Shaping Governance®

Shaping Governance is 9 🎉 9 years working alongside boards and refining what drives effective governance. Latest newsletter: 9 lessons, plus reflections on clerking and pupil voice. Read the full newsletter: buff.ly/FCshJOj

All set up and looking forward to some great governance conversations at the @ASCL_UK Annual Conference. If you're attending, come and say hello at Stand 20. Always great to connect with people who care about strong governance in our schools and trusts.

Take a look at our latest newsletter - Keeping Children at the Heart ❤️: Practical Tools and Strategic Insights buff.ly/5yyAMur

In the latest edition of our newsletter, we share: A new Strategic Question Series for keeping children at the centre Reflections from our 360° ERGs A refreshed Appreciative Governance Guide Highlights from our recent partnership work buff.ly/lfPZ9qL

Great to see Su marking #NationalGovernorsDay by working alongside governors & leaders on Governing Inclusion Well. More than compliance, it’s culture, assurance & knowing the difference you’re making for children. Every decision counts. Every child matters. #ShapingGovernance

SEND Scrutiny: Relational, Appreciative Governance in Practice SEND scrutiny operates within a highly complex and pressured system. This blog explores how a relational, appreciative approach can strengthen challenge and support better outcomes. buff.ly/iCx0j2n

Scrutiny: The Case for Relational Governance After more than 25 years of scrutiny, the question is no longer what scrutiny does, but what allows it to work well. Why relationships, trust & how we work together matter more than structures or process. buff.ly/zloMIeE

We’ve written a short two-part blog reflecting on scrutiny after 25 years, why it works best when it is relational, and what that looks like in practice through SEND scrutiny. Part 1 sets out the case. Part 2 applies it in practice. Both will be shared shortly.

At Shaping Governance, we provide high-quality clerking services that support confident, compliant, & child-centred governance. We’re expanding & welcoming new clerking clients; if you’re reviewing your provision, get in touch buff.ly/hF64vYW

What makes a governance review genuinely useful? It’s not the size. It’s the clarity and action it creates. Read our January newsletter on our signature Shaping Governance approach. buff.ly/B6YB8xp

Happy New Year, we hope the break offered time to rest & recharge. Congratulations to all those recognised in the New Year’s Honours; great to also see governors acknowledged for their contribution to children and young people. Wishing everyone a positive start to the year.

Wishing all of our friends and colleagues a very happy festive season. 🎄 Here’s a link to our latest newsletter. We look forward to continuing to work with you in 2025. buff.ly/gohGevH

Is your skills audit telling you how your board really works? After listening to hundreds of boards ask “what do we actually get from this?”, we created the Skills & Confidence Map. Going beyond skills lists to explore confidence, contribution, & teamwork buff.ly/AXRh07P

Delighted to be speaking at another governor conference! I’ll be sharing how Appreciative Governance & solution-based questions help boards move from deficit to discovery. It’s great to see how being appreciative really hits the spot. #Appreciativegovernance #ShapingGovernance

Strength-Based Recruitment: Building Boards That Make a Difference New DfE guidance reminds us: who’s around the table shapes what governance can achieve. Shift from vacancy-filling to purposeful, strength-based recruitment. 🔗 buff.ly/bykGyDk

Creating Agile Governance: Less Noise, More Impact New DfE guidance reminds us that effective governance isn’t about having more, it’s about focusing on what truly makes a difference. Agile boards simplify, reflect, and focus on what counts. buff.ly/1K6UXba

Meet the Shaping Governance Team - we thought you'd like to find out more about who we are. We are not a large consultancy with a long list of names, we're a Governance Improvement Partner. Every member of my team is personally handpicked by Su, our CEO buff.ly/0UuwBYp

Strengthening Board Reports, Strengthening Governance New DfE guidance reminds us: the quality of information shapes the quality of governance. Boards grow stronger when they help shape insight, not just receive it. #LearnReflectImprove buff.ly/jHr6d4n

Governing Strategically New DfE guidance reminds us that governance is about direction, not detail. 66% of boards we worked with identified being strategic as a challenge Our Learn • Reflect • Improve approach changes that. 🔗 buff.ly/0BQGqMq

Respecting the Profession: Governance Professionals Matter New DfE guidance recognises what we’ve long known; clerks are the quiet power behind effective boards. We’re proud to champion professional, strategic clerking that strengthens governance. buff.ly/gIMYBuI