End-of-year review - advice for your Chair and trustees or governors

In line with the DfE Governance Handbook, many governing bodies and trust boards will take the opportunity to review and reflect on performance in the summer term. An effective end-of-year review process allows for feedback on ideas and improvement planning ahead of the new academic year. 

Set your reviews up for success with these best practice tips

An end of year review doesn’t need to be a formal meeting. A simple 1:1 discussion between the chair and each governor or trustee is a great way to reflect on the last year of governance, understand individuals' views, and build stronger relationships.

Preparing for discussion 

When planning end of year discussions, preparing meeting points will help steer an effective conversation that benefits all attendees. Here are our main considerations to discuss when holding governance reviews:  

Skills and experience  - are recent skills and knowledge being used to their full potential? Carry out a skills audit to identify strengths that could be used more effectively or areas for development that could benefit from further training. How would they rate the training and development programme on offer to them, and is there room for improvement on the range and quality of training on offer?   

Succession planning - has thought been given to future development of their role? Shadowing opportunities can be a great way to progress into a chairing role. Are there any barriers preventing them from developing into other roles, or is this a good time to consider changing their assigned committee? Keeping the door open to other opportunities allows room for growth. Consider the individuals interests to keep a strong working relationship with your governors. 

Workload - how is the quantity of workload? Gather their views on their expectations for the role. Are deadlines and timescales feasible? Do the style and format of meetings still work in line with the original agreement? (eg virtual, in-person, dates and frequency) Do your governors have any areas of concern or suggestions for improvements? 

Quality of information and resources - this is an opportunity to reflect on the information and documents available to your governors. Do they have the necessary resources to carry out their role effectively? Are there any further documents they require that can be supplied to assist in their role? 

Communication - do governors have sufficient opportunities for meaningful engagement with other board members? (eg the Chair, Headteacher and school staff) Is information about the school shared and communicated with governors working effectively? Is there any room for improvement in this area?  

Personal impact - do your governors feel they are creating a positive impact in their role? Can they share their personal highlights and rewarding experiences? Can they suggest ways they may wish to develop and improve further? 

Share gratitude - the most important factor of any review! Take the time to thank your governors for their hard work, support, time and dedication to their role. Given that this is a voluntary role, making sure they feel valued as part of your organisation is essential. 

Our Leadership and MAT Development Team has a wealth of experience providing strategic advice and guidance to trust boards and governing bodies. We can support your Chair in undertaking these 1:1 discussions or provide training ahead of the process to ensure your review supports continuous improvement.   

Our full governance service can include mentoring support, training and development, or bespoke guidance and advice to help you achieve educational excellence. Support with external governance reviews can also be provided upon request.

If you’re looking for advice and guidance on effective governance or would like to learn more about our range of services and relevant training, please talk to us.