A Serviceman and a Governor
 |
| (img:Brookings) |
The challenging and rewarding world of School Governance while serving in the Armed Forces.
“…Do you think your profession helps?
Should we be encouraging more military to help in this area because we are good at assessment and report type work?…” ~ @puddlepirateltd
These questions were a response to a tweet that I sent regarding a small win I’d had as a School Governor. And in short, absolutely. I firmly believe our profession helps and that we should encourage more military personnel to help in this area.
Why?
“If leaders want to impart knowledge, they first need to be on a continual path of progression.”
I stand behind this way of thinking, and I’m of the belief that if you can do something for others you should (R2P, anyone?).
For me, there’s a significant pull towards improving the lives of others.
Let me explain a little.
Coming from a poverty-stricken background I left school with seven D grades and one C at GCSE. But, I got a lucky break (or more to the point, a chance to escape from a errh, limited? life); I joined a social mobility extraordinaire - the British Army
Let me explain a little.
Coming from a poverty-stricken background I left school with seven D grades and one C at GCSE. But, I got a lucky break (or more to the point, a chance to escape from a errh, limited? life); I joined a social mobility extraordinaire - the British Army
As a young Lance Corporal, I re-sat four GCSEs, an AS Level, and an O Level over a six month period. I did this because there was an Army Education Centre on camp and I’d previously met a SNCO who had studied in his own time for an Honours Degree (I think it was Ocean Science) and I was inspired by him - so I followed in his footsteps and smashed out a bit of elective self-development.
One of those resits was GCSE History. I recall studying for this by reading a textbook over a weekend and sitting two exams based on it (sorry professional educators out there if this frustrates you!). Here’s the thing, my penny-drop moment, I absolutely LOVED it. International Relations Since 1919… fascinated me. All of it. Learning, seeing things differently, understanding something. Developing. Having an opinion of something. I realised I had a buzz for self development, and it didn’t stop there.
I later completed an Honours Degree with the Open University and then moved onto a Masters in Education, again with the OU (my wife won’t let me look at a Doctorate, and that’s fair enough (he says, for now)).
So what?
When I was a child, disadvantaged children were the norm in my hometown. The catchment area was rife with crime and even the Fire Service refused to come and put out fires at one point (I was on the news that day, gobbing off and being a nuisance - standard).
One of those resits was GCSE History. I recall studying for this by reading a textbook over a weekend and sitting two exams based on it (sorry professional educators out there if this frustrates you!). Here’s the thing, my penny-drop moment, I absolutely LOVED it. International Relations Since 1919… fascinated me. All of it. Learning, seeing things differently, understanding something. Developing. Having an opinion of something. I realised I had a buzz for self development, and it didn’t stop there.
 |
| 8 Years of self study? Boom, second degree baby! |
I later completed an Honours Degree with the Open University and then moved onto a Masters in Education, again with the OU (my wife won’t let me look at a Doctorate, and that’s fair enough (he says, for now)).
So what?
When I was a child, disadvantaged children were the norm in my hometown. The catchment area was rife with crime and even the Fire Service refused to come and put out fires at one point (I was on the news that day, gobbing off and being a nuisance - standard).
The thing about this is I’m acutely aware that my teachers didn’t care about me or my classmates, we were all destined to follow the footsteps of our parents… a daunting thing that should not have been a thing.
Nowadays, it needn’t be and rightly so.
Enter; School Governance.
When I think back to how things were for my classmates I feel awful. Because those children were failed by people's lacklustre performance in a system that didn’t care.
Enter; School Governance.
When I think back to how things were for my classmates I feel awful. Because those children were failed by people's lacklustre performance in a system that didn’t care.
That is not the way these days, every child should receive quality teaching in a system that cares - and that’s where Governance plays it’s part.
According to gov.uk, School Governors:
So what’s the sketch with military profession being encouraged? What’s in it for me?
Cast your minds back through your careers to date. Had problems with challenging the system as a Service Person? Ever experienced a leader who simply isn’t open to challenge? Has your career been adversely affected by you telling unfiltered truths or for being an active bystander? Tried to implement change and met resistance upon policy constraint again and again? Pull up a sandbag, this is ace…
School Governors are there to provide independent oversight of the management and strategic direction of a school, and said school wants to hear your voice. The Headteacher has a vested interest in hearing you out, listening intently to your views, and welcomes healthy challenge… he or she wants to hear your views because they are absolutely committed to the children and want the very best for them. Always.
