Governance was a hot topic at our annual MATs Summit. Tiffany Beck, chair of trustees at Maritime Academy Trust, answers some popular questions from the event. 1. We have a shortage of governors and trustees and require more skilled professionals. Can you share any tips on recruitment? Ask your...

When it comes to facilitating the best possible provision for SEND, governors can be a valuable ally for the SENCO and other leaders. I have been fortunate to serve as governor at each of the schools I’ve worked in to date. I have served as a staff and, more recently, co-opted governor. I have also...

When governors are so often blamed for poor inspection judgements, is it any wonder that schools struggle to get committed volunteers through the door? When preparing for a Section 48 inspection I have to read a number of documents, including the school’s most recent Ofsted report. Recently, I...

The first Ofsted inspections of multi-academy trusts received mixed results. Optimus content lead Lisa Griffin outlines what is expected of MAT leaders and the challenges they are facing. With the number of multi-academy trusts (MATs) increasing (there are now over 500 MATs consisting of two or...