The National Governance Association (NGA) has recognised 13 governing boards and governance professionals for their exceptional contributions to school and trust governance in England.
These outstanding individuals and boards were honoured at the prestigious NGA Outstanding Governance Awards, held every two years in the House of Commons, where excellence in school and trust governance was celebrated.
During the ceremony, NGA applauded the exceptional work of these individuals and governing boards, acknowledging their remarkable achievements and significant impact on the lives of the children and young people at their schools and trusts.
Results
Outstanding clerk to a governing board
Winner: Tim Bennett – Kings Heath Primary School
Highly Commended: Diane Moss – Tiffin School
Outstanding lead governance professional
Winner: Maria Maltby – David Ross Education Trust
Highly Commended: Allan Howells – The Learning Partnership
Finalist: Mel Greener – Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust
Finalist: Becky Perkes – Our Lady of the Magnificat Multi Academy Company
Outstanding governance in a single school
Winner: University Technical College, Leeds
Highly Commended: David Nieper Academy
Finalist: Saint Ambrose College
Outstanding governance in a multi academy trust
Winner: Ambitions Academies Trust
Highly Commended: Northern Star Academies Trust
Finalist: Invictus Education Trust
Finalist: Embark Federation
Emma Balchin & Emma Knights, co-chief executives, NGA said:"The commitment and contribution of those governing our schools and trusts is often overlooked, their hard work usually carried out behind closed doors.
NGA’s Outstanding Governance Awards offer an opportunity every two years to celebrate the very best in school and trust governance practice and share it far and wide. The awards contribute to our Visible Governance campaign, which champions the role and impact of good governance on schools and the education their pupils receive.
We know that governors and trustees quietly get on with their role to benefit children and young people, not to put themselves in the limelight. Of course, this will always be the priority, but making the role more prominent is crucial to volunteer recruitment, more effective engagement with stakeholders, and a better understanding of the benefits of good governance."
Lynne Howard, Chair of Trustees, NGA said:"The achievements of our 2023 finalists are set against a backdrop of such an exceptional and difficult time for our schools and wider communities. Since the pandemic, governors, trustees and governance professionals have continued to work tirelessly alongside leaders to support their staff, pupils and families. We come together to celebrate that extraordinary dedication and commitment not just of our winners but the quarter of a million volunteers in the state school sector."
Sharing examples of good governance practice is one of the key impacts of the awards and many of the finalists will be telling other governors, trustees and governance professionals about their achievements and experiences in future editions of Governing Matters and via our sponsors Schools Week.
Help us make governance visible
Whether you govern or are interested in the role, there is plenty you can do to help us make governance visible:
