About WGA (More Detail)
Introduction
The Wiltshire Governors’ Association (WGA) was formed in 2011.
It is a voluntary and independent association of publicly funded schools’ Governing Bodies (GB) within the Wiltshire Local Authority (LA) area and was established to support the work of school governors across Wiltshire.
It’s part of a nationwide network of GB via its membership of the National Governors’ Association (NGA). Through the NGA it has access to a wide range of materials to support the work of school governors.
Local Governors’ Associations provide a link between schools’ GB and their local authorities. A strong local association can make an enormous difference to the effectiveness of GB.
WGA is recognised by Wiltshire LA as a formal channel for collective consultation with its publicly funded GB membership. WGA has a Joint Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Wiltshire LA.
All GB of Wiltshire publicly funded schools are eligible to be members of WGA.
The WGA is managed by an elected board.
Aims:
To help GB further the interests of the children in our member schools, WGA aims to:
1. Provide a collective voice for school governors to make representations and to respond to consultations both locally to Wiltshire LA and nationally through NGA.
2. Collect, share and consult on best practices and issues of common concern to GB and offer guidance and raise and address policy issues.
3. Disseminate from the LA and NGA the national experience of GB and other Governor Associations.
4. Lobby Wiltshire LA and, through NGA, the Government, on behalf of GB.
5. Act as the primary point for the co-ordination and recording of nominations and elections of Wiltshire governors to appropriate positions on Wiltshire LA committees and task groups and those of other partner organisations.
6. Receive and publicise reports from the elected Wiltshire governor representatives on LA Committees/forums.
7. Act as the conduit for any themes or concerns emerging from the above committees and groups, and to allow Governors’ concerns to be voiced on committees through the governor representatives.
Activities
The WGA operates in a number of ways including:
1. Appointing governor representatives to the Wiltshire Schools Forum.
2. Access by proxy to advice from the National Governors Association.
3. Attend National Governors’ Association annual conferences and disseminating lessons relevant to Wiltshire governors.
4. Arranging conferences, networking sessions for Chairs or workshops on topics relevant to Wiltshire governors.
5. Using our ongoing contacts to raise issues (lobbying) to the Wiltshire authority with the power of a combined voice.
Purpose:
WGA is an independent body representing Wiltshire’s 235 publicly funded school GB; it provides an independent voice for GB at both local and national government levels. It:
L – Lobbies Wiltshire LA;
E – Encourages Cooperation;
A – Appoint GB reps to LA Committees;
R – Represents;
N – National Links.
Are you involved with governing a Wiltshire School?