Your recent portrayal of Nottinghamshire LSC is one of such overwhelming negativity as to render the organisation unrecognisable to many who know and work with it. I wonder whether you would care to print an alternative view.
Nationally, governors’ associations have been encouraged to make contact with local LSCs in order to make some input to the 14-19 curriculum. Many have tried, few councils have responded. In Nottinghamshire, however, from the outset, open meetings were arranged and governors across city and county were invited to meet personnel and be introduced to the remit and strategic plan of the local LSC. We have worked as partners. We have been included in consultation. We have been invited to meetings. We have sought and received support for campaigning. We have had input from the highest level at executive meetings and governor conferences. We have membership of relevant committees.
There are many in education who extol the virtues of partnership while nodding only briefly in its direction. The work of school governors barely grazes the edge of the absurdly large brief of LSCs. Yet in Nottinghamshire we have been readily included among their stakeholders. Those very same managers whose reputations you have so publicly pilloried have welcomed involvement, interest, commitment and enthusiasm from us and have returned it with respect and in equal measure.
There are many in Nottinghamshire who share our view and our experiences.
In the interests of balanced reportage, some credence of this perspective would be most welcome.
Gill Lane Chair, Nottinghamshire Association of Governors Burton Joyce Nottinghamshire
