These are the options available if your school governors are looking for online training and e-learning. Please let me know if you know of any other courses available and I will add them to this page.
All the courses listed are pre-recorded sessions so you do not need to book and you can access the learning at any time. The only free courses I have found are from Governors For Schools and a Prevent duty course from the government, but many of the paid providers listed offer free trials.
National Governance Association (PAID)
The National Governance Association (NGA) offer online e-learning through their Learning Link program, with a free trial available. They offer a suite of 50 modules on all aspects of governance, plus bitesize courses that take just five to 15 minutes to complete. Courses available include:
- key functions of the governing board
- governance visits to schools
- monitoring and evaluation
- understanding schools finance
- getting it right as a staff governor
- succession planning
- handling difficult situations
- exclusions
- pupil premium
- headteacher appraisal and capability
- health and safety.
The cost depends on whether you are a member of the NGA. If you are not a member it costs £165 for one year of access for all governors. Standard NGA members can purchase one year of access for £122 and gold members for £82.
Sign Up For Learning Link
The Key for School Governors (PAID)
The Key for School Governors launched their online training in 2020. There is one induction course available so far for maintained school governors, with an academy induction course coming soon. Future courses to release in 2021 will cover being a link governor for safeguarding, SEND and pupil premium.
Members of the Key also gain access to a wide range of articles, policies and compliance documents. Discounts are available if your school also subscribes to The Key for School Leaders and a free trial is available too.
The cost of membership will depend on the number of pupils in your school. As a guide a smaller school of 200-4oo pupils might cost around £525 per year whereas a larger one of around 1000 pupils might cost around £705.
Sign Up For The Key For School Governors
Modern Governor (PAID)
Modern Governor offer a range of paid e-learning courses on subjects such as:
- effective governance
- what to expect from your chair
- OFSTED
- safeguarding and governance
- GDPR essentials.
You will need to ask for a quote as they do not list prices online. However GovernorHub members can access all their courses as part of their membership package. GovernorHub costs £400 per year for each single governing board or £400 for a multi-academy trust board plus £100 for each local committee. Free trials are also available.
Request A Quote for Modern Governor
Governors For Schools (FREE)
Governor For Schools used to be called SGOSS, the School Governors’ One-Stop Shop. They offer the following free online courses:
- induction training
- SEND for governors
- multi-academy trusts
- employability and work-related learning
- driving school improvement
- performance data for new governors
- finance for new governors.
National Society For The Prevention of Cruelty To Children (PAID)
The NSPCC provide an online course on child protection specifically for school governors. It explains the role and responsibilities of governors regarding safeguarding, the duties of the school, creating a safer culture and how to provide evidence that your school is fulfilling its safeguarding duties.
The course costs £25 but discounts are available if multiple governors are taking the course at the same time.
The NSPCC also offer a course on safer recruitment in education which may be useful to governors who are involved in hiring staff. The safer recruitment course costs £35 per person with discounts for multiple purchases.
Buy Child Protection Training For School Governors
Buy Safer Recruitment Training For Education
Home Office (FREE)
The government provide online training on the Prevent duty, the obligation on schools to help prevent pupils from being radicalised into terrorism. It was developed using feedback from teachers and aims to explain how you can safeguard vulnerable young people who could become radicalised.
Visit E-Learning Training On Prevent
Services For Education (PAID)
Services For Education offer a selection of online courses for governors, most of which cost £100. Topics include:
- understanding the quality of education
- preparing the governing body for OFSTED
- monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of the pupil premium grant
- using the primary inspection data summary report (IDSR).
Buy Services for Education Training
National Online Safety (PAID)
National Online Safety offer a course on online safety specifically for school governors. It covers the law and statutory guidance around safeguarding children online, the responsibilities of governors, how staff can support pupils, how to develop a culture of safety and keeping up to date with online risks.
The course costs £100 if the school is not a member of National Online Safety but can be accessed for free if you become a certified school at £495 per year.
Buy National Online Safety Training