Description
Governance with Clarity.
Boards hold a school’s most strategic responsibility – balancing oversight, vision, and accountability. Yet governance is often abstract, leaving trustees uncertain about roles, responsibilities, and impact. The Board Deck turns governance into a structured, practical conversation.
Built on six principles of governance (Inform, Inquire, Inspire, Engage, Enlighten, Empower) and mapped into nine impact profiles, the Board Deck helps boards recognise how different approaches shape school culture and outcomes. It provides a framework to ensure governance is purposeful, balanced, and aligned with mission.
The deck contains:
- Principles – six core principles that shape effective boards
- Impact Profiles – the intersection of the principles defines nine impact profiles that describe governance roles and responsibilities
- Governance Practices – six sets of concise prompts and examples for effective, ethical board action
- Scenario Cards – 16 realistic dilemmas to practice decision-making and alignment. Each scenario is written from multiple perspectives (Chair, Head of School etc.) to generate more dialogue. Each scenario has additional “complications” to better challenge board thinking and ability to pivot when necessary.
- Inquiry Cards – generative and reflective questions that strengthen dialogue and strategic focus
Together, these tools help boards move from abstract discussion to coherent governance. The Board Deck equips new trustees with clarity, supports training and retreats, and strengthens the partnership between board and leadership.
Format: Physical card deck
Ideal for: Boards of trustees, governors, advisory boards, leadership retreats
