National
Leaders of Governance Advocates
As of 1st
September 2017, the management of National Leaders of Governance was devolved
to the Teaching Schools Council, South West. NLGs now operate through four sub
regional NLG Advocates who work alongside Regional Teaching School Links
(RTSLs) as brokers of support for governance, with the added brief of raising
the profile of the work of NLGs across the region. Their work is co-ordinated
by Julia Steward, the Project Manager, based in Taunton. Julia reports to Tony
Bloxham who has overall responsibility for the service
on behalf of TSC SW.
Advocates
share a belief in the crucial role effective governance plays in securing the
best for every pupil and a determination to build on good practice and raise
the standard of governance in South West schools. They work with
sub-regional teams of NLGs, each of whom has been through a national designation
programme, and has undertaken to offer at least five days of free support to
governors in the region. Advocates want to provide the very best support, and
have a role in ensuring the quality of the work of those they recommend. If you
have a challenge as a governor, or simply want to ensure you are working as
effectively as you could be, do make contact with your regional advocate to
find out how we might be able to help. NLGs can provide on-going coaching and
mentoring which may be especially helpful if you are new to a chair’s role;
equally they will happily respond to an email or telephone call to discuss a
single concern. Many NLGs are trained to undertake external reviews of
governance (which – unlike the coaching – may incur a cost).
If you
require the support of a National Leader of Governance, or indeed, if you are
interest in offering your services to support other governors, do please get in
touch with your local advocate in the first instance.
TSC SW
Sub Region A: Bath,
Bristol, NE Somerset, N Somerset, Somerset, South Gloucestershire
Geoff
Mountjoy
(Email: geoff.mountjoy@btinternet.com)

I am
excited to have been appointed as National Leader of Governance for Sub Region
A. There are 16 NLGs to cover this large part of the region with a range of
school experience and we intend to work as a team to provide the best level of
support possible.
My work
as Regional Director of Legal Aid and Board Member for a Housing Association
has placed a personal emphasis on promoting social inclusion. I believe
strongly in the power of NLGs to support governing bodies and their schools to
provide pupils with the opportunity to fulfil their potential in society.
Having made a career change, I have spent the past four years as a Business
Manager in two Bristol schools.
TSC SW
Sub Region B:
Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire
Keith
Clover (Email: keithclover@hotmail.com)
I have
been a governor for over 20 years and have been a Chair of Governors for most
of that time. My first involvement with school governance was with a school
that was in Special Measures. During my time as Chair, working with a
developing Governing Body and staff team, the school improved to Good in 2007
and Outstanding in 2010. The work of the Governing Body was recognised as being
instrumental in the development of the school.
I have
Chaired a number of boards on behalf of the LA and Diocese and also chaired an
IEB in Bath. I am proud to be a National Leader of Governance to support Chairs
and Governing Bodies to fulfil the ever-increasing role of governance in Local
Governing Bodies and Academy Trust Boards and, as a sub regional Advocate, to
broker support in Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire.
TSC SW
Sub Region C: Dorset,
Poole and Bournemouth
Ann
Harris OBE
(Email: anncharris@aol.com)

I welcome
the opportunity to be a National Leader of Governance Advocate for the sub
region covering Dorset, Poole and Bournemouth. Increasing capacity is my
priority, since at the moment four NLGs cover the sub region.
My
working life in education was as a teacher, Headteacher, adviser and inspector.
My passion for providing children with the best education possible remains.
Effective governance makes a difference. NLG Advocates have the opportunity to
contribute to the system by increasing capacity and brokering support to
improve further the educational experience of children. I am greatly looking
forward to meeting this challenge.
TSC SW
Sub Region D:
Cornwall, Devon, Plymouth and Torbay
Jackie
Eason
(Email: jeason@governorconsultant.co.uk)

I have
been involved in school governance since 2000. I work for the NGA as a governor
consultant, developing and delivering training for them. I particularly enjoy
delivering and training at their national conferences as this allows me to get
a feel for the issues developing around the country.
As an NLG, I have been kept busy in schools
supporting individual chairs to deal with tricky HR issues, joining governing
bodies of maintained schools as they face the challenges of improvement and
governance development and I am currently chairing two IEBs of schools in both
key stages as they negotiate their way towards academy sponsorship.
The work
is ever varied and always rewarding and I am embracing my role as an NLG
Advocate, working to ensure that more NLGs are deployed to bring further
improvement to the leadership in our schools.
Project
Manager
Julia
Steward
(Email: chrysalis@jhsteward.com)

My role
is to ensure consistency across the region, to identify common issues and to
develop strategy to ensure that we operate as effectively as possible within
the parameters of a limited budget.
As a
former governor and as a leadership coach working with headteachers, I have a
dual perspective on some of the issues associated with raising the quality of
governance. I led the implementation of the NPQH programme across the South
West until 2007, a role which demanded an understanding of the challenges of
communication in a region of geographical, economic and cultural diversity. My
commitment to this project stems from my belief in the power of effective
school governance to change communities, and the power of education to change
lives.

Wiltshire Governor Services
For support from Wiltshire Governor Services please contact:
Governor Services: GovernorServices@Wiltshire.gov.uk
Sandra Singer: Sandra.singer@Wiltshire.gov.uk
Simon Watkins: simon.Watkins@Wiltshire.gov.uk
Website info: http://rightchoice.wiltshire.gov.uk/Services/3996
Governance advice for Church Schools
Dan Roberts, Foundation Governor Advisor: dan.roberts@salisbury.anglican.org / 01722 746952
Diocesan Education Centre, The Avenue, Wilton, nr Salisbury, SP2 0FG