We asked governors what was affecting their schools – we were overwhelmed by the response

Jane Morris

When Governors Cymru Services set out to ask school governors what were the most pressing issues affecting their schools, we had a good idea that funding would be high on the agenda for many.

But what we didn’t expect was the sheer number of comments we received from governors across Wales setting out in detail how budget cuts were having a damaging impact on school staff, pupils and provision.

With seven months to go until the Senedd election, the findings of our survey add weight to the voices of staff, unions and parents who are calling on all political parties to prioritise education funding in their manifestos.

At Governors Cymru Services, we help governors and governing bodies to fulfil their vital role in our education system, providing a range of support to inspire and promote effective school governance.

Amid unprecedented reforms and financial pressures, the importance of school governance has never been greater. That’s why, in June this year, we conducted a national survey of school governors to better understand their experiences and challenges.

Funding

The feedback was overwhelming – 54% of the 290 governors who responded identified funding as the most pressing issue currently facing their school.

More than 180 governors left comments in the survey, with many expressing serious concerns about the financial situation in their schools and the impact it has had, including cuts to services, staff redundancies and a shortage of provision.

Many explained the effect this has had on the most vulnerable pupils, especially those from deprived backgrounds and those with additional learning needs.

One governor wrote: “Cuts to the education budget in our county have meant we are unable to employ the number of staff needed to support our most vulnerable learners.”

Another said: “Funding is appalling and we are having to make cuts to pupil wellbeing services, with further cuts threatened.”

And one simply said: “We are not getting enough support for ALN. We are failing our children.”

‘Perfect storm’

Another governor explained how a “perfect storm of conditions” had left their school in a deficit budget: “I’m very concerned about the impact on the morale of the entire school community, safety and quality of education as the non-negotiable plan to balance the budget is brutal.”

It’s no surprise then that, when asked what one intervention would make the biggest difference to their school, 61% of governors said ‘increased funding or grant support’, while 12.7% said ‘more teachers or support staff’.

Ultimately, it is school governors who find themselves dealing with the consequences of this funding shortfall. They are at the front lines, making the difficult decisions that determine the future direction of their schools, along with the senior leadership team.

This was summed up by the following comment from the survey: “Thankfully some staff have taken early retirement, otherwise we would as governors decide who had to be made redundant. Not a nice choice to have to make.”

Our politicians have a choice to make too. They can decide to stick with the status quo, of budget cuts and funding squeezes, or they can choose to fund our schools sufficiently and give all pupils in Wales the best chance in life. Standards and results are bound to suffer considerably, if this does not happen.

Radical review

That’s why we’re calling for a radical review of school funding by the new national body set up by Welsh Government, with key stakeholder involvement to look at the sustainability of schools and how they can be fully supported and resourced properly and effectively in future. While we appreciate the additional funding from the Welsh government and the recent consultation undertaken, greater in-depth discussion is needed to ensure consistency and equitable provision.

We’re also calling for the government to join up the reviews of the situation with ALN provision across Wales and urgently address any shortcomings. After funding, 11% of respondents to our survey said provision for ALN was their biggest concern. The additional ALN funding and toolkit recently announced by the Cabinet Secretary for Education is welcome. We were pleased that some key messages from our survey were mentioned in plenary this week and we hope our findings will be taken on board.

And we’re urging everyone, from policy makers to school leaders, to ensure that the governor voice is included, heard and respected in key education discussions in Wales.

Governors play a vital strategic role in our education system, acting as both critical friends and accountable leaders who work closely with school leaders to ensure high-quality education.

The governor voice is all often overlooked, but as this survey demonstrates, it is without doubt an incredibly powerful and emotive voice that deserves to be heard in the national discussion about the future of education in Wales.

Jane Morris is Co-Director of Governors Cymru Services, which provides a range of support to inspire and promote effective school governance.