AGBIS Podcast Series - The Independent School Governor
The AGBIS Independent School Governor podcast series is the ultimate guide to governance in independent schools, whether you are already a governor or thinking about becoming one. Each episode features Richard Harman and guest speakers in conversation with Carolyn Reed (Reed Brand Communication). They share open, honest and transparent insights into what makes best practice in independent school governance.
Series 3
🎙️ Episode 2 - The Clerk’s role in ensuring effective quality assurance within a governing body
Discover the vital role Clerks play in ensuring effective quality control within a governing body.
Join Carolyn Reed as she sits down with Richard Harman, CEO of AGBIS, and Alex Mitchell, AGBIS Head of Consultancy and Head of AGBIS International, to explore how quality assurance within the governing body helps drive success.
Learn how adopting a proactive approach to governance reviews can enhance board effectiveness and positively impact pupil outcomes. Carolyn, Richard, and Alex discuss the process of governance reviews and how AGBIS supports Clerks and Governors to stay agile, flexible and at the top of their game.
Tune in for valuable insights on how to take your board on a journey of improvement.
🎙️ Episode 1 - The role of the Clerk to the Governors
Join Richard Harman and Virginia (Ginny) Parkes as they dive into the crucial role of the Clerk to the Governors. What does it really involve? And why is AGBIS launching an exciting new Governance Professional Development Programme during 2025 for Clerks looking to elevate their practice? Tune in to find out!
Series 2
🎙️ Episode 3 - Red Flags in Headship
Jenny Brown and Richard Harman talk through her guide for new Heads, written in collaboration with HMC. In particular, they address how to foster an effective and mutually supportive relationship between the Head and the Governing Body.
🎙️ Episode 2 - AI: Demystifying Artificial Intelligence
Tom Rogerson, Headmaster of Cottesmore Preparatory School has a vision. Used effectively, AI has the potential to reduce the time we spend at screens, enabling us to interact more face to face. This can only be a good thing for governors, teachers and pupils. In this podcast he provides us with his comprehensive and insightful views on the developing use of Artificial Intelligence in schools.
Additional information on the topic can be found here:
Cottesmore’s AI developer: https://www.interactive-tutor.com/?via=freedomtfr
ABI, Cottesmore’s open source strategic leadership bot: https://www.cottesmoreschool.com/News/ABi/
🎙️ Episode 1 - Enterprise: Improving the return on your school's assets
Enterprise is now an important co-commercial activity for schools and it can provide some much needed revenue in addition to fees. Dorothy McLaren, CEO of the Schools’ Enterprise Association takes us through best practice Enterprise - describing the typical asset classes in schools and how aligning the use of these with the school’s overall strategy can bring numerous profitable and sustainable benefits.
Series 1
🎙️ Episode 8 - What makes a good Clerk to the Governors?
The role of Clerk is fundamental to the smooth running of the Governing body. Richard, Cheryl and Carolyn discuss the attributes that the best Clerks possess.
🎙️ Episode 7 - Being the Chair of Governors
This is the episode for anyone thinking of taking on the role of Chair of Governors and we talk about the responsibilities, relationships with the Head and Bursar and how to work as a team with your governing body. Plus of course, the joys of the role!
🎙️ Episode 6 - Understanding and shouldering governors' liabilities
Being a school governor is a privilege and with privilege comes responsibility. Governors are volunteers yet find themselves in positions of authority with associated responsibilities. This episode provides a realistic and balanced overview of the risks and liabilities of the role.
🎙️ Episode 5 - Future proofing the school and guiding change
Like all organisations, independent schools need to adapt with the times and in particular, respond to the increasing challenges they face.
In this episode, we discuss the role of independent school governors in acknowledging that change is required and then guiding their school through that change to ensure it is future-proof.
🎙️ Episode 4 - How to write strategy
One of the key roles of an independent school governor is responsibility for the strategic management of their school, part of which is to ensure clarity of ethos, vision and strategic direction.
In this episode we focus on why it is so important for governors to have a robust strategy in place and how to write an effective strategy.
🎙️ Episode 3 - Recruiting and retaining governors
We look at the process of identifying, sourcing, appointing and inducting Governors; the term of office they serve; and how to keep Governors updated and motivated, so they are compelled to stay on board and find the whole experience interesting and rewarding.
🎙️ Episode 2 - Creating the ideal governing body
We turn our attention to the ideal composition of the governing body and discuss the skill sets needed to govern the school, the importance of getting the balance of personalities right, and how schools can find committed governors.
🎙️ Episode 1 - Where does 'good governance' begin?
In our first episode, Carolyn Reed introduces Richard Harman, Chief Executive of AGBIS, and Cheryl Connelly, Director of Training, who give an outline of AGBIS as an organisation, their roles within it, and what 'good governance' looks like.