Outstanding Governing Body of the Year

Winner: Holmewood House School

Holmewood House has a board of governors that provides exceptional governance. The chair, Michael Evans, gives great leadership and runs the board as an effective and collaborative team where everyone's input is valued and listened to. Members have a range of business, professional and academic backgrounds and both individually and collectively they are able to handle the full gamut of issues, opportunities and responsibilities.

Historically, a large and highly regarded school, Holmewood House suffered from the early stages of the banking crisis and a downturn in pupil numbers and in revenue.

Over the last three years, prompt action by the board has resulted in a timely cost reduction programme and a restructuring of staffing, followed by a successful inspection which confirmed the school's strengths had not been unduly affected. Subsequently, the retiring head was replaced in 2010 by James Marjoribanks, who was nominated for Independent School Head of the Year 2010.

The board has worked with him to develop an updated strategic plan, which takes account of the current and future market for large prep schools. Because of careful financial management, the school was able to start the plan by commissioning a £3 million classroom block, which opened in September 2011.

A number of new initiatives have also been taken, including upgrading of ICT, sports development using coaches of Olympic standard, the revitalisation of boarding, new approaches to marketing for years 7 and 8, and more results-oriented reward and remuneration packages for staff.

Holmewood's board has overseen a complex school which has been through significant change.

St George's Ascot

St George's governing body gives generously of its time supporting the school, challenging appropriately, while making every effort to understand the ethos and spirit of the school.

It is led by Edward Luker, who chairs the meetings. Those present, including senior management participants, are kept on their toes, have to deal with innovative thinking which often results in surprising but worthy outcomes. The business of running the school is delegated to hard-working members of the committees.

Each committee is headed up by professionals in their field, either accountants for finance, educationalists for education, and development by an estates specialist. All the members are proactive, they will chair meetings on matters such as safeguarding, will help make bursary decisions, and will meet parents who have concerns.

Governors come in both individually to support the school, but also collectively when they host year-group dinners for parents, ensuring that there is good liaison between parents and governors. The support that the school is offered is immense.

When the school suffered a sudden bereavement of a member of the SMT at school, the governors provided great care and concern while offering practical assistance.

The school's former head (who submitted the nomination) had developed a role through GSA and as chair of the education committee, bringing many different initiatives back into the school. The governors were always interested and supportive, recognising that the job of a head is to look out as much as in.

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