BDD 2019 profile: People and Purpose

In a session at the Board Development Day 2019, Regional Adviser Sarah Pittam chaired a discussion on how boards can place people and talent development at the heart of its future strategy. The panel included Academy Ambassadors Alumni with a wealth of expertise and experience; Gaenor Bagley, Chair of the Kemnal Academies trust, and Rebecca Ganz, a non-executive director at Leodis Academies trust.

1. Don’t underestimate the importance of talent strategy in board meetings

   The common ‘golden thread’ for boards to consider is strategy, culture and compliance. Strategy and compliance take priority considering their short term importance and culture is rarely given the attention it needs. Addressing people and culture is seen as hard, slow and less effective but is a critical cornerstone for any trust. Instead of dancing around the issue and leaving questions on talent development unanswered, the board should be regularly challenging on issues such as:

   - What do teachers think about leadership and are they likely to leave because of it?
   - What is your five-year plan on leadership?
   - Do you have a successor for the CEO and SLT in schools?
    

2. Review your succession plan and talent pipeline
   The challenge of how you are developing and planning succession must sit front and centre to a trust’s strategy. This isn’t limited to executive teams but includes senior leadership within schools and how they are developing their own talent. The panel recommended using an operation risk register on how trust schools are managing their best talent, while considering where you want the trust to be in five years and how this will influence your hiring strategy.
    

3. Clear career and leadership development
   The panel stressed the importance to reflect on what your trust is doing to create a continual ethos of learning and development from NQT up to leadership. Building a pipeline of leaders in your trust begins with good leadership development and coaching support. The ethos of learning and development should be built into trust recruitment. New teachers should be presented with clear career development on what they can achieve in two years.
    

The central message from the panel was that people and relationships are at the heart of delivering a trust’s vision. Building a relationship with the leadership team will connect the student, to teacher, to governor to board member who all want the school to perform well. Trusts need the right people at all levels and an eye on the future to keep growth sustainable.

Will Colahan is the Press and Policy Officer for New Schools Network and attended the Board Development Day in London, Monday 11th November 2019.