How we support governors and clerks
Information and training to support governors and clerks.
We recognise the need to help and support governors and clerks serving on the county’s governing bodies, acknowledging that, while interesting and rewarding, the role can at times be challenging.
Governor Services is a small team within the council dedicated to providing high-quality information and training for its governing bodies. It aims to equip governors and clerks with the skills and knowledge needed to enable them to fulfil their roles and responsibilities confidently and effectively.
How governors and clerks access information
Governor Services provides a schools website containing current statutory guidance and regulations, various model policies and links to education support teams within the council. This also provides information on how to access the training and development programme.
How governors and clerks access training
Governor Services delivers comprehensive annual training and development programmes for both governors and clerks, provided as traded services. These programmes provide professional training from experienced tutors on all aspects of governors’ and clerks’ roles, including Induction, crucial for all new governors and clerks.
Clerking service
To remove the difficult task of recruiting your own clerk, a governing body can choose to ‘buy’ the services of a clerk from Governor Services.
Offered as a traded service, a governing body will be provided with a quality-assured, trained local authority clerk, to clerk your governing body meetings for a year. All clerks are recruited by Governor Services and employed directly by Oxfordshire County Council.
Continuous professional development and performance management is carried out. All local authority clerks are expected to undertake a nationally recognised ‘accreditation’ process after their first year, providing an opportunity for self-reflection, and improved practice within your governing body.