22nd June 2023
AGBIS/HCR | Getting it right as a Clerk or Company Secretary - £85

Speakers: Cheryl Connelly, Director of Training & Membership (Deputy CEO), AGBIS; and Helen Higginbotham, Legal Director, Head of Due Diligence Team, Corporate, HCR

This joint event with Harrison Clark Rickerbys is designed to provide training for those persons with clerk/company secretary duties.

This 90 minute webinar will cover the following:

• The legal framework– encompassing a practical guide to an independent school’s articles of association and relevant parts of company law
• The role and responsibilities of a Company Secretary/Clerk
• The role of members and trustees
• How to convene an AGM and board meetings
• Decision-making in meetings and by written resolution
• Keeping the correct paperwork, e.g. company registers and filings at Companies House

15th June 2023
AGBIS/Lloyds Bank | Economic Update and Outlook - £55

Speaker: Rhys Herbert, Senior Economist, Lloyds Bank

This year so far has seen some calm return across financial markets as positive signs emerge around lower energy prices and better than expected growth indicators. This has coincided with improving business and consumer confidence. However, the outlook remains uncertain and fast-changing.

There are potential risks and opportunities that independent schools need to monitor and this webinar will discuss the latest themes as we approach the half-way point in the year.

14th June 2023
AGBIS/MKS | Strategic Governance - £110

Speakers: Cheryl Connelly, Director of Training & Membership (Deputy CEO), AGBIS; Vanessa Gomez, Senior Marketing & Business Development Executive, MKS; and Anjali Kothari, Partner and Head of Education, MKS

When was the last time you took a step back and thought about your strategic priorities? The future is just as important as the usual day-to-day running of your organisation, it is essential that you have solid plans in place and know where you need to get to. MKS will take you through three key areas that you should be thinking about for your organisation:

1. What to expect in employment law in 2023. Key questions that Trustees should be asking in relation to HR
2. What’s driving the mergers and acquisitions activity? What should charities be thinking about?
3. A modern cyber strategy for leaders

13th June 2023
AGBIS/MTM Consulting | Financial stability in an uncertain world – how might mergers and acquisitions feature in your school’s strategy? - £55

Speakers: Duncan Murphy, Director of Education at MTM Consulting; and Sian Champkin, Partner at VWV (Veale Wasbrough Vizards)

Do you know if your school is considering a merger or acquisition? How can you help move this conversation forward? Are you able to identify the common pitfalls of both? Join AGBIS and MTM Consulting for an insightful webinar that will enable you as a governor to help guide your school in making the right decision.

MTM Consulting are experts in education market research, school marketing and strategy for schools, and can help with wisdom, practical advice and tips for governors who seek to understand a range of options for their school’s financial future.

What you'll learn:

• How you as a governor can understand what’s involved and contribute to discussions around mergers and acquisitions
• The important factors to consider when discussing and considering a merger and/or acquisition
• The common pitfalls you need to be aware of

You'll leave with:

• The tools you’ll need to be fully equipped to consider, plan and be a part of your school’s discussions on mergers/acquisitions
• Practical legal advice from mergers and acquisitions experts
• An understanding of the areas where it could potentially go wrong and how to protect your school

9th May 2023
AGBIS/WISC | An Introduction to Governance - £110

Speakers: Richard Harman, Chief Executive, AGBIS; Cheryl Connelly, Director of Training & Membership (Deputy CEO), AGBIS; Emma Verrier, Chief Executive, WISC; and Gareth Pearson, Chair, WISC

AGBIS are delighted to partner with WISC (Welsh Independent Schools Council) for a webinar on Tuesday 9th May. This event is for chairs of governors and governors, and will be focusing on governance and leadership challenges in general and specifically in light of: the IICSA Report recommendations, Everyone’s Invited website and Welsh Government initiatives. We aspire to run a series of webinars each year and for every independent school to book on at least one governor as part of their induction or ongoing professional development.  By doing so we hope to encourage the highest standards of school governance for the benefit of pupils, staff and parents of our schools.

4th May 2023
Consistency Across the Brand – Ensuring everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet - £85

Overview:

Your school’s brand is so much more than its logo. How do you ensure that the whole school community is not only an ambassador for the school, but also understands and represents the school brand in all their work and communications? This interactive presentation guides Governors through the process of branding a school, and looks at how to ensure consistent representation across all stakeholder groups.

Content:

1. What is brand in a school context
2. Defining vision, aims, values and ethos
3. Creating your school brand
4. Identifying different stakeholder groups and how they might represent the brand
5. Ensuring consistency across the brand

2nd May 2023
Anti-discrimination – holding leaders to account for an impact-centred whole school strategy - £55

Speakers: Cheryl Connelly, Director of Training & Membership (Deputy CEO), AGBIS; and Ben Mearhart, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Co-ordinator, The King’s School, Canterbury

This webinar is intended for chairs, governors, clerks and senior leaders to help deepen their understanding of:

• What successful anti-discrimination provision can look like
• What role you can play in supporting this provision
• How best to build, implement and evaluate a whole school or Trust-wide action plan and road map for embedded anti-discrimination

26th April 2023
Newly Appointed Governors - £125

Speakers: Richard Harman, Chief Executive, AGBIS; Cheryl Connelly, Director of Training & Membership (Deputy CEO), AGBIS; David Woodgate, Chief Executive, ISBA; and Irfan H Latif, Principal, DLD College London

This webinar is the essential introduction to governance for new governors and will include governance from the Head’s perspective, governors’ role and responsibilities and allow discussion groups on typical issues facing school governors.

24th April 2023
AGBIS/The Allergy Team | As a governor, how would you know if your school is prepared to manage a serious allergic reaction? - £55

Speakers: Cheryl Connelly, Director of Training & Membership (Deputy CEO), AGBIS; and Sarah Knight, Co-Founder & CEO, The Allergy Team.

To mark Allergy Awareness Week, Sarah Knight, mother of two children with food allergies and Founder of The Allergy Team will be presenting a webinar that covers the questions governors should be asking to ensure their school is safe and inclusive for pupils with allergies.

Allergy is the most common chronic condition in childhood and in school-aged children, 20% of allergic reactions happening at school. Are you asking the right questions to ensure your school is truly allergy aware? It’s not enough to leave the issue to the caterer to manage (especially as 79% of reactions happen outside the dining hall), or to provide basic EpiPen training. Staff need to understand the risks, know how to reduce them and to ensure that pupils with food allergies are included. The Allergy Team, which provides support and training for schools to help them manage food allergies, will provide as part of this webinar some questions for you to ask in your next governors meeting to ensure your school is allergy aware.

1st March 2023
AGBIS/ISBA | Clerk’s webinar - £110

In partnership with the ISBA.

Speakers: Cheryl Connelly, Director of Training & Membership, AGBIS and John Murphie, COO, ISBA

This webinar will look at the seven key principles of the Charity Governance Code and will give clerks practical guidance on how to apply them.

8th February 2023
AGBIS/BBSN | Understanding the global landscape for international boarding recruitment - £55

In partnership with BBSN (the British Boarding School Network).

Speakers: Suzanne Rowse, Director, BBSN and Jayne Grigg, Members’ Support Team, BBSN.

This presentation will help governors understand the global landscape in which British boarding schools are currently operating, highlighting the opportunities and challenges that exist, to help inform strategy and planning. 

The webinar will cover:

• An overview of key markets
• Top 30 recruitment markets
• Working successfully with agents and commission
• Understanding who the competition is and planning for the future

6th February 2023
The Child Sexual Abuse Inquiry - key questions for you to ask your school - £55

Speakers: Samantha Leek KC, Chair, Kerem School and Tier 1 Barrister at 5 Essex Court; and Tabatha Cave, Partner, VWV

Samantha Leek KC (who was involved in 7 strands of the IICSA inquiry and is Chair of Governors at an independent prep school) and Tabitha Cave (a partner at VWV who leads on safeguarding and represented 2 core participants in the residential schools investigation) will do a short presentation on learning outcomes from the Inquiry and on the questions governors should be asking their schools to ensure that they exercise proper oversight of safeguarding.

3rd February 2023
AGBIS/AEGIS | Is your school doing enough to safeguard its international students and meet the new National Minimum Standards requirements? - £55

In partnership with AEGIS (the Association for the Education & Guardianship of International Students).

Speakers: Adam Lubbock, Chair and Safeguarding Practitioner, AEGIS; Yasemin Wigglesworth, CEO, AEGIS and Sophie Lindsay, School Membership Manager, AEGIS

The revised National Minimum Standards requirements for Boarding Schools contain an entirely new standard (22) on Educational Guardians, which gives schools greater and more specific responsibilities around the care of their international students, regardless of who has appointed the guardian. It is now vital that schools and their governing bodies have a clear understanding of how to meet the new requirements and the higher level of due diligence and oversight that will be required for inspection.

AEGIS is a registered charity and the only independent body regulating the educational guardianship sector. We have been providing the highest level of inspection and accreditation of guardianship organisations since 1994. We also advise and intervene where necessary and since September, AEGIS has already dealt with safeguarding issues involving international students at boarding schools, including child trafficking. The latest versions of both the NMS and KCSiE require schools and guardians to work more closely together to support their international students more effectively.

This webinar will provide governors with an understanding of:

• UKVI sponsor duties specific to the care of international students
• IICSA recommendations regarding educational guardianship
• New NMS 22 ‘Educational Guardians’ explained and what it means for schools
• Current gaps in international student safeguarding which leave schools in a difficult position
• Case Studies – highlighting the need for an ‘It could happen here’ approach

In partnership with Fragomen.

Speaker: Naomi Goldshtein, Director, Fragomen

This webinar is aimed at schools that hold a UK licence to sponsor international students. As a governor, are you confident that your school is maintaining compliant standards in accordance with Home Office obligations? The loss of your school’s ability to sponsor international students could be financially detrimental with wider repercussions in respect of reputation, loss of staff and partnerships. Naomi Goldshtein, Director of Fragomen’s Immigration Compliance and Education practices, will discuss the importance of immigration compliance and mechanisms schools should have in place to ensure the protection of a school’s sponsor licence and sponsored international student community.

The webinar will cover:

• Introduction to student sponsorship
• Core compliance duties
• What happens when it goes wrong
• Key considerations to safeguard your licence

24th January 2023
Marketing your school – the importance of a whole school approach - £85

In partnership with Rachel Hadley-Leonard from RHL Consulting.

Speaker: Rachel Hadley Leonard, RHL Consulting

This presentation looks at why, amidst a backdrop of economic turmoil, investing time and financial resources into marketing is now more important than ever. We shall address the need for a whole school approach to marketing and discuss why everyone, from Gardener to Governor needs to be on board. With case studies, interactive elements and practical take-aways, this webinar explains why schools must try to move marketing higher up their agenda, to ensure the future proofing of recruitment, retention and reputation.

Content:

• Implications for independent schools during the current economic turbulence
• The importance of everyone understanding that the school is a business
• How everyone can help – from Gardener to Governor
• Why customer service is a deal breaker when it comes to the three R’s – recruitment, retention and reputation
• Creating a marketing checklist for your school

In partnership with Juliet Corbett from Juliet Corbett Consulting, and Exeter School.

Speakers: Louise Simpson, Head, Exeter School; Gillian Hodgetts, Vice Chair of Governors, Exeter School and Juliet Corbett, Founder, Juliet Corbett Consulting Ltd

Thinking and acting strategically has never been more important than during this era of rapid change and uncertainty. Strategy is one of governors’ most important responsibilities and doing it well often requires making tough choices. Join this webinar to learn how to navigate your school through a strategy development and implementation process which both serves your stakeholders and secures the financial future of your school, using a case study approach.

What you’ll learn:

• How the various components of an effective independent school strategy interact, from the strategic plan down to annual action plans
• How to involve stakeholders so you generate buy-in and action without stalling
• The optimum timeframe for developing and implementing school strategic plans
• How to keep your strategy agile while ensuring consistent progress towards a shared vision
• Key strategic questions governors should be asking

Following their successful breakout session at the AGBIS Annual Conference in March, this webinar will explore safeguarding and child protection in affluent environments and introduce a more proactive approach to identifying safeguarding risks than the traditional compliance model.
 

