Clerk Accreditation and Network Meetings
Professional clerking has a vital role to play in meeting the administrative and procedural requirements of boards and enabling efficient and effective discussion and decision making. We offer a range of training and network opportunities suitable for clerks in maintained schools and academies.
Clerks Forum
Clerks Forums are offered 3 times a year, they provide an opportunity to keep up to date with key changes in local and national issues impacting on the roles and responsibilities of governing boards. The meetings include workshops and the sharing of effective practice in an open forum. These meetings are free for clerks from schools that buy into our GS01 or GS02 package.
Below are the resources from previous sessions:
Clerk Area Support and Network Meeting September 2020
Clerk Area Support and Network Meeting February 2021
Clerk Area Support and Network Meeting April 2021
Clerking Clinics
Our newly launched Clerking Clinics are informal sessions where can clerks to pop along to raise any questions and request advice as needed. Clerks may have a specific question or concern that the need support with, or they may simply wish to network with like-minded clerks to share ideas, information and best practice. Come one, come all!
Further details and how to book can be found here.
Clerks Accreditation Programme
It is the vision of the Governance & Clerking Service that every clerk is trained in all aspects of their role, regularly briefed on new local/national developments and that the support provided to clerks is carefully monitored. The Clerk’s Accreditation Program provides part of this commitment.
The accreditation is a one year programme. There are five units associated with the course entitled:
- Understanding the role of the governing body
- The Clerk as the administrator
- Advice and guidance in relation to governing boards
- People and relationships in relation to governing boards
- Fulfilling the role of clerk to the governing body as a school business manager (NB - this is only required for the SBM Programme)
Each unit has a series of learning outcomes and associated assessment criteria that describes the evidence required for clerks to demonstrate their knowledge, experience and understanding of the learning outcomes. The clerk will attend study days for units 1 – 4, the content of which will enable them to produce either a report or written description covering the learning outcomes and assessment criteria.
Clerks will be required to produce a portfolio containing the prescribed assessment information along with supporting evidence that meets the assessment criteria, against each unit required for the chosen course. Throughout the accreditation the clerk will be supported by an accreditation coach who will deliver the study days and assess and provide feedback on the work the clerk submits until the accreditation is completed.
Once they have completed the accreditation they will be presented with a certificate by the awarding body Laser.
As part of the accreditation please see the below templates for the template proformas: