Education CommitteeWritten evidence submitted by Sue Woodroofe, Principal, The British School of Brussels

In response to Question 166 about the vagaries of governing body structures internationally, focusing on the Netherlands, Michael Jeans, a trustee of the British School of Brussels (BSB), made a reference to his role as a member of our Board.

The BSB is a British, HMC International School, educating over 1250 students from the ages of 1–18 on a beautiful, modern and well-resourced campus east of Brussels. In our 44th year, the founder of our school, Sir Dick Pantlin, is also one of the founders of what is now known as COBIS (the Council of British International Schools.) The BSB broadly follows the English national curriculum although there are many adaptations to ensure that our learning is forward- looking and internationally relevant given that we have students from up to 70 nationalities in the school at any one time. Furthermore, our community is largely transient, with the average stay being 3 years and only 10% of students in any year group remaining at the school for the whole of their educational lives. We offer both the IB Diploma as well as A Levels to our Post-16 students and these two pre-university qualifications are equally popular and successful, with almost 90% of our students getting to their first choice universities worldwide annually.

However, in light of the committee’s research on governing bodies, we also have a very thorough and transparent governance structure which has been accredited among leading international schools in the world by the Council of International Schools (CIS) Accreditation team as recently as last October when they conducted their 5-year visit, measuring BSB against their exacting standards.

Therefore, the BSB Board of Governors wants to counter any suggestion in the evidence and transcript of your committee’s report that BSB’s governance structure is not of the highest order. In summary:

1. The Board of Governors sits beneath a Board of Trustees who meet annually to scrutinise its work.

2. The Board of Governors meets four times per year, one of these meetings being a strategic planning day.

3. The Board is made up of a range of people with local and international business and educational experience, as well as those who are elected representatives from the parent and staff bodies. The School’s Leadership Team also sits on this main Board.

4. The Board of Governors has seven active sub groups that sit under its delegated authority to work in more detail on issues pertaining to school development. These committees meet a minimum of three times per year and cover the following areas:

Curriculum & Learning

Finance

Premises

ICT

Human Resources & Compensation

Marketing

Governance

These sub groups are made up of members of the main Board with specialisms or interests in that area, plus the School Principal and then other members from the wider Brussels community, including staff and parent representatives who do not sit on the main Board and who have a particular expertise in that area.

5. The Governance sub group monitors the membership of these groups according to a clear, recommended framework which can be seen in the Board of Governors’ Handbook (attached to this document.) In this way, gaps in areas of expertise are immediately filled by contact with people whom we seek to recruit from the parent body or wider Brussels community. To achieve this, career roles, histories and CVs are checked, applications or expressions of interest received and interviews are held with the Chair of each group to check for suitability.

6. Terms of office for all roles at all levels of governance are for three years, with the possibility of re-election. A briefing session is held with all new members of the Board and/or sub groups every September to ensure that the remit of the role is clear and confidentiality and child protection documentation can be confirmed.

7. In addition to the evidence in the attached Board of Governors’ Handbook, BSB has also been credited at the highest level by CIS for its standard of governance, benchmarked among the best schools in the world. CIS standards (and indeed BSB’s rating against these) is also attached and may provide the committee with an interesting set of governance standards for the record.

I hope you will understand from the attached appendices—the CIS standards and the BSB Board of Governors’ Handbook—that it is my duty to put the record straight about the best practice governance evident at BSB. We are proud of our success as a school and this is built upon the excellent foundations in governance.

Cis Standards on Governance & Leadership

Inc. BSB’s ratings assessed at the 5-year visit in October 2012

Overall Standards marked on scale 1(low)—4 (high)

Individual indicators making up each Standard measures as follows:

WA—Widely Aligned

PA—Partially Aligned

NA—Not Aligned

Please see below a copy of the CIS Standards on Governance with BSB’s grading included, as measured in October 2012.

