To be truly effective, the governing body should commit to its own professional development and learning. Visits to the school are essential if governors are to monitor and evaluate the school's work.
Ofsted has produced guidance to help inspectors judge the effectiveness of schools' governing bodies in challenging and supporting their schools.
Questions to consider include:
- what are the strengths and weaknesses of the school and how do governors know?
- to what extent do the governing body get involved in the school's processes for self evaluation and improvement planning?
- how do governors monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the school improvement plan?
- can governors give examples of how they have supported and challenged the school?
- how robust are the procedures for safeguarding?
Characteristics of effective governing bodies
Ofsted has produced a report to help governors reflect on their practice by considering the principles and approaches used by effective governing bodies. The full report can be found on the Ofsted website.