Key speaker: Virginia Henley, Partner, Head of Charities, Education & Charities Team, HCR Hewitsons.

Good governance is fundamental for all charities to succeed. It is crucial for trustees to have a solid understanding of their legal duties both under their own constitution and in wider charity law.

Advanced level – How can I be ready to cope with challenging situations?  How can I learn from other board’s mistakes?

Our advanced session will be tailored to focus specifically on the needs of independent school governing boards, including risk management, delegation, codes of conduct and serious incident reporting. This advanced level training is designed to support you in your journey of improvement.

We actively encourage all trustees to attend both levels of training so that they can confidently trust and verify their understanding of what it means to be a good governor.

8th June 2022
Trustee Duty Training Part 1: Introductory level - £50
 

Key speaker: Virginia Henley, Partner, Head of Charities, Education & Charities Team, HCR Hewitsons.

Good governance is fundamental for all charities to succeed. It is crucial for trustees to have a solid understanding of their legal duties both under their own constitution and in wider charity law.

Introductory level – How do I know how to be a good governor?  What does an effective board need to know?

Our introductory level training will equip trustees with awareness of the Charity Governance Code and latest Charity Commission guidance. Trustees will gain a practical understanding of their mandatory duties, reporting and compliance requirements, together with hints and tips on how to achieve best practice.

We actively encourage all trustees to attend both levels of training so that they can confidently trust and verify their understanding of what it means to be a good governor.

4th May 2022
Data Driven Decisions – Using research to Inform Admissions & Marketing Strategy - £50

How do you know what is the right direction of travel for your School? Are your Marketing and
Admissions teams holding a finger to the wind? Are they listening to parent hearsay? Or are
they delivering a planned programme of stakeholder research which allows the school to make
strategic decisions based on hard facts, evidence and data?
This 60-minute webinar delivered by Rachel Hadley-Leonard, will explain why carrying out
research with your stakeholders is essential to the strategic direction of your school. The
thought-provoking session considers why schools should be trying to discover exactly what
their prospective and current parents and wider stakeholders want. Looking at a variety of
research methods including focus groups, telephone research and surveys, we consider how
to make research an integral part of your leadership and marketing strategy whilst improving
stakeholder advocacy.

• The current climate – has your target market changed?
• Why data driven decisions are key
• How do we know what our stakeholders want?
• How to listen to your stakeholders
• Matching research methods to your school
• Running focus groups
• Developing a culture of research

29th April 2022

Inclusive talent management and recruitment – what is it and what role do governing
bodies play? - £75

Key speaker: Johan Jensen, CEO of All-in Education
Schools are missing out on talent - current talent management and recruitment practices aren’t
merit based. How can we access talent out there to the benefit of our schools? This session
is backed up by research into what minority ethnic education professionals have experienced
in their careers and what their needs are to succeed in a competitive employment market. We
will provide case studies of successful inclusive talent management and recruitment practices
and key insights into the role the governing body can play in ensuring best practice
approaches are applied to reap the benefits of recruitment practices that are truly based on
merit.

26th April 2022
Is your governing body leading by example on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion? - £50

Key speaker: Claris D’cruz – Governance Consultant and Trainer
Many schools are looking to embed equity, diversity and inclusion and governing boards need
to lead by example by becoming more diverse. In this webinar we will look at some preparatory
steps governing boards may need to take in order successfully develop and maintain board
diversity.

Have you established why EDI matters to your school? How do you assess your board
culture? How do you know your board is ready to become more diverse? What steps can you
take to successfully recruit and retain governors from under-represented groups? This
webinar will help you answer these questions, identify challenges your board may face and
provide practical tips on how to overcome any hurdles you may encounter.

A 60-minute recording of this webinar will be available to delegates. The remaining 30
minutes of the live session is for breakout groups and plenary discussions which will
not be recorded.