Section C

GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP

STANDARD C1		SSC Rating on scale 1 to 4
The governing body shall be so constituted, with regard to membership and organization, as to provide the school with sound direction, continuity of leadership, and effective support in the current and long term life of the school.		Write here: 4
	Indicators for Standard C1	Rating (Please mark)
		WA	PA	NA
C1a	The governing body shapes and upholds the mission, articulates a compelling vision, and ensures that its decisions support and further the mission.	X
C1b	The governing body promotes strong ethical values and compliance through appropriate and effective oversight.	X
C1c	The governing body effectively measures the school’s success in putting its mission and objectives into practice, and it promotes corrective action if results show this is needed.	X
C1d	The governing body invigorates itself through planned membership, thoughtful recruitment, and inclusiveness.	X
C1e	The governing body provides appropriate orientation and on-going training for its members in the understanding and performance of their duties and in understanding policies and their implications.	X
C1f	The governing body is so constituted that it can fulfill essential governance duties and provide continuity for the school in the event of sudden change in ownership, governance, and/or administration.	X
	Optional school-generated Indicator (write in):
	Optional school-generated Indicator (write in):

Celebrations

The School has a very committed governing body, with wide representation of external experts, staff and parents. The structure lends itself to strong and visionary discussion at whole board meetings and more detailed planning at the various sub groups which operate in Finance, Human Resources, Curriculum & Learning, Marketing, Premises, ICT strategy and Governance. New governors and sub groups members are inducted every Autumn and a planning day which can include Governor training takes place every Nov/Dec.

Details of proposals to improve non or poor alignment if any:

None

Five-Year Visitors’ Comments:

The Board has Sub-Committees as indicated above, and takes these seriously, using those meetings to inform the strategy for the BoG.The Board has tri-annual meetings, as well as the annual professional development day.

The Board has several members who represent the different interests of the school community, and seeks nominations for vacancies from those who can contribute positively to its mission. People with relevant skills and backgrounds are invited to join the sub-groups.

The Board is to be commended for its long-term vision and vigilant dedication to continual improvements at BSB.

Five-Year Visitors’ Recommendations (if any)

None at this time

STANDARD C2		SSC Rating on scale 1 to 4
There shall be a co-operative and effective working relationship between the governing body and the head of school so as to establish and sustain high morale, quality relationships, and a positive climate for teaching, learning, and student well-being throughout the school.		Write here: 4
	Indicators for Standard C2	Rating (Please mark)
		WA	PA	NA
C2a	There is a clear and effective understanding by the governing body and the head of school of their respective functions, and these understandings are set out in written form.	X
C2b	There is a partnership between the governing body and head of school which recognises that the effectiveness of the parties is interdependent.	X
C2c	The governing body and the head of school enjoy a positive, open, and mutually supportive relationship.	X
	Optional school-generated Indicator (write in):
	Optional school-generated Indicator (write in):

Celebrations

At all times, members of the Board and subgroups respect the Principal as the CEO, running the operation of the School. Excellent relationships exist between the members of the school. The Board plays a role of a critical friend; scrutinizing all areas and offering support as a foundation.

Details of proposals to improve non or poor alignment if any:

None

Five-Year Visitors’ Comments:

There is an excellent relationship between the Board and the Principal. The Principal feels extremely well supported and respected by the Board.

Five-Year Visitors’ Recommendations (if any)

None at this time

STANDARD C3		SSC Rating on scale 1 to 4
The head of school, while accountable to a higher authority, shall be the responsible leader to ensure that teaching, learning, and student well-being are supported and that the school’s mission is achieved.		Write here: 4
	Indicators for Standard B3	Rating (Please mark)
		WA	PA	NA
C3a	The governing body has developed a clear, written job description for the head of school.	X
C3b	The head of school provides leadership for the total school programme.	X
C3c	The head of school sets educational priorities and outlines funding implications for submission to the governing body.	X
C3d	The head of school has final responsibility for the recruitment, selection, assignment, orientation, deployment and appraisal of all the administrators, teachers and support staff.	X
C3e	The governing body ensures that all issues pertaining to the day-to-day operations of the school are addressed through the head of school.	X
C3f	The head of school effectively delegates responsibility through a leadership structure that is designed to fulfil the school’s mission and objectives.	X
	Optional school-generated Indicator (write in):
	Optional school-generated Indicator (write in):

Celebrations

The role of the Head of the School is clearly recognised and acknowledged by all stakeholders.

