Governance in Practice - Moving Beyond the Boardroom

Overview

This webinar will explore how effective governance can strengthen quality, accountability and outcomes across FE and skills. It will help governors and senior leaders move beyond receiving reports to providing challenge, support and assurance.

We will explore how focused agendas, evidence triangulation, learner and employer voice, external expertise and strong governance hygiene can sharpen challenge and support. We will consider what effective boards and board members do between meetings, how linked governor activity tests assurances in practice, and when governance arrangements need refreshing.

What You Will Learn:

Attendees will leave with practical tools to make governance matter and be more effective:

Sharper questions to take back to their organisation to test governance effectiveness
A fresh view of whether their board, agenda and expertise are fit for purpose
Practical actions to improve governance impact… moving beyond the boardroom

Who Should Attend?

This webinar is ideal for Governance Board members, CEOs and MDs and Senior Leaders of Training Providers, Governance Professionals, and Local Authority Heads of Service.

Facilitators

Dr Gareth Thomas, Founding Director, Pro Excellence

Gareth has held a number of senior roles in the skills sector on behalf of Government. Gareth’s role’s included Director of Integrated Employment and Skills for the Learning and Skills Council, leading pre-employment programme design and implementation nationally for the Skills Funding Agency, and Head of the Area Relationship Team (East Midlands), overseeing the quality and performance management of many Colleges and Training providers across the East Midlands (including Apprenticeship delivery).

Gareth is a regular speaker at numerous national conferences and events, and has maintained his close relationship with policy makers. More recently Gareth has supported the Local Skills Improvement Planning Process, working closely with East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire). He has also successfully supported a number of businesses through market entry, growth, diversification and ultimately sale.

Kate Lou, Founding Director, Pro Excellence Partnership

Kate has led the development and implementation of quality standards across a range of education and training providers, significantly improving teaching, learning, and learner outcomes. Her work spans further education colleges, independent training providers, and employer-led provision, where she has designed and embedded quality frameworks, diversified curriculum offers, secured funding streams, and driven sustainable business growth. In previous national leadership roles, Kate has established quality and training functions from the ground up, supporting large-scale improvements in teaching practice and providing training solutions across public and private sectors, including housing, health, and local government.

Kate works closely with CEOs, senior leaders, and boards to provide expert mentoring and strategic guidance, with a focus on continuous improvement, governance, and growth. Kate also contributes as a non-executive advisor across several boards, bringing deep insight and a pragmatic, future-focused approach. She holds a Master’s in Education Management from King’s College London and a PGCE, and is committed to raising standards across the sector through thoughtful, high-impact leadership and quality enhancement.

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Fees

Member rate: £69.00 + VAT
Non Member Rate £119.00 + VAT

To pay via credit card, please contact our Accounts Team at:

Phone: 0117 947 2095
Email: [email protected]

If you are unable to pay via credit card, we will automatically raise an invoice and send it to you. Once your invoice has been paid, you will receive the confirmation email containing the Zoom joining link.

If you register but are unable to attend, we will send you a copy of the recording after the webinar has taken place.

(This will open a secure external booking link)

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