Meet the ESFA: Addressing the Challenges of School Funding
Sharon Mason-Witton, Schools Financial Support and Oversight (and ESFA Corporate Services) Directorate, Education and Skills Funding Agency
Schools are facing financial challenges and how to manage finances and access funding is becoming increasingly complex. This session was led by Sharon Mason-Witton from the ESFA division at the DFE. She advised on actions schools can take to balance budgets in addition to explaining the different opportunities for funding and support. She also wanted to hear about specific concerns from governors and took questions from the room. 

Level 5 Diploma for School Business Leaders - DfE Bursary now available for the May 2023 programme

Eligibility criteria
The DfE will offer a bursary for 20 applicants joining the May 2023 programme.  The bursary will cover 75% of the cost of the bursary and the applicants school will be invoiced directly the remaining fee of £433.50 + VAT.  They will process applications on a first come, first served basis.

DfE bursaries are available for applicants based in schools who have either:

• moved to a SAT within the last eighteen months
• or are employed by a MAT which converted within the last eighteen months
• have budgets in deficit, projected to be in deficit or a declining margin

Please note the application deadline is 19 April 2023.

Click here for more information

Wellbeing and Us, Wellbeing and Me
Julia Alberga and Jessica Overlander-Kaye, PaJeS Wellbeing
As strategic school leaders, governors are integral to raising awareness of mental health and wellbeing at the highest level and ensuring it is embedded in the school’s vision, ethos and planning.  School governors play a key role in mitigating the effects of work stress on Headteachers and school staff, which has led to increasing numbers leaving the profession.

Following the 3 year schools wellbeing project, evaluated by The Anna Freud Centre; the PaJeS Wellbeing team are now working with selected schools on Wellbeing & Me, a PaJeS framework that includes support, guidance, implementation and training for school leadership, staff, students and parents/carers.

This session explored the role of governors in ensuring their SLT are supported to deliver this whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing.

Presentation slides

Session recording

Ofsted Update
Joel Sager, Headteacher of Pardes House Primary School, Ofsted Inspector
Debbie Lebrett, CEO of Work Avenue, Ofsted Inspector and former Headteacher of Hasmonean High School for Boys
Our workshop leaders have experience of the Ofsted process as both school leaders and inspectors. From these perspectives they considered the governor role in preparation in the years, months, and days before inspection, and where we can find support and advice to prepare. Also, our role during inspection and how we can we support the staff and leadership team.