Parliament Debates School Governance

School administration faces radical reform. We have more academies and free schools coming online and changes to maintained schools at local authority level. Some schools are also considering federation which will be an opportunity to enhance the strategic approach taken by a governing body. So the school governance debate that MP Robert Buckland introduced on Tuesday 1st February was a timely debate.

He described the current School Governance system as committee-based, involving school governors coming together regularly during the school year, and there being sub-committees based around various disciplines such as finance and premises that the school leadership feel should be addressed. We should fit the system around the talents of the school governors rather than trying to fit the school governors into a rather tired and stale system.


Robert's full article on Politics.co.uk can found here

http://www.politics.co.uk/comment/education/comment-school-governors-are-struggling-against-a-tired-system-$21387016.htm


The full video of the debate at Westminster Hall on School Governance can be found below



Robert Buckland, Conservative MP for South Swindon, moved a debate in Westminster Hall on Tuesday 1 February on the subject of school governance; the role of school governors and governing bodies. Westminster Hall adjournment debates allow MPs to discuss issues of local or personal interest which rarely have time to be debated in the main Chamber of the House of Commons. MPs can discuss a variety of issues and receive a response from a government Minister.

The full Commons Hansard transcript can be found here

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm110201/halltext/110201h0001.htm#11020123000002

Members of Parliament that took part in the debate some of which were School governors or former School Governors included:

Mr Robert Buckland MP (South Swindon) (Con)

Justin Tomlinson MP (North Swindon) (Con)

Guy Opperman MP (Hexham) (Con)

Andrew Percy MP (Brigg and Goole) (Con)

Esther McVey MP (Wirral West) (Con)

Iain Wright MP (Hartlepool) (Lab)

The Minister of State, Department for Education (Nick Gibb MP)