9th February 2022
Developing resilience in your most important asset – the leadership team: What Governors need to know (Webinar) - £75

Speaker: Nicky Bright, Leadership Development Consultant of Bright Lead Ltd
Your leadership team has successfully weathered the most enormous challenges and changes over the last two years, so perhaps by definition they are resilient? However, are their reserves of positive energy and enthusiasm severely depleted, and can you be sure of your answer? Most senior leaders have an excellent ‘game face’, particularly when dealing with Governors, Parents, Staff and Pupils.
How will you ensure they continue to develop their crucial elements of resilient leadership; Clarity of Direction, Awareness, Leadership Presence and Resilient Decision Making? As we continue onwards, it is vital to ensure your leadership team invest in their personal and professional development and develop those elements and facets they have used less frequently, in order to carry on performing at the highest level for the benefit of the school, and to prevent the loss or depletion of your most important asset.

This webinar will look at:

• current trends in leadership satisfaction and retention and whether there is an emerging risk of a leadership vacuum for Governors to manage
• what can be done to develop the elements and facets required for successful, sustainable resilient leadership?
• how can this be measured and monitored and reported to the Governing Body?
• what Governors should do to ensure their most important asset are both performing at

1st February 2022
A collective responsibility to understand the pressures on your Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). How can Governors support them more effectively? (Webinar) - £50

This webinar will be led by Nigel Taylor who was an Independent School Head for 26 years, is a Board member of AGBIS, and a governor of five schools. He is a former Board Member of Surrey Safeguarding Children's Partnership, and an accredited NSPCC consultant, specialising in safeguarding investigations and training in affluent environments. Nigel is a consultant to CPOMS, the UK’s leading provider of safeguarding software. At the webinar Nigel will be supported by serving DSLs and will look at research describing the lived experience of DSLs in independent schools, how the role affects their lives inside and outside of school and the unique pressures in fee paying schools. This webinar will also look at

18th January 2022
Peer on peer abuse in association with Farrers (webinar) - £75

Speaker – Veryan Exelby, Farrer & Co
This webinar will focus on harmful sexual behaviour and best practice on preventative measures and creating a safer culture.
This webinar will be interactive which will mean that certain parts cannot be recorded.

12th January 2022
Governance – Support and challenge through the lens of RSHE (webinar) - £50

This joint AGBIS/ISI webinar will look at the KCSIE changes from September 2021 and enable Governors to answer the question: How do we know? Trust but verify regarding the RSHE curriculum. This webinar is being led by Michelle Winter - ISI’s Director of training and quality of assurance. She joined ISI in September 2021 having previously worked for Ofsted for 11 years as one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI), leading inspections including of maintained schools and academies, non-association independent schools, British service schools overseas and initial teacher education. For the last six years with Ofsted Michelle was Senior HMI, managing a team of HMI and with leadership responsibilities including for the quality of inspections across the East of England region. Prior to joining Ofsted, Michelle was the Headteacher of two London schools.

9th November 2021
New Clerks/Experienced Clerks - £100 per each webinar OR £135 for both webinars
 

We are offering a webinar for New Clerks and Experienced Clerks. The morning will be for New Clerks and the afternoon will be for Experienced Clerks. There will be a chance for New and Experienced Clerks to network over a lunch time session to share best practice.

8th November 2021
Newly Appointed Governors - £100

Speakers: Richard Harman, AGBIS Chief Executive, David Woodgate, ISBA Chief Executive and Nick Gregory, Headmaster of Wycliffe College.
This webinar will cover Governors’ responsibilities and governance from both a Chair of Governors and Head’s perspective and will summarise the key areas newly appointed governors need to know, including best practice examples and pitfalls to avoid.

7th October 2021
Developing your most important asset – your leadership team - £75

Speaker: Nicky Bright of Bright Lead Ltd
To ensure your school is getting the very best from its leadership team it is vital you know how to ensure they have the sustained energy and enthusiasm to continue to invest in their professional and personal development. Recent pressures mean this investment has, understandably, often been overlooked in favour of more immediate issues, and many more are now at risk of burning out and stepping down early from their roles creating a succession planning issue for governors.

