![[PDF]](/pb-assets/Icons/adobe-pdf-icon-1498649896243.png){kind=icon}
Abstract
In England, further education college and sixth form college governing bodies are required to appoint a clerk to administer and advise on governing procedure and practice. In this article we report research which aimed to understand and theorise about the role and the associated responsibilities. We analysed the relevant literatures, carried out a national survey of clerks and held seven regional focus group meetings. The role in relation to board matters is significant in institutionalising the governing body and thereby promoting legitimate governance. The clerk’s practices entail communicating the requirements of second-order governance which frame the everyday actions of first-order governance. The context for the role is potentially highly dynamic and clerks’ accountabilities to their boards can be complex. Clerks may have within-college governance responsibilities where their work may be similar to that of a company secretary. These responsibilities can expose clerks to role conflict and complicate accountability relationships, but can also bring benefits to their work with the board. The role, as experienced by clerks, is accorded insufficient status and under-valued, which can affect their authority. We conclude that a role promoting legitimate governance in the English further education sector and in other educational settings is crucial.
References
Section:
|
Alvesson, M, Due Billing, Y (2009) Understanding Gender and Organizations. London: SAGE Publications. Google Scholar | Crossref | |
|
AoC (2014a) College Key Facts 2014/15. London: AoC. Google Scholar | |
|
AoC (2014b) About colleges. Available at: https://www.aoc.co.uk/about-colleges (accessed November 2014). Google Scholar | |
|
AoC (2014c) Guidance Note: Getting the Best from the Board. London: AoC. Google Scholar | |
|
AoC (2015) Code of Good Governance for English Colleges. London: AoC. Google Scholar | |
|
AoC (2016a) College key facts. Available at: https://www.aoc.co.uk/sites/default/files/AoC%20College%20Key%20Facts%202015–16%20WEB.pdf (accessed May 2016). Google Scholar | |
|
AoC (2016b) About us. Available at: https://www.aoc.co.uk/about-us (accessed May 2016). Google Scholar | |
|
AoC (2016c) National clerks’ network. Available at: https://www.aoc.co.uk/funding-and-corporate-services/governance/representation/national-clerks-network (accessed February 2016). Google Scholar | |
|
AVECO (2013) Realising the Potential of Governance: The Report of the AVECO Governance Commission. London: AVECO. Google Scholar | |
|
Bathmaker, A-M, Avis, J (2007) ‘How do I cope with that?’ The challenge of ‘schooling’ cultures in further education for trainee FE lecturers. British Educational Research Journal 33(4): 509–532. Google Scholar | Crossref | ISI | |
|
Bendix, R (1977) Max Weber: An Intellectual Portrait. Berkeley, CA: The University of California Press. Google Scholar | |
|
BERA (2011) Ethical Guidelines for Educational Research. London: British Educational Research Association. Google Scholar | |
|
Brumwell, K (2015) Survey of College Clerks 2015: Summary Report and Questions for College Boards. London: Education and Training Foundation. Google Scholar | |
|
Bunnell, T, Fertig, M, James, CR (2016) What is international about International Schools? An institutional legitimacy perspective. Oxford Review of Education. Epub ahead of print 16 June. DOI 10.1080/03054985.2016.1195735. Google Scholar | Crossref | ISI | |
|
Cadbury, A (1992) Report of the Committee on the Financial Aspects of Corporate Governance. London: Gee. Google Scholar | |
|
Cohen, L, Manion, L, Morrison, KRB (2007) Research Methods in Education. London: Routledge. Google Scholar | Crossref | |
|
Cottrell, M, James, CR (2015) Theorising headteacher socialisation from a role boundary perspective. Educational Management, Administration and Leadership 44(1): 6–19. Google Scholar | SAGE Journals | ISI | |
|
