Written Statement: Review of school governing bodies

School governing bodies play a crucial role in our school system, supporting learners and staff. They have a wide and varied range of responsibilities set out in legislation and Welsh Government guidance. 

The school system in Wales has seen vast reforms over the last decade, often with additional or amended duties imposed on governing bodies, but the role of school governing bodies has not altered in any fundamental way.

So today I am announcing a review of school governing bodies in Wales.

We are taking action to ensure both that our governors are equipped with the support and training they need to undertake their role, and that their role is appropriately set out in legislation and guidance. 

The review will include the following themes:

• Structure and roles
  • Composition of governing bodies (representation of parents, staff, community, LA nominee, etc)
  • Clarity and appropriateness of roles and responsibilities between governors, headteachers and local authorities
• Effectiveness and impact
  • How governing bodies contribute to raising educational standards
  • The quality of challenge and support provided to school leadership
  • Impact on school improvement and learner outcomes
• Support and training
  • Availability, accessibility and effectiveness of training and guidance for governors
  • Quality of clerking and administrative support
  • Consistency of support across different LAs and regions
• Accountability and oversight
  • Compliance with statutory duties (safeguarding, finance, curriculum, inclusion)
  • How governing bodies are held to account by LAs, Estyn and Welsh Government
• Recruitment and retention
  • Process for recruiting governors (including diversity and representation)
  • Retention, workload and barriers to effective participation
• Best practice and innovation.
  • Examples of high-performing governing bodies and innovative practices
  • Opportunities for collaboration between schools and governing bodies

We will work with a reference group which is representative of the school sector to inform the review. 

The reference group will:

• consider the findings and recommendations from previous work conducted in this area, including the Estyn thematic review from 2023
• provide advice and challenge on scope, methodology and emerging findings and options
• act as a critical friend, ensuring the review is balanced, evidence-based and reflects the perspectives of key stakeholders
• ensure that members represent the perspectives of their sector/organisation while contributing to collective consensus
• support coherence and credibility of recommendations, considering alignment with wider education reform
• contribute to identifying risks, opportunities and practical implications for implementation.

The full terms of reference for the review are attached to this statement. Practical options resulting from this work will aim to be made available to Ministers within a year.