This webinar will look at what you can do to ensure you protect your most important asset by developing a culture where the leadership team are supporting and developing themselves despite, or even because of, the current pressures they are facing.
In particular this webinar will look at:

• managing the emerging risk of a leadership vacuum by sustaining your senior leadership team,
• how is the school planning for the professional development needs of the school’s most important asset – the senior team?
• measuring, monitoring and reporting to the Governing Body about those professional development needs,
• what should be done to ensure a culture where the senior team continue to invest in themselves and ensure they

21st September 2021
Franchising - £50

Speaker: Fiona Boswell, (Partner, Knights plc)
Access to quality education is as central a desire as ever for parents globally, savvy independent schools are embracing this opportunity for growth by taking their brand and concept to pastures new and overseas. Franchising can be a suitable method for achieving this growth without schools needing to incur the expense and hassle of sourcing and funding overseas locations. This webinar flags the key principles involved and what you need to be aware of.

16th September 2021
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy Launch - £50

AGBIS have been working alongside Farrer & Co to produce an EDI strategy toolkit. This resource is to support governors in understanding equality, diversity and inclusion and helping them to embed fairer and more equal cultures within their school community, which is ultimately to everyone’s benefit and is the right thing to do. This webinar will highlight how to use the toolkit in your schools and will launch future EDI webinars.

15th September - 1st December 2021
Risk Management webinar series - £75 per individual session OR £525 for all sessions

A programme of risk management webinars has been created to help governors to understand their roles and responsibilities including questions they should be asking. Each module will be hosted by Cheryl Connelly and Sam Coutinho and will comprise of a 5-minute introduction, 45 minutes of presentations from specialist speakers from the sector and 40 minutes of discussion and debate on how questions can be used practically. Each module will conclude with questions governors should be asking in their schools:

24th June 2021
Five ways to support your Head more effectively - £75

Speaker: Kim Gregory – Evolve Leadership
In this interactive 90-minute webinar, Kim will explore the complex range of challenges that can get in the way of Heads performing to their potential and describe how Governors can respond effectively. Please bring your questions, which she’ll do her best to address.

23rd June 2021
Disciplinary and Grievance Investigations - avoiding common pitfalls and protecting your reputation - £75

Speaker: Jameel Mann (Partner, Knights plc)

An investigation will form the bedrock of any future decision relating to a disciplinary or grievance process. It is therefore fundamental that a well thought through, balanced and thorough investigation is carried out at the earliest opportunity and that governors understand their role, responsibilities and governance issues relating to any decisions made during any process.

This interactive webinar will address some of the common pitfalls that schools make when carrying out an investigatory process including:

• Steps to consider when safeguarding and / or criminal related matters are being investigated, including liaising with the police and LADO;
• Planning and conducting an investigation;
• When suspension is appropriate;
• Factors a Tribunal will take into account when reviewing the extent of an investigation; and
• How governors should structure sub-committees before considering any employment related decisions.

22nd June 2021
How schools can delight parents with an 'inbound' approach to social media - £75

Speaker: Gemma Price, CEO and Founder of HubGem Marketing

As we all spend more time online, this joint webinar with AMCIS looks at how schools can use social media to provide value to their prospects and parents. We will look at what 'inbound marketing' means and how schools can use the approach to attract, convert, engage and delight their audiences on social media. 

10th June 2021
Inclusion Labs - Part 3 - 'The How' - £50

Speakers: Richard Harman, AGBIS Chief Executive, Heather Wheelhouse, Danny Dartnaill, Helen O’Kane – BDO

How can Governors spot the signs and what does your forecasting and strategy tell you? This webinar will look at the different options available including balance sheet restructuring techniques, refinancing and lenders, formal insolvency procedures and mergers/acquisitions, with a particular focus on the key issues that will need to be considered as part of the process.

9th June 2021
What are our options? Restructure, Merger or Acquisition - £75

Speakers: Richard Harman, AGBIS Chief Executive, Heather Wheelhouse, Danny Dartnaill, Helen O’Kane – BDO

How can Governors spot the signs and what does your forecasting and strategy tell you? This webinar will look at the different options available including balance sheet restructuring techniques, refinancing and lenders, formal insolvency procedures and mergers/acquisitions, with a particular focus on the key issues that will need to be considered as part of the process.

