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National Governance Association (NGA) Learning Link

E-learning for school governors in Salford

The NGA Learning Link is a training service from the National Governance Association (NGA). It is designed to help school governors develop their skills through e-learning. It is however not intended to replace face-to-face training which will continue to be offered through the Salford Governor services termly training programme.

Whether you're a newly elected governor or an established governor looking to increase your existing knowledge, the Learning Link has something for you.

Benefits

  • Over 50 CPD training modules

  • Eight new induction modules

  • A certificate of achievement with every module

  • Secure access – 24 hours, 7 days a week

  • Multi-device access – desktops, tablets and smartphones

  • Tracked learning – revisit content, take a break or pick up where you left off

  • A dedicated support service

Schools benefit from:

  • Increased access to training for busy or remote governors

  • Ability to provide blended learning programmes

  • Tracked and evidenced learning

  • Reduced classroom time

  • Cost efficiencies, even for small schools

The courses

The National Governance Association has teamed up with Virtual College, one of the UK’s top e-learning providers, to deliver accessible, engaging and convenient e-learning. There are over 50 training modules divided into the sections below and including but not limited to the listed courses.

Structures, roles and responsibilities

  • Governance: Your role, responsibilities and organisation

  • Getting it right as a staff governor

  • Key functions of the governing board

  • Different models of governance

Good governance

  • Effectiveness: Governance making an impact, changing lives

  • Working Together: Building the team and improving the organisation

  • Governors' visits to schools

  • Handling difficult situations

  • Succession planning

  • Ofsted and the new inspection framework

  • Governance monitoring: A tool to help drive improvement

  • Holding to account: How to question and challenge

  • Holding to account: How to conduct a courageous conversation

  • Ethical Leadership

  • Ofsted inspections: Step by step

Vision, ethos and strategic direction

  • Strategy: living your values, reaching your vision, managing the risk

  • Monitoring and evaluation 

  • Equality, diversity and inclusion: First steps

  • Equality, diversity and inclusion: Beyond compliance

  • Equality, diversity and inclusion: Taking action

  • Creating a new vision for your school or trust

Pupil success and wellbeing

  • Your organisation: understanding school structures and what children should learn

  • Progress and attainment: using your data to improve educational outcomes

  • Early Years education

  • Looked after children

  • Pupil Premium

  • Arts, culture and creativity: improving your school or trust and its curriculum

  • Monitoring performance data and targets

  • The governance of SEND

  • Minimising exclusions

  • Panel work: An introduction

  • How to: review suspensions and exclusions

  • How to: run an effective admissions appeal panel

  • How to: run an effective HR review panel

  • How to: run an effective complaints review panel

Staffing

  • Headteacher appraisal and capability

  • Setting performance objectives for executive leaders

  • Recruiting a senior executive leader

  • Managing staff workload and wellbeing: The governance role

Stakeholder engagement

  • Stakeholder engagement: The governance role

Finance

  • Managing Academy Finance

  • Understanding schools finance

  • Finance: Making the most of what you have got

  • Using integrated Curriculum and Financial Planning (ICFP)

Compliance

  • Compliance: Assuring your organisation, keeping it safe, secure and solvent

  • Equality and diversity

  • Health and Safety

  • Safeguarding: How to fulfil the governance role

MATs

  • Effective MAT governance

Access the NGA Learning Link

How do I register Learning Link?

If this is your first time using Learning Link, please follow the steps outlined below. You can also listen to and follow the instructions on this YouTube video. You can also see the how do I access Learning Link page.

Who do I contact if I can't access my courses or if I've forgotten my username and or password?

Email learninglink@nga.org.uk or telephone 0121 237 3780 dial option 3

Privacy notice

NGA Privacy notices describes the types of personal information that may be collected from you and when and why this information may be used as well  the steps that are taken to safeguard the information in order  to protect your privacy.

Please read their privacy policy carefully. By using the site and any services they offer via the site, you are agreeing to be bound by their policy in respect of the information collected about you via their site.

This page was last updated on 22 May 2026

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