Leading Governance: Effective financial governance in schools and trusts

At a glance

This module outlines the types of funding schools and trusts receive, how this should be used and managed, and the strategic and compliance function of the governing board.

You will cover:

your role in relation to managing resources

how financially efficient schools use their resources

the budget setting and monitoring process

how to evaluate strategic impact

Study time 2 hours

Programme description

An introduction to the English education system

Get to grips with how education works in England. This module breaks down the structure of the school system, what schools must provide, and where governance fits within it. You’ll learn what the Key Stages mean, the difference between a maintained school and a trust, and how the school year is organised. Ideal if you’re new to education or just want a clear concise overview.

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Understanding the expectations of governance in your setting

The recipe for effective governance

An introduction to the strategic role of governance

An introduction to compliance

Holding to account: how to question and challenge

Two of the governance core functions are focused on supporting the senior executive leader and their team through robust accountability. This means asking challenging questions and even having a courageous conversation when necessary. It is relevant whether monitoring school improvement strategy or checking on compliance matters. Understanding what is expected and how to do it effectively is therefore critical part of the governance role.

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Ofsted and the Education Inspection Framework 2025

For those governing, Ofsted inspections can be an intimidating aspect of the role. This module aims to alleviate any concerns you may have ahead of an inspection by developing your understanding of the inspection framework, how Ofsted inspects schools and the role governing boards have in the process. It will also explore how you can best support your school before, during and after inspection.

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Effective MAT governance

If you are governing in a MAT – or in a maintained school or single academy trust that is considering forming or joining a MAT – this comprehensive module will build your understanding of the fundamental areas of effective governance, and provide you with accessible, engaging support that will help you to address the challenges you will face and give you the opportunity to learn from the experiences of others.

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Introduction to local governance

Governing at a local level within a multi-academy trust is a unique challenge that many people are still getting to grips with. This bitesize module will help you navigate the challenges of governing in a local setting, explaining how the local tier fits into a broader trust structure, the roles and responsibilities of governors on academy committees, and more essential tips and guidance.

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Stakeholder engagement: the governance role

NGA takes the view that stakeholder engagement should be considered a core governance function. Unfortunately it can be difficult for schools to reach some parents and other stakeholders, as well as for parents and other stakeholders to reach the school or trust. This bitesized module focuses on exploring how stakeholders can be involved meaningfully in the decision-making about what happens in their school or trust.

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How to complete monitoring visits

Cyber security and governance

In this digital age, it is more important than ever for schools and trusts to have plans in place to manage and respond to cyber security incidents. As governors and trustees, it is your responsibility to ensure that your organisation is suitably prepared.

To support you with this, NGA have partnered with Secure Schools to develop a brand new e-learning module covering the governing board’s role in protecting schools. This 30-minute module will help you to recognise the common cyber threats that schools face, understand the boards’ responsibilities as dictated by the DfE and UK GDPR, and will provide you with practical steps to take and questions to ask.

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Monitoring performance data and targets

To truly understand the effectiveness of your school, the acid test is the extent that the organisation supports each and every pupil to reach their potential.

Your board are expected to know how to judge if your school is doing this and to address areas where it needs to improve in a strategic way, holding the school and its leaders to account.

This module has been designed to ensure you have all the relevant knowledge needed to carry this out and provides an approach to using various key information sources to provide an accurate benchmarked assessment of how well your organisation is supporting its pupils' achievement.

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Effective financial governance in schools and trusts

Every school organisation should use its resources to ensure that pupils' outcomes are as good as they can be.

This module explores the frameworks, policies and procedures which regulate school resources and demonstrates what is expected of you and your governing board to ensure regularity, security and solvency and how to anticipate to avoid some typical pitfalls.

Governors and trustees provide insights into meeting the challenge of how to make tight resources go as far as possible. You will gain a clear idea of pupil and other premiums and what your governing board can do to ensure spending has the impact on pupil outcomes that it should. Various tools and approaches for developing financial efficiency in your organisation will be highlighted.

To consolidate your understanding, you will evaluate the effectiveness of a governing board in relation to a school struggling to balance its budget and work within its compliance frameworks.

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