7.4.4 Guidance on the Governance of Children's Centres

This is new guidance, from January 2011. It should be read in its entirety.

Purpose of this guidance

Appendix A - What do we mean by 'Governance' at Children's Centres
Appendix B - The Wider Governance Structure
Appendix C - Notes on Allocation of Responsibilities
Appendix D - Model Terms of Reference
Appendix E - The Five Key Outcomes of 'Every Child Matters
Appendix F - Children's Centres Extended Services Committee:Model Agenda
Appendix G - Management of Governance Cycle

1. Purpose of this guidance

This guidance is designed to help governors of schools that are providing children's centres in accordance with the Service Level Agreement with Wakefield MDC.
This guidance draws on other guidance for governors of schools in Wakefield and is consistent with this.
This most recent version of the guidance includes revisions that are intended to clarify the role of the partnership board and the way in which the partnership board and the governors' extended services committee should work together.

What do we mean by the governance of children's centres?

The role of the school's governing body in relation to their children's centre is the same as its role in relation to the school.
This is to ensure that the provision at the centre is the best possible and has the best possible benefit on children and families, by:
- providing a strategic view, in partnership with senior staff;
- acting as a critical friend (provide "challenge and support" in Ofsted-speak); and
- ensuring accountability (of the centre to the governors and to users and the wider community).
Appendix A sets this out in more detail. This guidance is closely based on guidance for all school governors.

How do governors fit into the wider picture of responsibilities for children's centres?

The governing body is responsible for the conduct of the centre, but must work within the framework set by the service level agreement with the Council.
To carry out its responsibilities effectively, the governing body should set up an extended services committee of governors and associate members.
The extended services committee should be given delegated powers to carry out the governors' responsibilities for the centre and should report its actions and decisions to the full governing body.
The governing body should set up a partnership board (PB) in line with SureStart guidance. The role of the PB is to provide a forum for partners and stakeholders, including parents, from across the centre's reach area, to discuss the work and development of the centre. The governing body should ensure that it knows the views of the PB and takes them fully into account in the decisions that it makes.
More information about this wider governance framework is given in Appendix B and Appendix C.
Model terms of reference for the extended services committee and guidance on membership is given in Appendix D. The full governing body must agree the terms of reference and membership structure of the committee.
An option that may be appropriate in some areas is for the extended services committee to be set up as a joint committee formed from several governing bodies under the School Governance Collaboration Regulations. However, this would not affect the role of the committee. For more information on this option, please contact David Bowen (tel. 01924 305502).
Further guidance on partnership boards is given in Appendix B.

How will the extended services committee operate?

The extended services committee will operate under the School Governance (Procedures) Regulations, like any other committee of the governing body.
The committee is recommended to focus on :
1. discussing and agreeing on the outcomes for children, as outlined in Every Child Matters (Appendix E), that it wants the centre to achieve; and
2. reviewing on a rolling programme the extent to which these outcomes have been achieved, using the headings of the SEF as a way of dividing up the work. The results of these reviews should be recorded in the SEF for the centre (and/or school, as appropriate).
A model agenda for the committee is attached as Appendix F. The links with the management cycle of the centre and SEF requirements are explained in further detail in Appendix G.
The committee should meet at least once a term and report to the next meeting of the full governing body.

What support can the Authority provide for the Governors in carrying out their role?

The Authority will provide training for governors of new children's centres to explain their role and the main ways it can be carried out.
Additional training may also be provided where requested, subject to the availability of staff.
The Authority's School Governor Services can provide a clerking service for extended services committees. Clerks will have received specific training in the role of extended services committees and their responsibilities. Clerks will also be able to take questions or concerns about the governors' role back to the Authority for a definitive response.

Appendix A - What do we mean by 'Governance' at Children's Centres

The main aim of the governing body:

To maintain and improve the quality of provision and the standards of children's achievement and development at the centre.

