Creating Value In Schools
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The world of education is full of jargon and acronyms. How do you navigate these if you’re new in role? Fiona Stagg’s Great Big Governance Glossary is a fantastic and vital resource for new governors, or anyone involved in governance or trust leadership. If your role is funding or academies focused, the DfE’s A-Z of terms is another helpful reference. How might these fit into your setting’s onboarding processes?
The Great Big Governance Glossary isn’t even solely a glossary. Alongside definitions of key terms (such as Quorate or Accountability) you’ll find tips, tables and links to further resources. It’s compiled by Fiona (Fee) Stagg, an experienced trustee and governance professional. The glossary includes the results of her wisdom and insights – see G is for (own) Goal for example!
In the glossary’s appendices you’ll find:
The glossary is free to download and is updated by Fee herself annually.
Here’s how she describes it in the introduction:
The Glossary has been designed to help you steer your way through the dense and often complex terminology used particularly in those first few governing board meetings. The Glossary contains links to a wide range of documents, reports and opinion pieces to help get you up to speed quickly so that you are not left thinking what have I let myself in for…where’s the door?
The DfE has updated its Academies: A to Z of terms. It’s a useful starting point particularly for those involved in funding and needing to know the difference between lag and GAG! It includes some links to further resources.
The DfE has also published a new collection of governance resources. It includes guidance around:
Within each section there are links to sources of guidance and training, such as the NGA’s Governor Skills Audit.
