§ Dr. MurrisonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has for ensuring that the skill-mix of school governing bodies is sufficient for the proper discharge of their responsibilities. [4428]
§ Mr. TimmsThe Code of Practice on Local Education Authority-School Relations advises local education authorities to appoint as governors those who are best qualified to help schools improve and to have regard to the skills and experience of which particular schools have the greatest need. The Department's advice to governing bodies is to consider, when co-opting governors, what skills are needed to enable the full discharge of their responsibilities.
The Department will make available to governor trainers in local education authorities from September 2001 a package for governors to help ensure that they have the information to develop the skills to do the job.
§ Dr. MurrisonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has for improving the recruitment of school governors. [4427]
§ Mr. TimmsThe Department for Education and Skills is funding the School Governors' One-Stop Shop (SGOSS) to recruit people with business and management skills to become school governors in areas covered by all phases of the Government's Excellence in Cities programme. SGOSS is a private company limited by guarantee and registered as a charity. Since its inception in January 2000, SGOSS has found 1,098 candidates of whom 291 are serving governors and 181 are matched with schools and awaiting final placement.
The Department's strategy for supporting the recruitment of governors by schools and LEAs also includes the production of publicity materials. A national school governor advertising campaign took place last autumn and funding is available for a campaign extension to support the election and appointment of governors at the beginning of the autumn term this year.