The three roles of the governing body:

To provide a strategic view including:
- agreeing the centre's aims, ethos and values;
- agreeing centre targets;
- agreeing centre policies - especially aims and success criteria/targets;
- agreeing the centre's business plan - priorities and success criteria/targets;
- managing the budget;
- taking staffing and other decisions in line with the centre's policies and procedures.
To act as a critical friend including:
- being a friend to the centre:
- supporting and advising the head teacher;
- providing practical help and skills;
- celebrating success;
- asking questions, including challenging questions if necessary;
- monitoring and evaluation (self-review) of the work of the centre, focusing on:
- standards and progress of pupils;
- the centre's business plan;
- budget;
- key policies.
To ensure accountability including:
- reporting to parents;
- surveying parents' views;
- effective two-way communication with the Partnership Board
- ensuring publication of minutes of governors' meetings.

Appendix B - The Wider Governance Structure

The Council is the commissioning body, in consultation with the Early Years and Extended Services Strategic Planning Group. Their relationship with the Governing Body is expressed in the Service Level Agreement, the Business Plan and the budget allocated to the Centre
The school's Governing Body is responsible for the conduct of the Centre, within this framework.
There should be an Extended Services Committee of the school's Governing Body to carry out the Governing Body's responsibilities in relation to the Centre. These responsibilities focus on the monitoring and evaluation of the work of the Centre and advising the Governing Body and, through the Governors, the Council on the effectiveness of the Centre and any development issues.
There should be a Partnership Board - an advisory group of managers/practitioners of extended services at the Centre, together with parents from across the Centre's Reach Area - discuss the work and development of the Centre and to make recommendations to the Extended Services Committee as appropriate. Meetings of the Board should be timed so that they can feed into the next meeting of the Extended Services Committee and arrangements should be in place to ensure effective liaison. For example:
- the Head teacher and/or Centre Manager should attend the Board and report to the Committee;
- other members of the Committee could attend the PB;
- members of the Board (e.g.) parents could be invited to attend the Committee as Associate Members;
- the minutes of the Board could be shared with the Committee.

Appendix C - Notes on Allocation of Responsibilities

Governance of Children's Centres

NOTES ON ALLOCATION OF RESPONSIBILITIES June 2007 (reflecting Annexe F of the Service Level Agreement)

Relevant partners in the Children's Centre (CC) are:

the Council;
the Early Years & Extended Services Strategic Planning Group (SPG);
the Governing Body (GB);
the Extended Services Committee of the Governing Body (ES Cttee);
the Head teacher (HT);
the Children's Centre Team - an advisory group of managers of extended services at the Centre and the Head teacher

	Responsibility	Responsible body/ individual
1.	Deciding where to base Children's Centres and what services they will provide	The Council, in consultation with the SPG and services locally, including the GBs and HTs of the relevant schools. All strategic decisions are subject to Cabinet approval.
2.	Agreeing to host a Children's Centre	Full GB.
3.	Overseeing local consultation, reviewing outcomes	ES Cttee, reporting to full GB and to the Council. Outcomes of consultation may change the approach to services offered - this would have to be agreed by the Council and GB. [The broad services are given by the Government - schools can only choose the method of delivery but have to deliver to the core offer service specification]
4.	Deciding how best to provide services in order to deliver the core offer service specification	Commissioning agencies to determine which services they will deliver from the CC Full GB to agree to deliver to service specification. Full GB signs off the Centre Business Plan and approach to delivery
5.	Setting total budget for services at school	The Council, after consultation with the SPG and with GB and HT
6.	Drafting overall SLA which sets out relationship between LA and each centre	The Council, after consultation with the SPG and with GB and HT
7.	Considering: Service Level Agreements [SLAs] and Service Specifications [SSs]; budget allocations between services; Business Plan.	ES Cttee, advised by HT, and recommending approval to full GB and SPG.
8.	Agreeing: Service Level Agreements [SLAs] and Service Specs [SSs]; budget allocations between services; Business Plan.	Governing Body and SPG
9.	Appointing staff	Relevant manager, within SLA and SSs.
10.	Managing, appraising & supervising staff	Relevant manager, within SLA and SSs.
11.	Monitoring of operation and impact of Business Plan, SLAs and SSs.	ES Cttee, advised by HT, and reporting to full GB.
12.	Completion of SEF and attendance at annual SEF review meeting	HT, in consultation with ES Cttee.
13.	Signing off completed SEF	Full GB, following recommendation from ES Cttee.
14.	Reviewing and recommending amendment to the SLAs, SSs and budget allocations to services.	ES Cttee, advised by HT, and recommending approval to full GB and SPG.
15.	Agreeing revisions to SLAs, SSs and budget allocations to services	The Council, after consultation with the SPG and with GB and HT.