Details of proposals to improve non or poor alignment if any:

None

Five-Year Visitors’ Comments:

Whilst agreeing with the school’s celebratory comment about the role of the Principal (she is very obviously the leader of the school in everyone’s eyes and competently fulfils all the criteria of this Standard) and recognising that the Board of Governors and Trustees (BoG, BoT) is generally clear in the members’ roles and responsibilities, the Visitors consider that the difference between being a Board member (Strategy and Vision) and being involved in the day-to-day running of the school (Principal’s key role) must be regularly reviewed to remind all Board members of the differences.

Five-Year Visitors’ Recommendations (if any)

None at this time.

STANDARD C4		SSC Rating on scale 1 to 4
The governing body shall have clearly formulated written policies and practices which are applied to bring consistency and clarity to school operations.		Write here: 4
	Indicators for Standard C4	Rating (Please mark)
		WA	PA	NA
C4a	The governing body has a comprehensive, up-to- date, and effective policy manual for both school and governance operations.	X
C4b	The governing body allots sufficient time to the most important concerns and issues, and continuously engages in strategic thinking about the school’s direction.	X
C4c	In decision-making, governing body members always put the interests of the whole school above all else, avoiding favoritism towards any individual or group.	X
C4d	An ethos of transparency is promoted by the governing body to ensure that appropriate members of the school’s constituency have access to accurate information about decisions and matters which impact them.	X
C4e	Governing body policies and practices include a regular and systematic appraisal of its governance organization and effectiveness.	X
C4f	Governing body policies and practices include a clearly defined appraisal process for the head of school, to be conducted regularly with his/her full knowledge and to include written outcomes and provisions for discussion and appeal.	X
	Optional school-generated Indicator (write in):
	Optional school-generated Indicator (write in):

Celebrations

The Board Handbook includes clear procedures and accountabilities. It is very comprehensive and updated annually. The Clerk to the Board oversees the School policy handbook both in hard copy and online. The Chair of the Board conducts the Principal’s appraisal annually using 360 degree feedback.

Details of proposals to improve non or poor alignment if any:

None

Five-Year Visitors’ Comments:

Meetings held by the Visitors with various constituents of the school, including the Board itself, confirm the school’s own evaluation of this Standard.

Five-Year Visitors’ Recommendations (if any)

None at this time

STANDARD C5		SSC Rating on scale 1 to 4
The school shall have educational and financial plans for the near and long term that ensure school viability, are supportive of the mission and are explained to the school community.		Write here: 4
	Indicators for Standard C5	Rating (Please mark)
		WA	PA	NA
C5a	There is evidence that the short and longer-term finances of the school are sufficient to ensure it can fulfil its educational and other obligations for the foreseeable future.	X
C5b	The school has educational and financial plans for the short, medium and long term which are tied to the school’s mission.	X
C5c	Financial considerations and required expertise are incorporated into the governing body’s vision and plans for the school.	X
C5d	The school’s educational and financial plans are appropriately communicated to the school community.	X
	Optional school-generated Indicator (write in):
	Optional school-generated Indicator (write in):

Celebrations

The Board produces a school wide Five-Year strategic vision document which all development plans and action plans are founded. This ensures clarity and coherence for all plans.

Details of proposals to improve non or poor alignment if any:

None

Five-Year Visitors’ Comments:

The budgeting process is clearly defined and transparent. The school is well provisioned in all areas. The financial reports are relevantly communicated to members of the school’s community. The sound financial management, with a strong emphasis on sustainability, is successfully led by the Board of Trustees, Business Manager and Principal.

Five-Year Visitors’ Recommendations (if any)

None at this time

May 2013