School governing bodies review – reference group 1: 21 January 2026

• Rocio Cifuentes, Children’s Commissioner for Wales.
• Amy Bulpin, Church in Wales.
• Dr Lowri Jones, Estyn.
• Jeff Fish, Swansea/Governor Support Officers Group.
• Cerys Furlong, Fitzalan High School/Chair of Governors.
• Trystan Edwards, Ysgol Garth Olwg/Ministerial Headteacher Advisory Group.
• Sue Walker, Merthyr/Association of Directors of Education in Wales.
• Angela Keller, Catholic Education Service.
• Emyr Harries, Education Infrastructure, Governance and Finance, Welsh Government (Chair).
• Claire Horton, School Governance, Organisation and Admissions, Welsh Government.
• Lian Crierie, School Improvement and Inspection, Welsh Government.
• Sian Jones, Safeguarding in Education, Welsh Government.

A presentation on the scope of the review including the role of the reference group, design principles and timetable.

The reference group agreed the following key roles:

• Not to make policy decisions, but to participate in testing policy ideas.
• Consider previous review findings and their relevance in today’s context.
• Provide feedback from own part of the sector, including advising on and facilitating access to key groups for additional engagement.
• Act as a critical friend and providing constructive feedback.
• Provide coherence and credibility by ensuring views are represented fairly and accurately.
• Identify risks and potential mitigating factors.

The design principles by which the review will operate were agreed as the following:

• Being alert to pre-conceived barriers to making changes.
• Considering legislative amendments where needed.
• Exploring options for quick wins and longer-term reforms.
• Keeping the interests of learners and school staff at the forefront of all deliberations.

The review will spend the next few months gathering feedback and evidence and testing ideas with the sector. It will report to Ministers in summer 2026.

Information was provided on academic studies about effective governance. The group was invited to consider how established governance principles could assist with thinking about the school governing bodies system without pre-conceived ideas. It was agreed that proposals for change to school governing bodies in Wales could be assessed using the following core governance principles:

• Legitimacy.
• Transparency.
• Accountability.
• Rule of law.
• Responsiveness.
• Effectiveness.

Information about the other UK nations’ school governance models was provided to use as a tool for comparing Wales to learn from the key differences and similarities between our systems.

The group discussed the findings of previous reviews and consultations on school governance in Wales and whether they still resonate today. 

• Welsh Government consultation on reform of the school governance framework (2016).
• Estyn thematic review “School Governors: acting as a critical friend and the impact of governor training” (2023).
• Governors Cymru survey (2025).
• Gwynedd child practice review “Our bravery brought justice” (2025).

The group discussed a number of key issues reported to the Welsh Government from various stakeholders. The issues discussed included:

• inconsistency of quality and practice, including clerking service
• challenges with finding the information needed to assess school effectiveness
• appointment of headteacher and deputy headteacher
• appropriateness of chair of governors managing headteacher performance 
• lack of professional skills on some governing bodies, reluctance to collaborate
• managing safeguarding concerns
• provision of, and engagement with, all training requirements
• tenures of chairs of governors, and size of governing bodies
• recruitment and retention of governors, including process.

It was agreed that these issues will be considered within the themes of the review as follows:

• Structure and roles.
• Effectiveness and impact.
• Support and training.
• Accountability and oversight.
• Recruitment and retention.
• Best practice and innovation.
• Safeguarding.

The group discussed and agreed to consider further and advise on how the review should engage with each part of the school sector. The following organisations and groups were considered:

• Governors – through associations and other groups.
• Learners.
• Parents.
• Regional safeguarding boards/National Independent Safeguarding Board.
• Education unions.
• Governors Cymru Services.
• Governors for Schools.
• Legal services (WG).
• Education Workforce Council.
• Medr.