N.B.
SLAs and SSs will need explicit success criteria to enable efficient monitoring and review by governors.

Appendix D - Model Terms of Reference

CHILDREN'S CENTRE COMMITTEE

Guidance is shown in italics

Membership

Key principles are that the membership should include:

at least 3 Governors (legal minimum), including the Head teacher;
representatives of the Partnership Board as Associate Members;
the Centre Manager as an Associate Member.

and should not be too large to be manageable.

Associate Members

Associate Members have the right to attend meetings and to contribute to discussions. They are appointed by the full Governing Body.

The Governing Body may give Associate Members the right to vote on a committee (but not the full Governing Body). Where Associate Members have the right to vote, decisions can only be made if "full" Governors are in the majority.

Associate Members may not vote if they were aged less than 18 at the time of their appointment or if the issue concerns admissions, pupil discipline, election or appointment of governors or the budget and financial commitments of the Governing Body.

Chair

The full Governing Body or the Committee must appoint a Governor as Chair of the Committee.

Quorum

The quorum must (by Law) be 3 Governors, or a higher number of governors if the Governing Body decides this. Associate Members do not count towards the quorum.

The LA recommends that the quorum should normally specify that at least one of the Governors present should not be employed at the school or In extended services at the school.

Clerk

The Governing Body or Committee must nominate a Clerk to the Committee.

Meetings may be clerked by any person appointed by the full Governing Body, except the Head teacher

At most schools, a member of the Committee acts as Clerk.

Overall Purpose of the Committee

The responsibilities of the Committee relate to activities at the school which support the core offer for Children's Centres and/or Extended Schools. These activities are referred to in this document as "extended services".

The overall purpose of the Committee is to:

ensure that the extended services provided at the school are appropriate to the community, are managed efficiently and contribute effectively to the five key outcomes for children:
- Be healthy
- Stay safe
- Enjoy and achieve
- Make a positive contribution
- Achieve economic well-being.
ensure that the services provided at the centre are delivered in accordance with the Service Level and Service Specifications agreed with the Council;
report to the full governing Body on the effectiveness of the extended services and to recommend changes as appropriate.

In carrying out all its responsibilities the Committee must act:

in partnership with the Head teacher;
in accordance with statutory requirements;
in accordance with any general principles set by the full Governing Body;
after consulting (as appropriate) staff, parents, pupils, the LA, the Diocese (at voluntary schools) and relevant organisation/agencies, including the Early Years and Extended Services Strategic Planning Group ["the Strategic Planning Group"].

Terms of Reference

Service Planning

To work with the Head teacher in discussions with the Strategic Planning Group about the overall Service Level Agreement setting out the relationship between the local authority and the Centre.
To monitor the operation and impact of all Service Level Agreements and Service Specifications relating to extended services and to recommend any changes to the Governing Body and to the Strategic Planning Group.
To consider the draft Business/Service Plan drafted by the Head teacher and managers of extended services at the Centre and to agree this, as appropriate.
To monitor the operation and impact of the Business/Service Plan relating to extended services and to make any changes as appropriate.

