Southampton Governor Services Service Level Agreement September 2025-August 2026

We are very pleased to be able to share the 2025/26 Southampton Governor Services Service Level Agreement offer for all LA maintained schools and academies

We have developed a programme of universal support which is explained in this brochure and will be provided to all maintained schools in the city. We know that Headteachers and governing boards value flexibility in the choices they make and so we have developed our packages to provide differing levels of service for all boards depending on their requirements.

Please do speak to us about how bespoke we can make the support that you buy in. We greatly value our partnership with schools and enjoy working with you. Thank you for all you continue to do for the children in Southampton.

Aims, Vision and Values

Southampton’s vision is to develop and maintain strong, accountable governing bodies with appropriately skilled, well-informed governors, who understand the City’s priorities for its children and young people. It requires a partnership approach and joint working between the local authority, schools and governing bodies and other key stakeholders.

Effective governance drives school improvement and development and enables young people to raise their aspirations, fulfil their potential and develop the right skills to play a positive part in the life of the City.
The vision and ambition of Southampton Governor Services is that:

• Every school should be at least a good school and for many to be outstanding;
• Every child, especially disadvantaged, to fulfil their potential through all schools providing excellence in education;
• School leaders, including Governors, have confidence that the service we provide directly influences outcomes in their schools.

The values of Southampton Governor Services are:

• Respect
• Integrity
• Ambition
• Responsibility

Southampton City Council will strengthen and develop effective school governance in Southampton by:

• Communicating effectively with all stakeholders the Council’s objectives and duties to deliver transformational educational change for Southampton City;
• Strengthening and supporting governing bodies by working with local business and stakeholders to build a skills-led recruitment model for Authority governors and by providing an advice and training programme that continues to develop all governors and build consistency across governing boards;
• Developing an effective and sustainable approach to ensuring that the Council and governing bodies are effectively discharging their statutory duties, driving school improvement and improving progress and outcomes for children and young people in the City.

Universal offer

The Local Authority has statutory duties that must be provided to all maintained schools free of charge and therefore we will provide a universal offer to all maintained schools in Southampton.

The Universal Offer provides assistance in the planning and management of:

• Instrument of Government
• Federation and collaboration processes
• Local authority governor nominations
• Supporting Schools Causing Concern

For schools that choose not to purchase a package, boards will still be able to purchase support and/or training through the service for all aspects of governance including:

• external reviews of governance
• complaints and conflict resolution
• senior staff recruitment
• crisis management assistance

Governor services bronze subscription package

• GovernorHub membership
• New governor welcome pack
• Governor Network
• Help desk support
• Legal guidance & materials

Cost

£500

Governor Services Silver Subscription Package

• GovernorHub full membership plus access to The Key for school governors
• New Governor welcome pack
• Governor Network
• Help desk support
• Legal Guidance and materials

Cost

£1100

Governor Services Gold Subscription Package

• GovernorHub full membership plus access to The Key for school governors
• New Governor welcome pack and induction training
• Monthly training sessions
• Governor Network
• Help desk support
• Legal Guidance and materials

Cost

£2000

Pay as you use services

• Support for governance processes:
  • Half day: £200
  • Full day: £400
• Training sessions - £90 per delegate

Bronze Subscription Package - £500

(prices are for the period 1 September 2025 – 31 August 2026 and per board/school unless stated otherwise)

GovernorHub Membership

Access to this online portal for governors and Clerks/Governance Professionals. This service enables you to manage your membership records keeping Southampton Governor Services up to date quickly and easily and enables all governors and clerks to keep up to date with local and national education guidance and news.

Southampton Governor Services will upload templates for key documents and processes to support clerks and boards in carrying out their duties.

In addition, there are individual group noticeboards for Chairs, Clerks/Governance Professionals and Safeguarding governors to share ideas and best practice.

New Governor Welcome Pack

Welcome pack for new governors containing information and advice when starting in the role of governor.

Governor Network

Governor Network will be running throughout 2025-2026 on a termly basis. These live and interactive sessions will provide an opportunity for up to 5 governors and the clerk from the subscribing board to be kept up to date with the procedural and legislative requirements of school governance, raise any procedural concerns, discuss issues, share best practice and of course, network with other Governor colleagues. Pertinent topics will be included on each term agenda and sent prior to the session.

Help Desk Support

General telephone and email support is available to all members of the governing board. More complex issues, requiring significant local authority officer time may incur an additional charge. Updates on legislation and educational developments, as they arise, provided through newsletters and resources for Clerks/Governance Professionals and Governors.

Legal Guidance & Materials

Further assistance is also provided in the planning and management of:

• Instrument of Government (S)
• Federation and collaboration processes (S)
• Local authority governor nominations (S)
• Supporting Schools Causing Concern (S)
• Parent governor election documentation (S)
• Staff governor election documentation (S)

(S) denotes LA statutory function

Silver Subscription Package - £1100

GovernorHub Full Member Access plus The Key for School Governors

Combining content with collaboration tools, GovernorHub and The Key for School Governors provides a powerful support package for governors and Clerks/Governance Professionals. Not only can this service enable you manage your membership records, link folders to calendar meetings, store documentation in one place and keep up to date with local and national education guidance and news, but it can also provide appropriate support when you need it.

