Future Focus: Governance Challenges on the Horizon

A new Prime Minister. A new Secretary of State for Education. New legislation. New guidance.

Is your board focusing on the changes that will matter most?

With government priorities shifting and major reforms continuing to reshape education, governing boards face another year of strategic uncertainty. From the Education White Paper and SEND reform to the updated Academy Trust Governance Guide (July 2026) and the Children’s Well-being and Schools Act 2026, knowing what deserves immediate attention (and what belongs on the horizon) has never been more important.

Boards don't need to respond to every policy announcement. They need the confidence to recognise which changes will shape their organisation's future.

This session will cut through the noise, helping governors and trustees understand the developments that deserve their attention now, and those that should be firmly on the strategic horizon.

During the session, you'll learn how to:

• Understand the education reforms and legislative changes most likely to affect governing boards this year, including the Education White Paper, SEND and what the introduction of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026.
• Identify the strategic implications of SEND reform, curriculum and assessment reviews, suspensions and exclusions, and wider government policy.
• Prioritise board discussions with greater confidence, focusing on the developments most likely to shape your school or trust's future.

Steve Barker

Steve brings over 30 years of experience in school and trust governance across all phases of education, combining national sector influence with hands-on leadership at board level.

As Judicium’s Governance Expertise and Partnership Lead, Steve plays a central role in shaping high-quality governance support for schools and trusts. A current Chair of Trustees in an academy trust, Chair of an infant school governing body, and Member of a ten-school multi-academy trust, he understands first-hand the realities and pressures facing boards today. He is a former Ofsted Lay Inspector and was appointed as a National Leader of Governance (NLG) and NLG Advocate by the National College for Teaching and Leadership. As part of a select national group, he helped develop and pilot the External Reviews of Governance programme, leading the first-ever review in 2013, and previously served on the Department for Education Advisory Group on Governance. A prolific writer and facilitator of governance training for over two decades, he supports boards nationwide through training, advisory work and thought leadership.