This presentation can be used to structure a 30-minute discussion session on the role governors play in supporting heads. It contains four clips from Teachers TV programmes shot in secondary schools. Each clip lasts 3-4 minutes. There are accompanying programme summaries and discussion starters.

1. Supporting the Head A resource for secondary-school governors

3. Overview These four clips, with their accompanying discussion starters, cover the following topics for governors in secondary schools: The relationship between a headteacher and his/her chair of governors (clip 1) A headteacher’s need to study systems of leadership in an organisation other than a school (clip 2) The handling of unwished-for press interest (clip 3) A headteacher’s experience of personal stress (clip 4)

4. 1 Just for Governors Being Chair Chair of governors Richard Bevan and headteacher Marius Frank discuss their working relationship . http://www.teachers.tv/video/1372

6. The chair of governors has developed a ‘light-touch’ relationship with the headteacher. What might be the strengths of this style of relationship? Are there circumstances under which you might expect the chair of governors to become more involved? The chair has helped to drive forward the new build. Could you discuss a large project in which you have been involved as a governor? What was the nature of your relationship with the school’s senior management during the project? In preparation to take over the role of chair of governors, a governor shadows the current chair. Is this a good way to pass the baton? To what extent might a new chair be able to forge a new style of relationship with the head?

7. 2 Head Business with Jo Owen Distributing Leadership Headteacher Paul Elliot finds he gets so bogged down in the daily grind that little time is left for strategic planning . He consults leadership expert Jo Owen. Jo thinks the headteacher needs to develop better ways to measure progress and to delegate responsibility. He takes Paul to a Land Rover plant for inspiration. http://www.teachers.tv/video/5483

9. Team leaders at the plant check their own progress using a simple system of red and green cards. Could self-checking systems like this one be applied to a school environment? There are charts that break down the management targets for all levels of the workforce. Would such transparency at school be valuable? The headteacher wants to design a visual tool to help staff remind themselves of their progress towards targets. What kind of visual tool might work? How else might governors support a headteacher in delegating responsibility?

10. 3 Media Crisis Damage Limitation Headteacher Philip O’Hear and his colleagues take part in a hypothetical scenario in which a school is informed that some of its students have been causing trouble in the local community. http://www.teachers.tv/video/25544

12. Could you name a time when your school’s good reputation was at risk? What action was taken? What PR activities proved effective? What support were governors able to offer? In the clip the headteacher asks the chair of governors for advice on the difficult situation that has arisen. Should the chair of governors have been involved earlier? What advice would you have given? What support should a governing body offer a headteacher in the face of bad press?

13. 4 Head for Success Am I Stressed? Headteacher Gary Lewis spends a lot of time out and about at school, interacting with students. Struggling to meet the deadline for a specialist schools bid, Gary is encouraged by his chair of governors to improve his work/life balance. http://www.teachers.tv/video/23720

15. In consultation with governors, this headteacher takes action to push back a deadline that has become unmanageable. Could or should governors have helped the headteacher to make this decision earlier? What steps would you take if your headteacher began to suffer from stress? Have you had experience of supporting a headteacher in a major piece of work such as preparing a bid for specialist status? What support were you able to offer? What are governors’ responsibilities with regard to managing a headteacher’s work/life balance?