How do we make strategic decision-making in schools (and other institutions) more inclusive?
I’ve just been elected Chair of Governors at Ferry Lane Primary, a wonderful single-form entry school in Tottenham. I’m really excited about supporting the work of the school but am also feel conflicted about taking on the role.
Although I was voted in, I was the only governor who felt able to take it on, mostly due to the workload. I’ve only been able to commit to being Chair because I am now working freelance and can flex my time. Not a luxury many people have.
I’ve been reflecting for a while that there are real problems in the way schools and other bodies are governed and how exclusionary these systems are. Being a governor means giving up time, usually between 6pm to 8–9pm in the evenings. It means being able to read papers and attend meetings and committees. A lot of people just can’t make that happen, often due to work and family commitments. Most (sensible?) people also don’t want to sit in meetings commenting on policies and budgets, even if they have some connection with the school and care about it succeeding.
I went to my first Chair of Governors meeting in East Haringey this week. All the chairs in attendance were white. This is one of the most diverse areas of the whole country. It struck me as soon as I joined the meeting that sense of “I really shouldn’t be here.”
How do we make strategic decision-making in schools (and other institutions) more inclusive and release the power and ideas of pupils, parents, and other school stakeholders?
Penny Wilson and the team at Getting On Board are doing great work to try and improve representation for charities, and the London Borough of Camden have a mission that “By 2030, those holding positions of power in Camden are as diverse as our community — and the next generation is ready to follow.” but clearly a lot more needs to be done.
I have a lot of work to do personally. The first is how I chair meetings in an inclusive way. Second, I need a succession plan that reflects the diversity of our school and our community. I am committed to this and hope that my tenure as chair will be short.
The third big area of focus, as a governing body and a school leadership team, is how we move the power away from the traditional governing body mechanisms and give parents and pupils more say in how the school makes strategic decisions, with the aim of making better decisions that are more reflective of the diverse community that we serve.
I’m sure we’re not the first school (or organisation) to be thinking about this.
I’d love to hear from anyone that has put anything in place to challenge and/or upend existing governance structures. Any other thoughts or ideas are gratefully received.
I hope that in the not too distant future I’ll be here to celebrate not being Chair at Ferry Lane!
