Effective 2026 Governance Board Arrangements – Practical Insights for Leaders
AELP Webinar
Facilitator: Maureen Deary, Governance, Leadership and Management, Quality Improvement and Curriculum Consultant
Guest Speakers: Ian Smith FES Consultancy, Inspector, Former Ofsted Senior HMI, Heather Smith NHS Trust Board Member and former GFE College Principal and Mathew Edwards, Quality and Delivery Director, Talent Davies Group
Overview
Are your governance arrangements ready to meet 2026 expectations?
This focused webinar will help Board members and senior leaders across FE, HE, and skills provision strengthen governance structures, sharpen board scrutiny, and enhance the quality of assurance and challenge.
Through guided examples of effective board papers and evidence-based approaches, participants will explore how to:
- Improve the clarity, consistency, and impact of SLT reporting.
- Apply rigorous scrutiny and informed analysis to hold leaders accountable for quality, outcomes, and performance.
- Align governance with effective recognised sector good practice, Ofsted’s FE & Skills Operating Guidance, and the new Inspection Toolkit.
- Strengthen compliance, assurance, and risk management to demonstrate measurable governance impact
Facilitated by
Objectives
By the end of the session, you’ll have practical tools and strategies to:
- Evaluate and realign your governance structure for 2025/26 expectations.
- Enhance the quality and focus of board discussions and decision-making.
- Evidence robust assurance and readiness for inspection and audit.
Who should attend?
This webinar would be beneficial to:
- Governance Board Chairs and Members
- Non-Executive Directors
- CEOs/Principals
- Senior Leadership Teams
- Directors/Heads of Operations, Quality, HR, Curriculum, Compliance, and MIS
- Designated Safeguarding Leads
- Senior Managers across FES, HEIs, ITPs, Academies, NHS Trusts, and 16–19 provision.
Facilitator
Maureen Deary, Governance, Leadership and Management, Quality Improvement and Curriculum Consultant
Maureen is a current practising further education and skills inspector and lead inspector for the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI). She inspects and provides consultancy support across all FE and Skills and HEI provision and a wide range of sector areas sectors. She works with a range of colleges, prime and sub-contractor/partner training provider organisations and is a consultant and adviser in quality development support and improvement work and has supported organisations for over thirty years in the state, private, schools, further and higher education sectors. . She has lived and worked overseas in the education sector and has held representative sports coaching posts to national level. Maureen has worked for a number of awarding bodies approving new centres, developing qualifications, acting as a Chief and Centre Approvals Verifier/Moderator and Principal Examiner and QCF qualification designer, whilst living in the UK and in Hong Kong and Asia.
Guest Speaker
Ian Smith, FES Consultancy, Inspector, Former Ofsted Senior HMI and Consultant.
Ian Smith is a qualified teacher. He is a former Ofsted Senior Her Majesty’s Inspector and has 20 years recent experience in inspection, having worked as a senior manager for the Adult Learning Inspectorate and then moving to Ofsted. He gained extensive senior management experience as a senior leader in a general further education college and holds a degree level management qualification and a Postgraduate Award in Inspection and Evaluation. Ian has wide experience spanning over 35 years in all aspects of further education and skills and across provider types. Ian has managed a national quality improvement service and has experience of managing education programmes for young people, apprenticeships, community learning and adult skills provisions. He has carried out international work in quality improvement. Currently Ian is working as a consultant and advisor in the Further Education sector.
Guest Speaker
Mathew Edwards, Quality and Delivery Director, Talent Davies Group
To be published soon.
Guest speaker
Heather Smith, Non-Executive Director with an NHS Trust
Heather worked in Further Education for 33 years, starting with teaching an evening class to becoming Principal of the Sheffield College at the point of her retirement. Since then Heather has been involved in consultancy work with the FE and Skills sector, specialising in governance, leadership and the quality of provision. She has also been appointed to the role of a Non-Executive Director with an NHS Trust. The approach to governance in the NHS provides a deep insight into good governance practice that can be deployed in the FE and Skills sector. In addition, Heather is the Chair of a food sustainability charity where she helped to set up governance and oversight processes as it grew to be a larger organisation.
Secure your place!
Fees
Member Rate £69.00 + vat
Non Member Rate £119.00 + vat
If you register but are unable to attend, we will send you a copy of the recording and slides after the webinar has taken place.
Effective 2026 Governance Board Arrangements – Practical Insights for Leaders
AELP Webinar
