Quality Mark Bronze Award

Guidance notes – revised 10 December 2012

Welcome to the Quality Mark Bronze Award for Governing Bodies

We are co-ordinating with all Local Authorities regarding the potential take up capacity and possible staggering of governing bodies wishing to start the process.

Following the successful pilot of the Quality Mark Bronze Award, the award endorsedby the Welsh Government and ADEW, will now be available from April 2012.

The principle behind the Quality Mark is that it acts as a governing body self-review. If governing bodies are to make a significant impact upon the achievements of schools, they need to have in place excellent processes and practices that they follow. If governing bodies have these processes in place, their contribution and influence can make a real difference to the leadership and management of the school and in raising standards.

The Bronze Award provides a benchmark against which governing bodies can assess their effectiveness. The Award benefits not only the day-to-day operation of the school but would be beneficial when the governing body is preparing for inspections and assessments, such as Estyn, IIP, to show that the governing body is meeting their statutory requirements etc. The Quality Mark is centred on an audit of policy and procedural documentation with governing bodies required to build a portfolio of evidence based on a checklist designed to enhance and improve governing body effectiveness.

Achieving the Quality Mark Bronze Award is a celebration of the success of the governing body and its role within the school and in raising standards.

Split into two sections, part 1 focuses on the statutory responsibilities of governing bodies, whilst part 2 includes additional requirements based on good practice.

“Preparing for a submission for the Quality Mark has really provided a great opportunity for the governing body to focus on what we do and to think about how we can do things better.”
 
“The process was rigorous and provided valuable opportunities for us to reflect upon and refine our practices.”

To find out more about the Quality Mark Bronze Award, phone the Governors Wales’ office on 029 2054 1068.
 
Now you have registered to commence the Quality Mark Bronze Award, please click here to access the toolkit