About Us

Inspire Governance Services have traded since January 2014 and provide professional governance support services to schools and academies in Sunderland and surrounding localities.  Our highly skilled team have a wealth of governance experience, supporting Governing Boards across the academy and maintained sector, including specialist provision.

We offer a dedicated governance professional to each customer, an individual point of contact to provide advice, guidance and support, as well as meeting all of your clerking needs.  We are passionate about governance and strive to deliver a first-class service to our customers.

Services Delivered

We offer a comprehensive service to schools and academies which includes: -

• Advice on governance regulations, constitution, procedures and many other aspects of Education Law;
• Provision of advice and guidance during meetings to ensure that the business of Governing Bodies (and their committees) is carried out efficiently and in line with regulations;
• Office based provision, full time, all year round;
• Unlimited telephone support.  This will include out of normal office hours through a mobile phone ‘hotline’;
• Convening meetings of the Governing Body and all committees (where we are appointed as Clerk to the Committee);
• Preparation of agendas and meeting papers for all clerked meetings (within statutory or agreed timelines – subject to customer compliance with deadlines);
• Provision of advice and objective guidance on procedure, regulation and Governing Body organisation and responsibilities;
• Production of accurate, detailed minutes of meetings, outlining decisions, discussion, support and challenge;
• Minutes will usually be taken on a laptop with production within 15 school days of the meeting, however we will endeavour to complete minutes within 10 school days of the meeting date;
• Completion of follow up action and correspondence on behalf of the Governing Body will be within 5 school days of the meeting date;
• Monitor the membership of the Governing Body and governors/directors/trustees attendance at meetings including Committees where appointed as clerk;
• Preparation of an election pack in respect of Staff and Parent Governors – this will include the provision of advice and guidance on the election process for new Governors. (The school/academy will be responsible for printing and distribution – we will prepare the pack electronically);
• Liaison with Local Authority or other service providers (HR, Finance, School Improvement, Property Services etc) to assist the Governing Bodies in the execution of its duties;
• Provide assistance on governor recruitment, registering with the relevant bodies who recruit governors for schools/academies;
• Undertake a governor skills audit to assess gaps in skills, knowledge or experience to help to target specific skills sets through recruitment activity;
• Provide induction material for new governors and support them to understand their new role, where governors would benefit from it, this will be via one to one or small groups (or can be provided electronically where governors do not require individual support);
• Where schools have subscribed to the Local Authority Agenda booklet, we will provide governors with a brief overview of each report at the meeting, including guiding the Governing Body as to their responsibility to each report.

Contact Us

Please contact us via email on igs@inspiremultiacademytrust.co.uk with any enquiries.