This is the third module from a course called 'Re-energising governing of colleges and training providers'.

1. Re-energising Governing of
Colleges and Training Providers
Module 3: Governor Induction, Senior Staff Performance
Management and Stakeholder Relationships

2. Introduction
After completing this module you will be able to:
• Review five aspects of support and
development for new (and not so new)
Governors.
• Focus on the importance of senior staff
performance management.
• Review the range and nature of stakeholder
relations.

3. Induction
Becoming a Governor is both exciting and daunting.
It's exciting because of the new opportunity to contribute
to the leadership of the college / learning provider.
It's also daunting because there appears to be much to
learn.
While you assume the responsibilities of a Governor from day
one, it may be some time after that when you feel able to
contribute to the achievement of your responsibilities.... so
embrace support and be patient!

4. What do Governors need to know about?
1. The Strategic Plan and Strategic Risk Register
2. Senior staff performance management procedures
3. The English Colleges’ Code of Good Governance
4. Likely outcomes of effective governance
5. Governing Body review processes

5. 1. The Strategic Plan and Strategic
Risk Register
Central to a confident and informed Governor is an understanding of the
strategic plan and the strategic risk register.
Hopefully, these documents will have been provided to new Governors upon
appointment or even before appointment as a Governor. If not, contact the Clerk
to the Corporation for copies.
Things to consider
• What do you think would help you (as a Governor or a Clerk) to understand the
implications of the strategic plan and risk register?
• With the strategic plan and risk register in mind, it would be very helpful for you to
have meetings with the core senior staff to hear their priorities and ideas about the
implementation of the plan and how to mitigate the significant risks.
• Does the senior team seem focused on the plan? If not, what are the main
distractions?

6. 2. Senior staff performance
management procedures
Remember, senior staff should be expected to be delivering aspects of the strategic plan
which will be reviewed through senior staff performance management procedures. You
should be familiar with the senior staff performance management arrangements.
Things to consider
• Research undertaken in 2006* suggested that college Governing Bodies gave very limited
consideration to their role as employer of the Chief Executive / Principal.
• This means that linking strategic planning, strategic risk management and accountability to
individual senior staff performance may not be an established practice at your college or
learning provider.
• The senior staff performance management scheme should provide you with an
understanding of how the Governing Body acts as employer in relation to senior post holders,
which includes the duty of care, relationship management, professional development, etc.
*Hill, R. (2006) The role and performance of college governing bodies in relation to the
employment of principals of further education colleges CEL / University of Lancaster

7. 3. The English Colleges’ Code of
Good Governance
Another aspect of governing a college / learning provider is the
expectation that the Governing Body will comply with, or possibly
exceed, the English Colleges Code of Good Governance.
Things to consider
• Do you have a copy of this Code? If not, you should contact the Clerk to
the Corporation.
• Has your governing body formally adopted the Code?
• How well does your governing body meet the expectations of the Code?
• Which areas of the Code need to be improved by your Governing Body,
if any?

8. 4. Likely outcomes of effective
governance
Rather than just 'good' governance, as a new Governor you might wish to think
about what 'effective' governance might look like.
Things to consider
• Ensuring that the strategic plan is achieved.
• Ensuring that financial health is achieved (usually part of above.)
• Ensuring accountability and regulatory compliance.
• Ensuring quality in academic and service provision (usually part of above) and includes
the student voice.
• Effectively assessing risk and supporting innovation.
• Enhancing institutional reputation and competitiveness.
• Providing confidence in institutional governance.
• Constructively supporting and challenging the executive as critical friends.
• Any other outcomes specific to the college / group and not within the strategic plan.
Allan Schofield (2009) What is an effective and high performing governing body in UK higher
education? Leadership Foundation for Higher Education

9. 5. Governing Body review
processes
Reviewing the performance of the governing body is an important
process towards achieving effective governing.
Things to consider
1. Do you know how the governing body will be reviewing its performance?
2. What criteria will be used?
3. What processes will be used?
4. What evidence will be used?
5. When will the governing body performance review take place?
6. Who will lead the review?
7. How will your performance as a Governor be reviewed?

10. Stakeholders
A stakeholder can be defined as someone or some body with
something to gain or lose by association or involvement with a
college / learning provider.
Stakeholders can be divided into three groups*:
1. Contractual stakeholders
2. Influential stakeholders
3. Interested stakeholders
*Hill, R. (2013) Colleges and Stakeholders Working Together : What stakeholders want and how
colleges respond, Association of Colleges
Boards need to make sure that the college / learning provider's
processes and practices for working with stakeholders are focussed
and productive. Senior staff are usually very active in forming and
maintaining relations with stakeholders but is the focus sharp enough?

11. Stakeholder types
Contractual stakeholders Influencial stakeholders Interested stakeholders
• Funding agencies
• Formal business/ sub-
contracting partners
• Staff
• Students (especially given
loans and grants for study)
• Customers
• Universities (validating
agreements)
• Local and combined
authorities
• Ofsted
• Quality Assurance Agency
(higher education)
• Significant local bodies /
agencies / organisations
• Parents and carers
• City Region bodies
(including LEPs and local
devolution of central
Government powers),
secondary schools and
academy trusts
• Universities
• Relevant Government
agencies
• Employers
• Local health authority
• Community groups
• Special interest groups
• Voluntary organisations
• Faith groups
• Housing associations

12. Key points about stakeholders
• The Board's role is to ensure that there is a clear stakeholder strategy within
the overall college / learning provider.
• The stakeholder strategy will have strategic objectives and the Board should
monitor the progress of the implementation of these objectives. In addition,
the stakeholder list could be a useful recruitment source for future
Governors, especially business and community networks.
• Much Governor interest is naturally directed inwardly towards the
functioning and performance of the organisation. Accountability and
engagement with stakeholders is about the strategic and operational context
of the college / learning provider.
• Governors may wish to review accountability and stakeholder interests as a
precursor to preparing ideas for the next strategic plan for the college /
learning provider.
For further details on aspects of college accountability, you may wish to consult
Thinking Outside The College (AoC, 2012) by Morecroft, C., Eldred, J. and Hill, R.

13. Suggested Activity
Consider how the strategic plan, stakeholder relations,
and accountability are presented in your current
Governor Induction programme.