PARTNERS
GIVING PRAISE
ACKNOWLEDGING EVERYONE’S CONTRIBUTION Richard Harman suggests that governors shoul lea the ay in both than ing staff or hat they o an ta ing responsibility or their mental health
‘A
n attitude of gratitude’ is a well-worn phrase, but one that is especially important in these pandemic times. As James Timpson, Chief Executive of Timpson Group, said in a recent newspaper column, ‘Giving praise and telling colleagues how much we appreciate their contributions should be on our to-do list every day’.
Authentic support
ome people find these habits come naturally, others less so; but governors would do well to cultivate them and to remember just how tough the last couple of years have been for school leaders and their staff. It is part of our duty to ensure that staff are held to account for their performance in good times and bad, but this needs to be balanced with authentic support. The pandemic has added to an already dire situation as regards pupils’ mental health and, in the wake of COVID – and other major challenges like Everyone’s Invited and the subsequent Ofsted review – we are seeing similar strains appearing among our staff.
to look after the health of staff. But leaving aside these legal and regulatory requirements, a little day-to-day human kindness goes a long way. There really is no substitute for a genuine word of thanks or a card of appreciation. Governors also deserve great thanks for their contribution. It is important for Chairs, Heads and Clerks to remember that these folk are volunteers who are fitting school go ernorship around their already busy lives for no remuneration. Once again, remembering to say, ‘thank you’ and to create an inclusive, welcoming atmosphere around the Board table can make all the difference. It is not easy to recruit and retain good governors. Once they do join up, treating them well increases the chances of building a great team. AGBIS is here to help and support governors in all they do. Offering stimulating topical training, webinars and seminars is invaluable, whilst networking with others in similar roles is guaranteed to build a sense of belonging and understanding. With this in mind, I commend to governors the AGBIS Annual Conference in March 2022. I look forward then to being able to say in person, ‘thank you’ for all you do to make our schools the best they can be. ●
... a genuine word of thanks
Human kindness
In our role as company directors (as well as school governors and, in most cases, charity trustees), we have a statutory duty of care to our employees under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, which means that (within reasonable limits) it is a requirement on us to ensure that appropriate measures are in place
RICHARD HARMAN is o He was previously ea master o l enham an subse uently ppingham i har is a past hairman o the an
Winter 2022 | schoolmanagementplus.com | 11
