Governor Skills Audit

All school governing bodies should conduct skills audits to discover the strengths and weaknesses of current governors and identify training needs.

This page explains how to carry out a skills audit for every governor, the chair and the clerk using a downloadable template.

Skills Audit Templates

I have produced editable Word forms that let each governor, the chair or the clerk rate their own skill level in a wide range of specific areas on a scale of one to five.

Either the clerk or chair as appropriate can then collate the results and the board can start tackling the areas where governors or clerks feel least confident.

The skills audits are equally applicable to maintained schools and academies. The main audit for governors also lets you identify areas where not every governor needs to be skilled but where at least one member of the board should be confident in their abilities.

The editable Word files can be downloaded from my templates and letters page.

The skills audit for governors and chairs covers the following six areas.

1. Strategic Leadership
   – setting direction
   – culture, values and ethos
   – decision-making
   – collaborative working with stakeholders and partners
   – risk management.
2. Accountability for Educational Standards and Financial Performance
   – educational improvement
   – rigorous analysis of data
   – financial frameworks and accountability
   – financial management and monitoring
   – staffing and performance management
   – external accountability.
3. People
   – building an effective team.
4. Structures
   – roles and responsibilities.
5. Compliance
   – statutory and contractual requirements.
6. Evaluation
   – managing self-review and development
   – managing and developing the board’s effectiveness.

The skills audit for clerks to governors covers the following four areas.

1. Understanding Governance.
2. Administration.
3. Advice and Guidance.
4. People and Relationships.

Should the headteacher complete the skills audit?

Yes if they’re a governor or trustee, which most headteachers are.

All governors and trustees should complete the skills audit. The whole point of the audit is to find out what skills and expertise you already have and what skills governors need to develop or focus on when recruiting new governors.

There’s no reason why the skills of the headteacher should be ignored.

Should staff governors complete the skills audit?

Yes. Why would the skills of your staff governors not count?