vulnerable to the most able.

• Meeting the needs of Looked After Children (Recorded February 2022)

  This Better Governor webinar explored the role of governance, in maintained schools and academy, in relation to Looked After Children. We explored the needs of this group of children and young people within the statutory duties of all schools and trusts.

  Consultant: Steve Barker February 2022

• Raising awareness of sexual abuse in schools podcast

  The attention of the media on this specific safeguarding threat has grown significantly in 2021. This Better Governor podcast features a conversation between our two governance experts; Steve Barker and Linda Waghorn, on the threat that peer-on-peer sexual abuse and violence poses to our children and young people. The scale of the issue is explored alongside research findings, from Ofsted, from the summer of 2021 and the Department for Educations latest guidance to schools. Those in governance will find this a useful summary of their role and the expectations of how governors should have an appropriately strategic overview of what their schools are doing to raise awareness of the issue and ensure that reporting of abuse is encouraged and rigorously investigated and acted upon.

  Consultant: Steve Barker November 2021

• Pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds worst affected by the loss of learning

  The Department of Education (DfE) has published research findings examining the extent of learning amongst all students in England, during the Autumn and Spring terms of the current academic year.

  Consultant: Sam Williams July 2021

• Clerks’ Forum - Ofsted in the Autumn Term (Recorded July 2021)

  This Clerks' Forum featured focussed discussion on the various announcements and publications from Ofsted, that inform school's understanding of what the current inspection framework will look like in the Autumn Term. We explored elements of Ofsted's administration processes, how the revised handbooks impact on the role of governance during inspection and key themes emerging relating to lockdown and impact of school closures. The webinar supported clerks in their role of providing advice and guidance to governors.

  Consultant: Steve Barker July 2021

• Primary to Secondary School transition in 2021 - what governors need to know

  This podcast features a discussion between two of our governance experts; Steve Barker and Linda Waghorn. The podcast explores some of the specific issues impacting on successful transition from Year 6 into Year 7 in September 2021. Steve and Linda talk about the impact of Covid and the related school closures and how this has led to changes in assessment, availability of pupil progress data to support transition, as well as a range of other issues that have arisen as a consequence of partial closures of school, remote learning, and the toll they may have taken on young people's lives.

  Consultant: Steve Barker May 2021

• Overseeing Pupil Mental Health & well being

  This is the second article focusing on the governance of pupil mental health provision in recognition of Mental Health Week (18-22 May 2020). In this article we will further explore the role of governance in oversight of mental health provision for pupils, as schools prepare for wider reopening from 1 June.

  Consultant: Linda Lissimore May 2020

• Mental Health Awareness week

  Mental Health Awareness week – what school governors need to know

  Consultant: Steve Barker May 2020

• House of Commons Education Committee report criticises over-exclusion from schools

  The House of Commons Education Committee has published a report, in July 2018 criticising the increasing use of exclusions by schools.

  Consultant: Steve Barker July 2018