26th May 2021
Climate, curriculum and your investments: how to make the links £50

Speakers: Julie Hutchison, Charities Specialist and Miranda Richards, Senior Charities Portfolio Manager

This webinar will give an overview of how Governors can approach climate change issues more holistically.  With COP26 just months away, more attention will be focused on sustainability themes during 2021 and many Governors will be facing questions about whether a school’s investment portfolio should still be invested in fossil fuels, for example.  There are a range of ways to reflect climate change concerns in your investments.  This webinar explores these options as well as taking a more holistic approach, looking at the opportunities for links to be made across the curriculum and indeed a school’s brand. Delegates will be able to put questions to the speakers, both of whom have extensive governance or teaching experience in the education sector, beyond their investment management roles. 

25th May 2021
In the COVID Age - How can you ensure your school is getting the best results out of its Insurance Programme? - £50

To ensure your school is getting the very best out of its insurance programme, it is vital you know what the key questions are and what the answers should look like. In association with Marsh, this webinar will look at what you need to ask your Bursar about as we enter the 2021-22 academic year. In particular, this webinar will look at:

• managing emerging risks in your school,
• how is the school planning to deal with the challenges of a hardening market,
• measuring, monitoring, and reporting to the governing board of the school’s risk appetite,
• and what should your school be doing to do to ensure it has an insurance programme that meets its needs and protects its pupils, parents, staff, governors, and reputation.

18th May 2021
The role of Governors in protecting the Mental Health and Wellbeing of staff - £50

This interactive workshop gives delegates the opportunity to exchange experiences, examples and best practice in respect of their roles as governors to protect the health and wellbeing of staff. The objective is that attendees will leave with some new ideas for improving their respective working environments and to address some of the issues and challenges being faced in the current climate.

Given the enhanced demands being placed on employees, particularly during these times, there continues to be an increased required for governing bodies to review how the School is managing the health and wellbeing of staff. The key issues currently for discussion are:

• Protecting the physical and mental health of all employees (for both home working and those working at School);
• Establishing a dialogue with employees suffering with mental health related issues;
• Language and behavioural management changes and policies to create a more open culture;
• Supporting staff suffering with stress;
• Managing mental health related absences; and
• Ways of improving morale and wellbeing in the workplace / for those homeworking.

12th May 2021
Safeguarding Risks Past and Present: How to manage historic abuse allegations in your schools - £50

Veryan Exelby of Farrer & Co will advise school governors on how to respond to and manage historic abuse allegations using a case study approach.

The case study will be discussed in breakout sessions. Please note that breakout sessions will not be recorded.

10th May 2021
Key issues and trends Governors need to be aware of across the sector as we look to the future - £50

At this session, Stone King will give a high-level overview of the issues and trends seen across the sector during the pandemic, and then answer your questions on those topics (or any others!), as we look to the future.  This is likely to cover themes such as:

• Risk management where guidance or measures are not followed;
• Mental health and well-being
• Formal complaints and claims
• TPS
• Restructuring
• Opportunities

28th April 2021
Safeguarding Risks Past and Present: How to manage peer-on-peer allegations in your schools - £50

12th March 2021
Using the salary survey data to inform your strategy - £50

Speaker: Rhiannon Cutler, MD, Baines Cutler

This webinar will look at how Governors can use the benchmarking data from the AGBIS/Baines Cutler Salary Survey to inform their strategy.

9th March 2021
Marketing your school - the importance of a whole school approach - £75

Speaker: Rachel Hadley Leonard

This joint webinar with AMCIS examines the importance of marketing and excellent customer service in schools and the very real problem of colleague buy-in; ensuring the whole organisation is on board with its marketing efforts. We also look at the role Governors can play in this crucial aspect of the school business:  

• Why marketing is more important than ever amidst a pandemic 
• Your school as a business – why excellent customer service is crucial 
• Gardener to Governor - whole school understanding of marketing  
• Effective methods to bring colleagues on board, and enable successful storytelling from across the school  
• The Governors’ role in schools’ marketing with case study 

3rd March 2021
Education Matters for Governors and Heads: Action on the Curriculum - £75

Speakers: Richard Harman (CEO, AGBIS), Simon O’Grady (CEO, High Performance Learning) and Christopher King (CEO, IAPS)

This webinar will look at innovations currently under way in IAPS schools with regard to the curriculum and in particular the state of the debate about the balance between a skills based or knowledge based curriculum. What is the best shape for the future curriculum? The place of Common Entrance and 11+ tests in the independent school system and the need for a more child centred approach at school transition points. It will also focus on the landscape being shaped by the School Improvement Commission Report (Improving Schools) and calls for progressive action from governors and senior leaders to achieve excellence and equity within our schools.

