Our Governors are members of Burton and South Derbyshire College Corporation, a legal entity whose role is to shape the overall strategic direction of the College, recruit Senior Post Holders, ensure that the Senior Leadership Team set high and ambitious standards and to ensure that the College's resources are used efficiently.
Burton and South Derbyshire College has a range of Governors drawn from various backgrounds (“external” members, a staff member, student members and the Chief Executive and Principal), who contribute to the College and also bring with them a wealth and breadth of experience. Our Governors receive no payment for this role. This constitution was determined by the Corporation itself in accordance with the framework prescribed in the Instrument of Government which is a set of regulations made under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992.
The Corporation has the power to vary its constitution within the rules of the Instrument but any proposed change outside this framework requires the approval of the Secretary of State for Education. Members of the Corporation hold office for up to four years (except for the staff member who holds office for two years and the student members who normally hold office for one year).
All members are eligible for re-appointment. Responsibility for maintaining an experienced and balanced membership and for ensuring continuity rests with the Corporation. The legal responsibilities of the Corporation are set out in the Articles of Government.
Burton and South Derbyshire College Corporation Board have adopted a structure of governance based on a Carver, policy-driven model, and therefore focuses on outcomes and impact (the ‘ends’), whilst ensuring that all other statutory requirements are effectively met.
Our board boasts an extensive collective and individual experience in a vast range of areas related to Governance and they come from a range of businesses.
Charitable Status
FE and sixth-form college corporations are the legal entities that operate one or more colleges.
The status of college corporation is both:
- A statutory corporation established under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 (FHEA 1992)
- An exempt charity
The corporation is established under the FHEA 1992 for the charitable purpose of advancing education.
External Board Review
From October to December 2023 the board of BSDC undertook an external effectiveness review. The review was carried out by the Association of Colleges (AoC) with Rob Lawson as the lead reviewer. The review is a requirement for all College’s and should be undertaken every three years as set out in the Skills and Post 16 Education Act 2022.
The review concluded:
The overall conclusion on board effectiveness is that there is evidence the board is proficient and has impact on college strategy, effectiveness and outcomes.
The review also highlighted that:
- Board diversity is a strengthThe board has no evidence of ‘group think’
- The board has an impressive range of skills, experience and perspectives
- The Governance area of the College website is informative
- There is an excellent relationship between the SLT and board – mature and respectful
Three areas for development were highlighted in the report including board composition and succession planning. These areas for development now comprise an action plan that the board is actively pursuing with these outcomes being measured through the board’s usual annual business cycle.