Cuban, L (1988) The Managerial Imperative and the Practice of Leadership in Schools. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press. Google Scholar | |
|
DBIS (2013) A Review of Further Education and Sixth Form College Governance. London: Department for Business Innovation and Skills. Google Scholar | |
|
DBIS (2014) Further Education Commissioner Annual Report 2013/14. Available at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/375383/bis-14-1209-further-education-commissioner-annual-report.pdf (accessed 21 October 2016). Google Scholar | |
|
DBIS (2015) Further Education Commissioner Annual Report 2014/15. Available at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/487171/bis-15-–670-further-education-commissioner-report-14-15.pdf (accessed 21 October 2016). Google Scholar | |
|
DBIS/DfE (2015) Reviewing Post-16 Education and Training Institutions: Area Reviews. London: Department for Business Innovation and Skills and Department for Education. Google Scholar | |
|
Delbecq, AL, Van de Ven, AH (1971) A group process model for problem identification and program planning. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science 7(4): 466–491. Google Scholar | SAGE Journals | ISI | |
|
DfE (2015) The Governance Handbook. London: DfE. Google Scholar | |
|
Dickinson, R (2014) The company secretary in the UK and their role in upholding best practice in corporate governance in banks and other organisations. Available at: http://www.ebrd.com/downloads/legal/corporate/icsa.pdf (accessed January 2014). Google Scholar | |
|
EFA and SFA (2016) College Accounts Direction 2015 to 2016. London: Education Funding Agency and Skills Funding Agency. Google Scholar | |
|
Elliot, G (2015) Critical practice leadership in post-compulsory education. Educational Management Administration and Leadership 43(2): 308–322. Google Scholar | SAGE Journals | ISI | |
|
FRC (2014) The UK Corporate Governance Code. London: Financial Reporting Council. Google Scholar | |
|
Fuller, C, MacFadyen, T (2012) ‘What with your grades?’ Students’ motivation for and experience of vocational courses in further education. Journal of Vocational Education and Training 64(1): 87–101. Google Scholar | Crossref | |
|
Gleeson, D, Abbott, I, Hill, R (2011) Governing the governors: A case study of college governance in English further education. British Educational Research Journal 37(5): 781–796. Google Scholar | Crossref | ISI | |
|
Gov.UK (2015) Types of school. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/types-of-school/academies (accessed August 2015). Google Scholar | |
|
Halford, S, Leonard, P (2001) Gender, Power and Organisations. London: Palgrave Macmillan. Google Scholar | Crossref | |
|
Hill, R (2014) Trends in Governance in Further Education. Local Government Studies 40(6): 972–985. Google Scholar | Crossref | ISI | |
|
Hill, R, James, CR (2015) An analysis of the role and responsibilities of chairs of further education college and sixth-form college governing bodies in England. Educational Management Administration and Leadership. Epub ahead of print 14 August. DOI: 10.1177/1741143215587310. Google Scholar | ISI | |
|
Hill, R, James, CR, Forrest, C (2016) The challenges facing further education college governors in England: A time for caution or creativity? Management in Education. 30(2): 79–85. Google Scholar | SAGE Journals | |
|
Huddleston, P, Unwin, L (2013) Teaching and Learning in Further Education: Diversity and Change. London: Routledge. Google Scholar | Crossref | |
|
ICAEW (2015) Seven golden rules for good governance. Available at: http://www.icaew.com/en/technical/charity-and-voluntary-sector/charity-trustee/charity-trustee-role-and-responsibilities-new/seven-golden-rules-for-good-governance (accessed January 2015). Google Scholar | |
|
ICSA (2013) The company secretary: Building trust through governance. Available at: https://www.icsa.org.uk/products-and-services/knowledge-and-guidance/research/the-company-secretary-report (accessed May 2015). Google Scholar | |
|