3rd March 2021
Safeguarding Risks Past and Present: How to manage safeguarding in your schools - £50

Veryan Exelby and Maria Strauss of Farrer & Co together with Shelagh Willis, Safeguarding Coordinator at St Paul's School, will discuss current issues in safeguarding and how schools can prevent and react to safeguarding situations. The session will also include information and advice for school governors on how to respond to and manage historic abuse allegations. The morning will include a case study with interactive breakout rooms.

A case study will be sent to delegates on Friday 26 Febuary in preparation for the breakout session, so early booking is recommended.

4th February 2021
Being Conscious of Unconscious Bias Part 2 - £50

Speaker: Joanne Frew, Partner, DWF Law LLP

Our introductory webinar on unconscious bias looked at where unconscious bias comes from, how we recognise it and the effect it may have (to purchase the recording of part one email [email protected]).  This session takes a closer look at the impact of unconscious bias and what Governors can do to identify behaviours stemming from bias and address the source of the problem.  In particular, we will look at how Governors can:

• Be aware of common unconscious beliefs /stereotypes and the impact they may have in schools
• Identify micro-behaviours arising from unconscious bias
• Question unconscious bias in others and help others raise their awareness

2nd February 2021
Governance Masterclass for Chairs and Vice Chairs - Part 3 - £75

Hosted by AGBIS, in association with BDB Pitmans’ Independent Schools legal team, this Masterclass will provide you with a governance toolkit to enable you to get the best out of your Governing Body, and in turn the best out of your School.

Do you set as aside enough time to look at your School’s medium to long term strategy and risk profile? Do you have a handle on how the School is planning to maintain/increase its income streams?

Dealing with the immediate challenges of the covid pandemic is an inevitable priority, nevertheless a key role of the Chair is to ensure that the Governing Body takes ownership of securing and overseeing the long-term sustainability of the School, in particular its financial viability. This last session will look at the Governing Body’s role in the oversight of fundraising (and associated data protection considerations), income from the school estate and property development, the use of restricted funds and the associated risk ‘red flags’ that you as Chair/Vice Chair should be aware of.  We will then wrap up with a summary of the top tips and suggested actions from this Masterclass series.

26th January 2021
Governance Masterclass for Chairs and Vice Chairs - Part 2 - £75

Hosted by AGBIS, in association with BDB Pitmans’ Independent Schools legal team, this Masterclass will provide you with a governance toolkit to enable you to get the best out of your Governing Body, and in turn the best out of your School.

How do you and your Governors interact with the senior leadership team, in particular the Head? How do you and your Governors use your time?

This session will consider how Chair and Vice-Chairs can set the key relationship between the Governors and the SLT on the right course and navigate the fine line between effective oversight and ‘meddling’ in management. It will also look at how Chairs can best prioritise Governors’ time, with reference to agenda setting and committee structures.

20th January 2021
Creating an impactful leading-edge learning experience - £50

In association with RM Education, this webinar looks at developing a forward thinking, innovative IT strategy and vision that excites and delivers real value in the classroom, whilst balancing investment and total cost of IT ownership

19th January 2021
Governance Masterclass for Chairs and Vice Chairs - Part 1 - £75

Hosted by AGBIS, in association with BDB Pitmans’ Independent Schools legal team, this Masterclass will provide you with a governance toolkit to enable you to get the best out of your Governing Body, and in turn the best out of your School.

Building an effective Governing Body: How is the Chair’s role different to that of the other Governors? Who are your governors? Do they know what they should be doing? How are they performing?

We will start by looking at the skills sets that each Governing Body should have, the key requirements of Governors, performance reviews and how AGBIS’s Model Governance Manual for Schools can improve your governance.