Welcome to the NGN

Spring Secondary Keynote Conference - 18 March 2010 (9am-4pm)

Future-proofing your finances – the challenges ahead

Thursday 18 March 2010 (9.00 am – 4.00 pm). To be held at Top of the Terrace, Norwich City Football Club, Carrow Road, Norwich, NR1 1JE

This is one of the most important Keynote Conferences of recent times. Indeed, it is so important that NCC Childrens Services have moved the venue to Norwich City Football Club and it will be free.

This conference is intended for three or four members of your school community (Head, Chair of Governors, Business Manager/Bursar/Chair of Finance).

Given the looming financial issues and falling rolls that face our schools, we urge all schools to send three or four people to this conference. There will be no charge for any school, regardless of whether it subscribes to the Learning Diamond and irrespective of numbers sent.

Conference Cancelled

‘Working together towards the 21st Century School’

This conference was to be offered to governors and clerks in Norfolk to take place on the 13th March in Norwich and the 26th March in King’s Lynn.

Unfortunately there has been insufficient interest shown in the conference and it has been necessary to cancel it. I would be most grateful if you could advise your colleague governors of this decision.

NGN will be working with Norfolk Governor Services with a view to presenting a free conference for governors in the Autumn Term. At this time we should have a clearer understanding of the new government’s agenda for education and the challenges involved for governors.

In the meantime NGN will be offering a short conference for governors and clerks at County Hall on the 12 June (9.30am to 12.30pm) and further details will be published in due course.

As governors we are very aware of the increasing challenges of governance particularly at a time of ever diminishing resources. We would really like to hear from colleagues what further help and guidance NGN, Governor Services and the Education Authority could offer to support governors at this time and welcome your comments on this addressed to the Chair (email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or our Clerk ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )

Norfolk Disabled Person Alliance – Access All Schools

Norfolk Disabled Parents Alliance is running a new project – Access All Schools - to raise awareness of what schools could do better to help disabled parents support their children’s learning.
NDPA is currently conducting a survey asking disabled parents how schools work with them to help their children learn. The survey is open to school staff, governors, volunteers and others interested in schools, disability and learning. Findings will be published in a report in autumn 2010 to help parents and schools work better together.
More information about NDPA and the online survey and links to download survey forms from can be found at www.norfolkparents.org.uk . The survey closes on 1^st May 2010. .

14-19 Does Matter

The 14-19 Reforms will have a big impact on the way secondary schools work and it is very important that governors are aware of changes and engaged in the process. You will probably have heard of the 2 major reforms, the 14-19 Entitlement and the Raising of the Participation Age (RPA).

The entitlement will mean that Learning for young people will lead to qualifications from one of four routes: Apprenticeships – with an entitlement to a place by 2013 for all 16 year olds suitably qualified, Foundation Learning – with some delivery on a 14-19 basis in all local areas from 2010 and increasing provision from 2010 to align with the 2013 Diploma entitlement and RPA target, General Qualifications, e.g. GCSEs and A levels, Diplomas – with an entitlement by 2013 for all 14–16 year olds to the first 14 Diplomas and for 16–18 years to all 17 Diplomas. Your school is already working towards the entitlement through its 14-19 Collaboration.

NGN Autum Conference 2009 - Full Report

NGN Martin Sale, Chair of NGN, welcomed 88 attendees to the NGN Autum Conference, held at county hall on 21st November 2009. Download the full report of the conference here.