We highly value our governors at BEST and, as part of the training and support we provide, we have launched a new mentoring programme delivered by Craig Smith and Mark Liddiard. 

The key aim of the programme is to support new governors by building confidence in governance roles and responsibilities, improving understanding of school strategy, finance and accountability, and encouraging effective participation in governing board meetings.

The programme will run from June to December 2026 and will consist of a combination of face-to-face and online mentoring sessions. Participants will also have access to additional support through NGB and GovernorHub online training.

The programme will cover the following but will be shaped by the interests and areas of development needed:

• Governance overview and expectations
• Understanding your school and its priorities
• Being effective at Local Community Board meetings
• Understanding school performance data
• Finance, risk and safeguarding
• Strategic leadership and governor impact
• Governor visits
• Reflection and next steps

 We hope this programme will provide a supportive and practical introduction to governance and help you develop the confidence and knowledge needed to make a positive contribution to your schools.

If you are a governor with us and would like to join the programme, or are interested in becoming a governor, please contact us to find out more.