Comments on: No longer a pipe dream http://blog.localdemocracy.org.uk/2009/06/04/no-longer-a-pipe-dream/#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=feed Promoting innovation and a conversational local politics Wed, 28 Dec 2011 13:58:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Andrew Brown http://blog.localdemocracy.org.uk/2009/06/04/no-longer-a-pipe-dream/comment-page-1/#comment-155 Andrew Brown Thu, 04 Jun 2009 11:41:02 +0000 http://blog.localdemocracy.org.uk/?p=1119#comment-155 The school where my kids go, and where I'm a parent governor, has just been through a similar consultation, and while the parents don't seem as tech savvy as yours the level of feeling, networking and preparation was just as competent. However, hopefully our governing body was helped by our incompetence. Having gone out to consultation we found out that we'd not allowed enough time and as a result we're not going to be able to implement the change this year. We did however go through with the consultation event which was well attended (50 or so parents from a one form entry school). The governors in our preparation for the event were well aware of the level of feeling amongst some parents about the change (and the fact they - mistakenly - thought it was a done deal) and had tried to frame the debate in a less confrontational way than a Q&A might provoked. We used small group work and tried to make sure that a governor was at each table to help explain what we thought some of the benefits might be from the change, as well as acknowledging the downsides. We also made sure that our presentation of the case for change focused on the benefits we thought there would be for children's learning. I'm not sure it was entirely successful in convincing parents of the merits of the case for change, but by slipping a year and through a commitment to continue to consult more broadly (plus the fact that by Sept 2010 there will need to be extended school provision) I think parents went away feeling more positive about their ability to work with governors to get a resolution which will benefit all. The school where my kids go, and where I’m a parent governor, has just been through a similar consultation, and while the parents don’t seem as tech savvy as yours the level of feeling, networking and preparation was just as competent.

However, hopefully our governing body was helped by our incompetence. Having gone out to consultation we found out that we’d not allowed enough time and as a result we’re not going to be able to implement the change this year.

We did however go through with the consultation event which was well attended (50 or so parents from a one form entry school). The governors in our preparation for the event were well aware of the level of feeling amongst some parents about the change (and the fact they – mistakenly – thought it was a done deal) and had tried to frame the debate in a less confrontational way than a Q&A might provoked.

We used small group work and tried to make sure that a governor was at each table to help explain what we thought some of the benefits might be from the change, as well as acknowledging the downsides. We also made sure that our presentation of the case for change focused on the benefits we thought there would be for children’s learning.

I’m not sure it was entirely successful in convincing parents of the merits of the case for change, but by slipping a year and through a commitment to continue to consult more broadly (plus the fact that by Sept 2010 there will need to be extended school provision) I think parents went away feeling more positive about their ability to work with governors to get a resolution which will benefit all.

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