Budget Issues

To consult with the Head teacher in his/her discussions with the Strategic Planning Group about the overall budget for extended services provided at the Centre.
To monitor the budgets of the extended services and to recommend amendments to the Strategic Planning Group.

Liaison between Partners

To ensure that the Governing Body and all relevant partners are kept up-to-date with the work of the Centre and of the Committee. All actions and decisions of the Committee must be reported to the Governing Body by law.
To ensure that a Partnership Board is established and operates in accordance with SureStart guidance and that the views and recommendations of the Board are taken fully into account by the Committee.

Contribution to Centre Self-review

To ensure that the SEF for the Centre is kept up-to-date and accurate.
To agree priorities relating to extended services for inclusion in the Centre's Business/Service Plan.

Appendix E - The Five Key Outcomes of 'Every Child Matters

Be healthy:
- physically healthy;
- mentally and emotionally healthy;
- sexually healthy;
- healthy lifestyles;
- * choose not to take illegal drugs.
Stay safe:
- safe from maltreatment, neglect, violence and sexual exploitation;
- safe from accidental harm;
- safe from bullying and discrimination;
- safe from crime and anti-social behaviour in and out of school;
- have security, stability and are cared for.
Enjoy and achieve:
- ready for school;
- attend and enjoy school;
- achieve stretching national education standards at primary school;
- achieve personal and social development and enjoy recreation;
- achieve stretching national education standards at secondary school.
Make a positive contribution:
- engage in decision making and support the community and environment;
- engage in law-abiding and positive behaviour in and out of school;
- develop positive relationships and choose not to bully or discriminate;
- develop self-confidence and successfully deal with significant life changes and challenges;
- develop enterprising behaviour.
Achieve economic well-being:
- engage in further education, employment or training on leaving school;
- ready for employment;
- live in decent homes and sustainable communities;
- access to transport and material goods;
- live in households free from low income.

Appendix F - Children's Centres Extended Services Committee: Model Agenda

Apologies.
Minutes of Previous Meeting and Matters Arising.
Declarations of Interest.
Report of Head teacher/Centre Manager, including operation of:
1. Centre Business Plan;
2. Service Level Agreement;
3. Budget;
4. Report on Partnership Board and on links with Partner Agencies, Users and other Stakeholders.
5. Review of Impact of Children's Centre (rolling programme based on ECM outcomes) and Related SEF Judgements. Please see Appendix G for more detailed suggestions.
6. Date and Time of Next Meeting.
7. Any Other Business.

Appendix G - Management of Governance Cycle

In this model, the work of the Committee is focused on evaluating the impact made by the Centre, using the Self Evaluation Form (SEF), and planning for improvements, using the Business/Service Plan (B/SP).

Date	Management Activity	Committee Agenda Items
Feb/March	SEF meetings with LA
April	Partnership Board meets prior to Committee	Consider feedback from SEF meetings and Part D of SEF (actions in response to SEF). Review SEF: Part D (actions in response to SEF); C3: Parental and Community Involvement (incl. feedback from Partnership Board); Be Healthy Stay Safe.
June	LA provided baseline, e-start data and OBA score card.
July	Partnership Board meets prior to Committee	Review SEF: C3: Parents and Community (incl. feedback from Partnership Board); C2 : Access for Excluded Groups C4: Centre Leadership and Financial Management; Make a Positive Contribution; Achieve Economic Well-being. Consider priorities for revised B/SP.
August-September	Centre revises B/SP
October		Consider revised B/SP. Review SEF: C3: Parents and Community (Partnership Board); C5: Partnership Working; Enjoy and Achieve.
November	LA event to help Centres to prepare SEF for meetings in February/March
December	LA provides baseline and e-start data Centre revises SEF in light of November event and new data
January	Partnership Board meets prior to Committee	Annual full SEF review, prior to meetings in February/March. Review SEF: C3: Parental and Community Involvement (incl. feedback from Partnership Board).

End