Thinking GovernanceSchool Governance support for Schools & MATs that helps you lead with confidence
Get in touch now+50 schools
Managed throughout the UK
Expertly trained
to transform governance teams
Strategically led
from local to board level support
Trusted by boards across education
We understand that strong governance underpins effective school leadership. That’s why we provide practical support that ensures your governing body or trust board is clear on its responsibilities and equipped to deliver.
Our clerks and advisors are trained, experienced and focused on delivering value—not just ticking boxes.
A better way to govern
We bring professionalism, consistency, and confidence to your governance setup. No more chasing paperwork or worrying about missed compliance deadlines. With Thinking Governance, you get proactive support, clear documentation, and a reliable partner who understands the education sector inside out.
Whether you're a single school or a multi-academy trust, we help you streamline your governance processes and raise the bar.
Our Services
Policy and compliance
Scheduled checks to make sure your school or trust stays up to date with statutory requirements.
Governance reviews and health checks
Objective assessments of your governance structure, effectiveness, and statutory compliance.
Developing effective structures
Support with setting up or refining governance models and role clarity across schools and trusts.
Better decisions offering stronger accountability and smoother operations
Thinking Governance offers expert clerking and governance support to schools, academies, and MATs. From policy compliance to effective meeting minutes and strategic board development, we help governors and trustees stay compliant, confident, and focused on what matters most: school improvement.
Whether you need a named clerk, help managing agendas and paperwork, or independent advice on governance structure, we’re here to support your leadership team.
Get in touch
Why partner with Thinking Governance?
Experienced clerks and governance professionals
Support for local boards, committees, and trust boards
Tailored training for new and established governors
Forward planning and compliance tracking built-in
Independent, objective advice on best practice
Clear communication and dedicated support
Ready to develop a more strategic approach to your school’s governance?
Don't just take our word for it
Loved by schools, trusted by trusts
“We wanted a website that just worked — something simple, clean, and reliable that we could keep up to date without constant external support. That’s exactly what Thinking Solutions for Education delivered. From the very first conversation, they understood what we needed and translated it into a professional, easy-to-navigate site that reflects who we are. The process was smooth, the team was responsive, and most importantly, the end result is something we’re proud to share with our school community.”
“We’ve worked closely with the HR and Finance experts at Thinking Solutions for Education, and their flexible, responsive approach has made a real difference to how our trust operates. It’s allowed our leadership team and schools to stay focused on delivering the best outcomes for pupils, knowing that our internal operations are in safe, capable hands.”
“TSfE felt like an extension of our own team approachable, knowledgeable, and always ready with practical advice.”
“Thinking Solutions has supported our expanding nursery provision across the South and South West with everything from HR to Marketing and Technology. Their deep understanding of the sector gives me complete confidence that we’re in safe hands and that our young people are, too.”
Thinking Governance - Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. We provide clerking either per meeting or as an annual retainer covering a set number of meetings plus ad-hoc advisory support, organising your meetings, advising the chair on constitutional and legal process, taking accurate minutes, tracking actions, and keeping your board's paperwork audit-ready.
It's a popular option for schools without capacity for a dedicated in-house clerk, and for MATs wanting consistent clerking quality across multiple local governing bodies.
Yes. We review your current governance model against your trust's size and growth plans and help you build the right balance between central trust board accountability and local governing body oversight, including a scheme of delegation that's actually followed, not just written down.
Many trusts find their structure needs formal review at key growth points, typically around 5, 10 and 15+ schools, and we can help you get ahead of that rather than react to it. Get in touch to talk through your governance structure.
Yes. We provide ongoing advisory support and training for chairs, covering their statutory responsibilities, such as leading board meetings properly, overseeing headteacher/CEO performance management, and exercising chair's action appropriately between full board meetings. They don't need to solely rely on their own experience in a role that carries real legal and reputational weight.
Yes. We maintain a single policy schedule for your board, tracking review dates and ownership, flagging safeguarding, H&S, data protection and finance policies for at least annual review, and making sure reviews happen immediately whenever relevant legislation or DfE guidance changes, not just on a fixed cycle.
An out-of-date policy schedule is one of the most common findings in governance audits. We help you put formal system tracking in place to avoid letting it slip.
Yes. We review and clarify your scheme of delegation so it's clear exactly what sits at trust level and what's delegated locally. The trust board can't delegate away its ultimate legal responsibility, even when it delegates specific decisions, and confusion between the two layers is one of the most common governance issues we see in growing MATs.