How Governing Bodies Can Ask Better Questions Using Better Evidence

Effective school governance depends on the quality of the questions governors and trustees ask—and the evidence they use to ask them. In an increasingly complex and competitive education landscape, intuition and experience alone are no longer sufficient. Instead, governing bodies are expected to provide robust strategic oversight grounded in clear, relevant, and well-interpreted data.

Understanding how data supports school governance is not about turning governors into analysts or operational managers. Rather, it is about ensuring that trustees, governors, and senior leaders are working from a shared understanding of the school’s context, performance, risks, and opportunities. When data is used well, it creates alignment, sharpens strategic debate, and supports better long-term decision-making.

This article explores how governing bodies can use data more effectively to ask better questions, challenge assumptions constructively, and align leadership teams around shared insight. Further information on governance in general can be found on the AGBIS website.

Why Data Matters at Governance Level

Governance is fundamentally about oversight, accountability, and long-term sustainability. Governors are responsible for ensuring that a school:

• Remains educationally effective
• Is financially sustainable
• Serves its community and stakeholders well
• Is prepared for future challenges

Each of these responsibilities relies on access to accurate, relevant evidence.

Without data, governance discussions risk becoming anecdotal, reactive, or overly focused on short-term issues. With the right data, governors can step back from day-to-day detail and focus on strategic direction—asking not just what is happening, but why it is happening and what it means for the future.

From Information to Insight: The Governance Challenge

Schools are not short of data. Most collect vast amounts of information covering:

• Pupil numbers and enrolment trends
• Academic outcomes and progress
• Attendance and retention
• Financial performance
• Parent feedback and engagement

However, one of the most common governance challenges is data overload without insight. Large reports, dense tables, or isolated metrics can obscure rather than clarify what governors need to know.

Effective governance depends not on more data, but on better-curated data presented in a way that highlights trends, risks, and strategic implications.

How Data Supports School Governance in Practice

1. Improving Strategic Alignment

One of the greatest benefits of data-driven governance is alignment. When trustees, governors, and senior leaders are working from the same evidence base, discussions become more focused and productive.

Shared data enables a common understanding of challenges and opportunities, more meaningful debate about priorities and clearer agreement on strategic direction.

This alignment reduces the risk of tension between governance and leadership, ensuring that challenge is constructive rather than adversarial.

2. Enabling Better Questions, Not Just Better Answers

The most effective governors are not those with all the answers, but those who ask the right questions.

Data helps governing bodies move from operational questions (“Why are numbers down in Year 7 this year?”) to strategic ones, such as:

• What do enrolment trends over five years tell us about demand?
• How does our intake compare demographically with our local market?
• What assumptions underpin our financial forecasts?

By focusing on patterns and trends rather than isolated data points, governors can provide stronger oversight without straying into management.

3. Strengthening Financial Oversight and Sustainability

Financial sustainability is a core governance responsibility, particularly for independent schools and trusts operating in competitive markets.

Data supports governance by:

• Linking enrolment trends to income forecasts
• Supporting evidence-based fee or funding discussions
• Identifying risks early, before they become critical

For example, understanding fee sensitivity or changes in demand allows governors to evaluate financial decisions in context, rather than relying on headline figures alone.

Using External Data to Add Context

Internal school data tells only part of the story. External data, when used appropriately, provides essential context for governance decisions.

This may include:

• Demographic trends and population forecasts
• Competitor analysis and market positioning
• Local economic indicators and cost-of-living pressures

Understanding how data supports school governance requires recognising that performance does not exist in a vacuum. External factors often explain why internal metrics are changing and help governors assess whether issues are structural, cyclical, or school-specific.

Avoiding Common Data Pitfalls in Governance

While data can strengthen governance, poor use of data can undermine it. Common pitfalls include:

• Over-reliance on single-year data rather than trends
• Too much operational detail, obscuring strategic issues
• Unchallenged assumptions behind forecasts or projections
• Lack of clarity about what decisions data is intended to inform

Governing bodies should be clear about why data is being presented and what decisions or discussions it should support.

The Role of Dashboards and Reporting

Clear, consistent reporting is critical to effective governance. Well-designed dashboards help governors to see trends over time at a glance, focus on key performance indicators, identify areas requiring deeper discussion.

The most effective governance dashboards are:

• Aligned to strategic priorities
• Consistent from meeting to meeting
• Supported by narrative interpretation, not just numbers

This allows governors to focus on insight and implications, rather than deciphering data.

Building a Data-Literate Governing Body

Data-supported governance does not require technical expertise, but it does require confidence and curiosity.

Schools can support this by:

• Providing brief explanations of key metrics
• Offering training on interpreting trends and benchmarks
• Encouraging a culture where questions are welcomed

A data-literate governing body is better equipped to challenge constructively, support leadership, and make informed strategic decisions.

Conclusion: From Oversight to Insight

Understanding how data supports school governance is ultimately about improving the quality of strategic oversight. When trustees, governors, and senior leaders work from shared insight, governance becomes more focused, more confident, and more impactful.

Better evidence leads to better questions. Better questions lead to better decisions. And better decisions support stronger, more sustainable schools.

In a changing education landscape, data is not optional, it is an essential enabler of effective, future-focused governance.

Support

Strong governance is built on shared insight, clear evidence, and the confidence to ask the right questions. Whether you are seeking to strengthen strategic oversight, better understand your market position, or make more informed decisions around enrolment, fees, and long-term sustainability, the right data makes a measurable difference.

MTM Consulting works with governing bodies, trustees, and senior leadership teams to provide clear, actionable insight through demographic analysis, market intelligence, and strategic planning support tailored to the education sector.

If you would like to explore how better data and evidence can support your school’s governance and strategic decision-making, get in touch with MTM Consulting to discuss how we can help by calling 01502 722787 or using our Contact Form.