NGA Annual Governance Survey Results

The National Governance Association (NGA) has released its Annual Governance Survey 2023 providing insights into the challenges and experiences faced by governing boards, trustees, and academy committee members.

Balancing the budget continues as boards’ most enduring challenge, with 52 per cent of respondents placing it at the top of their list of concerns with the top financial challenges; staff pay costs, special educational needs and disabilities support and infrastructure costs, including estate management. Support staff recruitment and retention was overall the most picked staffing challenge, especially for maintained schools.

One of the most alarming revelations from the survey is a substantial rise in safeguarding concerns within the past year (22/23). Over 55% of respondents reported an increase in safeguarding concerns. Neglect, domestic abuse and bullying, including cyberbullying, emerged as the top three concerns. Notably, self-harm also surfaced as a prevalent worry, with a noticeable upward trend.

Behavioural challenges within schools and trusts have also witnessed a concerning spike. This issue transcended school phases, as more than half of all schools reported an increase in challenging behaviour.

In response to the findings, NGA has issued some key recommendations which it will be presenting to policymakers:

• A wider and more proactive drive centrally to address the alarming issue of worsening governor and trustee recruitment issues
• For the DfE to address remuneration structures covering all school and trust roles in order to attract and retain talented educators and support staff
• For the DfE to commission a pupil attendance task force to rapidly respond to support both boards and leaders in tackling the national attendance issue
• For the DfE to build on the 2022 white paper proposals by promoting both the importance of local governance in MATs and the evidenced practice on how to make it meaningful
• The government should consider how Ofsted, in its present form, needs to be strengthened in order to build capacity and expertise to carry out meaningful inspections of MATs.

If you would like to hear from the NGA on how governance can make a real impact, book your place at The Devon Association of Governance Conference on Saturday 4^th November 2023 at Exeter Racecourse where the NGA’s regional governance development lead for the south west will be speaking to delegates. Book your place by registering on the DAG website www.dagdevon.uk.  Early booking is recommended as places are limited.