ICSA (2015a) Being a company secretary. Available at: http://www.icsa.org.uk (accessed May 2015). Google Scholar | |
|
ICSA (2015b) ICSA Certificate in Further Education Governance. Available at: https://www.icsa.org.uk/assets/files/pdfs/cofa_dofa_certs_docs/Programme_info_Cert_in_FE_Gov_2.pdf (accessed May 2015). Google Scholar | |
|
IoD (2009) The Role of the Company Secretary Factsheet. London: Institute of Directors. Google Scholar | |
|
James, CR (2014) Trends in the governance and governing of schools in England. Local Government Studies 40(6): 892–901. Google Scholar | Crossref | ISI | |
|
James, CR, Brammer, S, Connolly, M, Fertig, M, James, J, Jones, J (2010) The ‘Hidden Givers’: A Study of School Governing Bodies in England. Reading, UK: CfBT. Google Scholar | |
|
James, CR, Brammer, S, Connolly, M, Fertig, M, James, J, Jones, J (2011) School governing bodies in England under pressure: The effects of socio-economic context and school performance. Educational Management, Administration and Leadership 39(4): 414–433. Google Scholar | SAGE Journals | ISI | |
|
Jameson, J, McNay, I (2007) Ultimate FE Leadership and Management Handbook. London: Continuum. Google Scholar | |
|
Katz, D, Kahn, RL (1978). The Social Psychology of Organizations, 2nd ed. New York: John Wiley. Google Scholar | |
|
Kooiman, J (2003) Governing as Governance. London: Sage. Google Scholar | |
|
Kooiman, J, Jentoft, S (2009) Meta-governance: Values, norms and principles, and the making of hard choices. Public Administration 87(4): 818–836. Google Scholar | Crossref | ISI | |
|
Kumar, S, Newman, K (2002) A Lighter Touch: An Evaluation of the Governance Project. London: Joseph Rowntree Foundation/YPS. Google Scholar | |
|
Legislation.gov.uk (2014a) The Further and Higher Education Act 1992. Available at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1992/13/contents (accessed 21 October 2016). Google Scholar | |
|
Legislation.gov.uk (2014b) Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009. Available at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2009/22/pdfs/ukpga_20090022_en.pdf (accessed May 2014). Google Scholar | |
|
LSIS (2013) Clerking in the New Era: Implications for College Governance. Coventry, UK: LSIS. Google Scholar | |
|
McCrone, T, Southcott, C, George, N (2011) Governance Models in Schools. Slough, UK: NFER. Google Scholar | |
|
McNulty, T, Stewart, A (2015) Developing the governance space: A study of the role and potential of the company secretary in and around the board of directors. Organization Studies. 36(4): 513–535. Google Scholar | SAGE Journals | |
|
Marshall, C, Rossman, GB (1999) Designing Qualitative Research, 3rd ed. London: Sage Publications. Google Scholar | |
|
NAO (2015) Overseeing Financial Sustainability in the Further Education Sector. London, UK: National Audit Office. Google Scholar | |
|
NGA (2014) Results of Clerk Survey 2014. Birmingham, UK: NGA. Google Scholar | |
|
NHS Leadership Academy (2013) The Healthy NHS Board Principles for Good Governance. London: NHS Leadership Academy. Google Scholar | |
|
Nicolson, P (2015) Gender, Power and Organisation: A Psychological Perspective. London: Routledge. Google Scholar | |
|
Ofsted (2014) Ofsted inspections of further education and skills providers. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ofsted-inspections-of-further-education-and-skills-providers (accessed May 2015). Google Scholar | |
|
Schofield, A (2009) A Review of Governance and Strategic Leadership in English Further Education. London: AoC/LSIS. Google Scholar | |
|
Scott, WR (2014) Institutions and Organisations: Ideas, Interests and Identities. London: SAGE Publications. Google Scholar | |
|
Suchman, MC (1995) Managing legitimacy: Strategic and institutional approaches. Academy of Management Review 20(3): 571–610. Google Scholar | Crossref | ISI | |
|
UTC (2015) University technical colleges. Available at: http://www.utcolleges.org/?gclid=Cj0KEQjwmNuuBRDTu5rDjr2kxJsBEiQAWlm6UsvZEZmDuAnhlkyaHjgtIXIFuYXnUjeer4kYWQQaM0waAlXU8P8HAQ (accessed May 2015). Google Scholar |