“Good governance is at the heart of effective headteacher performance management.” gov.uk
So, you have to be a critical ally to the Headteacher and the Senior Leadership Team. To a critical thinker operating within a fiercely guarded hierarchical structure this is absolute gold.
According to gov.uk, School Governors:
- help the school with its strategy
- hold the headteacher to account for a school’s performance
- make sure the school’s budget is properly managed
So what’s the sketch with military profession being encouraged? What’s in it for me?
Cast your minds back through your careers to date. Had problems with challenging the system as a Service Person? Ever experienced a leader who simply isn’t open to challenge? Has your career been adversely affected by you telling unfiltered truths or for being an active bystander? Tried to implement change and met resistance upon policy constraint again and again? Pull up a sandbag, this is ace…
School Governors are there to provide independent oversight of the management and strategic direction of a school, and said school wants to hear your voice. The Headteacher has a vested interest in hearing you out, listening intently to your views, and welcomes healthy challenge… he or she wants to hear your views because they are absolutely committed to the children and want the very best for them. Always.
“Good governance is at the heart of effective headteacher performance management.” gov.uk
So, you have to be a critical ally to the Headteacher and the Senior Leadership Team. To a critical thinker operating within a fiercely guarded hierarchical structure this is absolute gold.
A good friend of mine recently said “When you find constraints, see the freedoms” and that resonates with me so often. The Armed Forces is necessarily hierarchical, it has to be so. Each and every serving person could either receive or deliver orders that result in the ultimate sacrifice. That’s why systems of absolute hierarchy will be around for decades to come, and rightly so (to a degree, but that’s for another blog).
So, put the knowledge, skills, experience, and behaviours you develop to good use outside of said systems - have a formidable impact on the lives of young people through a challenging and highly rewarding community engagement.
Fulfilling, stimulating, rewarding, and highly developmental.
I believe that the way School Leaders and Governing Bodies work is best described in David Marquet’s book Leadership is Language (yeah, that is a cheap plug to a book review I wrote, but it’s highly pertinent). Marquet, above all else, tells us that leaders need to remain curious, to think often (involving the whole team), and decide together as a team - the leader then evaluates (and remains responsible for) said decisions. This is School Governance to a tea. The outcome is well-considered policies, plans and agreed targets that help schools achieve their bespoke and forward thinking objectives. Only then can the strategic framework continue to improve, in light of the progress that transpires accordingly, in a meaningful way. Win, win, win.
Not convinced military professionals are suitable?
While you will have to go through an application process (plus a DBS Check), and then often be voted in by the Governing Body; you’re likely fit for the role. Why? Communication, leadership, mutual understanding, strategic planning, unity of effort, networking, listening, patience, trust, decision-making. Sounds familiar right?! You’ll notice something about these, this is our bread and butter.
Fulfilling, stimulating, rewarding, and highly developmental.
I believe that the way School Leaders and Governing Bodies work is best described in David Marquet’s book Leadership is Language (yeah, that is a cheap plug to a book review I wrote, but it’s highly pertinent). Marquet, above all else, tells us that leaders need to remain curious, to think often (involving the whole team), and decide together as a team - the leader then evaluates (and remains responsible for) said decisions. This is School Governance to a tea. The outcome is well-considered policies, plans and agreed targets that help schools achieve their bespoke and forward thinking objectives. Only then can the strategic framework continue to improve, in light of the progress that transpires accordingly, in a meaningful way. Win, win, win.
Not convinced military professionals are suitable?
While you will have to go through an application process (plus a DBS Check), and then often be voted in by the Governing Body; you’re likely fit for the role. Why? Communication, leadership, mutual understanding, strategic planning, unity of effort, networking, listening, patience, trust, decision-making. Sounds familiar right?! You’ll notice something about these, this is our bread and butter.
Added bonus; if an area within these, in your opinion, is lacking — they’ll be developed along the way. More wins.
Caveat: the learning curve is STEEP. But. You get ample opportunity to give something back and also to make a meaningful difference to people’s lives.
Caveat: the learning curve is STEEP. But. You get ample opportunity to give something back and also to make a meaningful difference to people’s lives.
You have the power to influence and innovate, it’s in your head waiting to be utilised… and your local Headteacher wants to draw upon that.
Does the military profession help with being a School Governor? Yes.
Should we be encouraging more military to help in this area? A thousand times yes.
Find out how to become a School Governor here.
Does the military profession help with being a School Governor? Yes.
Should we be encouraging more military to help in this area? A thousand times yes.
Find out how to become a School Governor here.
