Overcoming the Challenges of Governance and Minimising Risk
An important part of the board’s role is to “develop, implement and review risk management strategies in relation to strategic direction, governance, operations and finance”. One effective way of minimising risk is to avoid the pitfalls of poor governance. This four hour course helps ‘responsible persons’ to identify and be on the lookout for structures, processes and practices that have the potential to generate significant risk, and in extreme cases, crises. Practical frameworks are presented and trialled to help boards resolve conflicts and work more productively.
Content covered includes poor governance as the Achilles heel of school effectiveness, the importance of understanding a school’s distinctive culture, how school cultures differ from corporate cultures, adding value and minimising risk, understanding governance and management, the accountability-responsibility relationship, what can go wrong (problem board members, problematic board dynamics), school board effectiveness and student achievement, characteristics of good governance, resolving disagreements, creative problem solving, the risks inherent in leadership transitions, solutions to foreseeable risks and essentials for building a stronger board.
This course is designed to help ‘responsible persons’ [as defined under Section 47(1)(b) of the Education Act in New South Wales] understand and implement sound policies and ongoing procedures for effective governance in ways that comply with the NESA requirements upon school boards. Specifically, the course is designed to provide in-depth appreciation and practical application of ways in which ‘responsible persons’ can work positively and productively together to ensure (a) effective implementation of established principles of ‘best practice’ in the area of governance and (b) compliance with relevant NESA requirements in this area. Furthermore, the course provides opportunities through discussion and problem-solving for ‘responsible persons’ to build unity of understanding, a common purpose, and a commitment to implementing ‘best practices’ for effective school governance in a strategic manner that enhances the school’s outcomes. The course is designed to address ongoing professional learning needs rather than serving as a key component of the induction of new ‘responsible persons’.
Four hours, usually one morning or one afternoon or one evening.
Face-to-face workshop with all the ‘responsible persons’ in one group, usually delivered at the school or at another suitable venue organised by the school.
This course covers the following governance requirement as outlined in the Registered and Accredited Individual Non-government Schools (NSW) Manual (September 2019): 3.9.3.1-G.
Upon successful completion of the course, a signed certificate is issued to the school stating the name of the course, the content covered, the duration of the course, the venue, and the names of those persons who attended. Upon request, schools may instead request an individual certificate for each attendee. Participating schools also receive a password-protected PDF copy of the presentation slides used during the workshop for the use of attendees.
We are a NESA approved and accredited training provider of courses relating to proper governance in non-government schools.
D2015/35965 – D2019/8657 – D2019/23247 - – D2019/134103
