The National Governance Association (NGA) has published a report calling for school governance to be recognised as a core pillar of education system stability, rather than an optional or secondary function.
Released during NGA’s 20th anniversary year, The Case for Governance argues that governing boards should be understood as a distinct form of leadership that provides long-term oversight, accountability and strategic direction. particularly at a time when schools and trusts face sustained operational and financial pressure.
The report highlights governance as an increasingly important factor in shaping long-term capital planning, risk management and organisational resilience.
The NGA’s report positions governance as one of the most under-recognised but powerful mechanisms for continuous improvement. Drawing on evidence from education and other sectors, it states that governance should not be viewed purely as a compliance requirement, but as system ‘infrastructure’ that supports decision-making and accountability over time.
With schools facing workforce instability, tightening budgets and increasing centralisation, the report argues that governing boards provide a level of sustained challenge and scrutiny that inspection alone cannot deliver.
While inspection and external intervention are necessarily periodic, governing boards remain embedded in organisations over the long term, helping schools to manage risk, maintain strategic focus and build confidence through uncertainty.
For school estates teams, stronger governance structures can play a critical role in ensuring that operational issues, including building condition, safety compliance, space optimisation and capital investment, remain visible at board level.
The report suggests that organisations with strong governance are better positioned to sustain improvement, respond to risk and make longer-term strategic decisions, including around estate resilience and infrastructure priorities.
The NGA is urging government and policymakers to formally recognise governance as part of the national accountability framework and invest in governance development across the system. It also calls for inspection and wider reform to better align with governance’s strategic role.
At school and trust level, the report recommends that boards treat governance as a strategic priority, commit to regular review and self-evaluation, strengthen succession planning and invest in professional governance support.
Emma Balchin, Chief Executive of the NGA, said the sector must now be clearer in articulating the value of governance:
“The challenge now is to be more explicit and confident in making the case for governance – and to develop a system-wide understanding of governance as something to be acknowledged, invested in and kept firmly on the agenda.”
Read the full report here.