Southampton Governor Services will upload templates for key documents and processes to support clerks and boards in carrying out their duties.

In addition, there are individual group noticeboards for Chairs, Clerks/Governance Professionals and Safeguarding governors to share ideas and best practice. Overall, this resource is considered to be of huge benefit in the ever changing face of governance and the expectations on clerking.

New Governor Welcome Pack

Welcome pack for new governors containing information and advice when starting in the role of governor.

Governor Network

Governor Network will be running throughout 2025-2026 on a termly basis. These live and interactive sessions will provide an opportunity for up to 5 governors and the clerk from the subscribing board to be kept up to date with the procedural and legislative requirements of school governance, raise any procedural concerns, discuss issues, share best practice and of course, network with other Governor colleagues. Pertinent topics will be included on each term agenda and sent prior to the session.

Help Desk Support

General telephone and email support is available to all members of the governing board. More complex issues, requiring significant local authority officer time may incur an additional charge. Updates on legislation and educational developments, as they arise, provided through bulletins and resources for Clerks/Governance Professionals and Governors.

Legal Guidance & Materials

Further assistance is also provided in the management and assistance of:

• Instrument of Government (S)
• Federation and collaboration processes (S)
• Local authority governor nominations (S)
• Supporting Schools Causing Concern (S)
• Parent governor election documentation (S)
• Staff governor election documentation (S)

(S) denotes LA statutory function.

Gold Subscription Package - £2000

GovernorHub Full Member Access plus The Key for School Governors

Combining content with collaboration tools, GovernorHub and The Key for School Governors provides a powerful support package for governors and Clerks/Governance Professionals. Not only can this service enable you manage your membership records, link folders to calendar meetings, store documentation in one place and keep up to date with local and national education guidance and news, but it can also provide appropriate support when you need it.

Southampton Governor Services will upload templates for key documents and processes to support clerks and boards in carrying out their duties.

In addition, there are individual group noticeboards for Chairs, Clerks/Governance Professionals and Safeguarding governors to share ideas and best practice. Overall, this resource is considered to be of huge benefit in the ever changing face of governance and the expectations on clerking

New Governor Welcome and Induction

Welcome letter and resources

Attendance at our New to Governance training sessions. This essential introductory training is offered as two evening sessions, to all new governors or those returning to school governance. Comprehensive induction training is essential to ensure governors are prepared and equipped for their demanding role

Monthly training offer

On top of the introductory training for new governors, there are 9 further online live training sessions that all governors from subscribing governing boards can attend, provided throughout 2025-2026* from the Governor Services training programme.

Governor Network

Governor Network will be running throughout 2025-2026 on a termly basis. These in-person live and interactive sessions will provide an opportunity for all Governors and Clerks to be kept up to date with the procedural and legislative requirements of school governance, raise any procedural concerns, discuss issues, share best practice and of course, network with other governance colleagues. Pertinent topics will be included on each term’s agenda and sent prior to the session.

Help Desk Support

General telephone and email support is available to all members of the governing board. More complex issues, requiring significant local authority officer time may incur an additional charge. Updates on legislation and educational developments, as they arise, provided through bulletins and resources for Clerks/Governance Professionals and Governors.

Legal Guidance & Materials

Further assistance is also provided in the management and assistance of:

• Instrument of Government (S)
• Federation and collaboration processes (S)
• Local authority governor nominations (S)
• Supporting Schools Causing Concern (S)
• Parent governor election documentation (S)
• Staff governor election documentation (S)
• Ofsted inspection notification support call and email to Chair of Governors
• Welcome letter and resources for newly appointed Headteachers Welcome letter and resources for new Chairs of Governors

(S) denotes LA statutory function.

Training sessions will run on Teams from 6-8pm on the dates below

The topics of the sessions will be confirmed nearer to the time and after consultation with subscribing boards on what they feel would be most beneficial:

Pay as used training and support

Pay as used training

£90 per delegate.

The most cost-effective way of purchasing training is through our support packages. However, if you choose not to buy any of the above packages, session spaces can be booked on a pay as used basis and cost is per delegate, per session (see above).

Pay as used support for governance processes

£200 per half-day or £400 per full day.

The most cost-effective way of purchasing support is through our support packages. However, if you choose not to buy any of the above packages boards can purchase support and/or training through the service for all aspects of governance including:

• external reviews of governance
• complaints and conflict resolution
• senior staff recruitment
• crisis management assistance
• Headteacher Performance Management
• Bespoke training for boards on a variety of topics

If your board has identified a requirement for support or training, please contact Hannah Craggs to discuss your needs and she will be happy to provide bespoke packages.

Table of contact information