Coleg Gwent Governor Guide

Welcome from the Chair

'As one of the largest and top performing colleges in Wales, Coleg Gwent delivers academic and vocational courses to around 18,000 learners every year. It's a privilege to be Chair of Governors, helping to lead an organisation that changes lives for the better and plays such an important role in the local community. As a Board we are incredibly proud of the College, its staff and especially, our students.

The Board is responsible for setting the educational character of the college, ensuring financial sustainability and providing strategic oversight. We act as a 'critical friend' to the College management team, scrutinising and holding them to account, but also helping to identify solutions and ways to improve.

Volunteering your time and skills as a Governor is a truly fulfilling way to 'give back' and support the community - it's a role I thoroughly recommend.'

Mark Langshaw MBE
Chair of Governors

We offer something for everyone

Our full-time learners are mainly school leavers who study A Levels or vocational subjects (or both), but a significant number are adult learners looking to retrain.

Part-time learning offers flexibility and the opportunity to study on campus or at one of the community venues we operate in partnership with five Local Authorities. Other part-time provision includes Welsh for Adults.

We deliver Apprenticeships in a range of sectors including Construction, Digital, Engineering, Motor Vehicle and Health Care.

Our Employer Engagement Team works closely with businesses to ensure our courses meet the needs of local employers and our students develop skills for the workplace. We also deliver a wide range of professional training that can be tailored to the needs of individual businesses.

We offer a growing range of university level courses

Click on the images to find out just how diverse our courses are

Our senior leadership team

At Coleg Gwent we are committed to excellence in leadership and governance. The college is led by the Principal/Chief Executive, supported by the Vice Principals and a team of senior leaders, each responsible for an academic or functional area. They work closely with the Board in a productive relationship that supports our strategic goals.

"I greatly value the contribution of Board members to the College. The Governors provide a range of fresh perspectives and as a senior leadership team we benefit from their different expertise, experiences and insight.

The level of challenge provided at Board and committee meetings ensures that we are never complacent, that we remain focused on continuous quality improvement and that we've thought of every eventuality".

Guy Lacey
Principal/Chief Executive

Our Governors

Governors, much like non-executive directors, sit on the Board and use their experience and skills to oversee the college and help shape its future.

The role brings with it a number of legal responsibilities and it can involve challenging management or making difficult decisions. Ultimately though, effective governance is essential for the college's success.

Our 22 Governors are unpaid volunteers and include 16 independent members recruited from across the region, as well as elected staff and students.

With responsibility for a turnover of c£60m, the Board needs Governors with a range of skills and expertise. Many of them come from local businesses and this provides us with good insight into what skills and qualifications employers are looking for. Each Governor also brings their own unique life experiences and viewpoints to our discussions and decision-making.

Click to find out more about our Governors

The Board's responsibilities

Under the leadership of the Chair, the Board is legally responsible for:

* Determining the educational character and mission of the college

* Overseeing college activities

* Approving the Strategic Plan

* Approving an annual budget

* Ensuring the efficient & effective use of resources

* Ensuring the proper use of public funds

* Ensuring the financial sustainability of the college

* The employment and conditions of service of senior post holders

* Setting a framework for the pay and conditions of service of all other staff

* Reviewing arrangements for the academic work of the college.

What does it involve?

Minimum expectations are that you will:

Serve on at least one committee
Maintain a good level of attendance at Board and committee meetings
Prepare for and actively contribute to meetings
Apply your skills & expertise for the benefit of the college
Respect the confidentiality of Board business
Act in the best interests of the college
Support decisions on the basis of 'collective responsibility'
Avoid situations that create a conflict of interests
Participate in development opportunities
Take an interest in the wider life of the college
Where possible, attend college events
Act as an ambassador of the college

You'll be expected to attend approximately 10-12 meetings a year
Meetings mostly take place on a Tuesday after 5.00pm and last between 2-3 hours).

Additional reading and preparation time will also be needed.

Wherever possible we aim to meet face-to-face. The role is unpaid but Governors can claim for reasonable travel expenses.

Board Committees

The work of the Board is supported by five sub-committees:

AUDIT COMMITTEE - oversees the College's risk management & internal control framework. Advises the Board and monitors the work of our auditors.

CURRICULUM & QUALITY COMMITTEE - monitors quality improvement and oversees curriculum development as well as all aspects of the learner experience including Safeguarding, support and Additional Learning Needs.

FINANCE & RESOURCES COMMITTEE - oversees financial management & performance and college infrastructure including Estates, IT and Human Resources. Also monitors progress on major capital projects.

GOVERNANCE & MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE - oversees the Governor recruitment process and advises the Board on membership issues. Also monitors developments in the FE sector and advises the Board on governance issues.

REMUNERATION COMMITTEE - Meets annually to consider and advise the Board on the performance, conditions of service and pay of the senior post holders (Principal, Vice Principals & Governance Officer).

Our Values

Governors are expected to embody our Core Values and demonstrate the highest personal and professional standards at all times.

* Respect for all
* Always learner first
* Act with integrity
* Solutions driven

We are an inclusive and diverse college where everyone is welcome. A place where you can be who you are without fear of judgement. A respectful environment, open-minded to different cultures, attitudes, beliefs and outlooks, where everyone belongs.

As a Board we have committed to embed this inclusive approach across everything we do. This includes who we are. We have set ourselves targets to achieve a Board that more closely reflects the communities we serve. See our BOARD DIVERSITY STATEMENT

Click on the images to find out more

What you will get out of it

'It has opened my mind to the complexities of running a big organisation, and what it takes to deliver first class education and training'.

'Being a Governor means I can ensure our community is well served by the College. It's vital that people have the right skills to contribute to the local economy.'

'I've met some great people and hopefully given something back to my community.'

'The 'critical friend' role is key - Governors and the senior leadership team have a great relationship, but you feel like you can really add something when you challenge management to look at something from a different perspective.'

'I'm passionate about the importance of education and Coleg Gwent aligns to my personal vision of a fairer society that truly invests in the future of its young people.'