1 Governors’ debate

• Suggested duration: 25 mins
• Technique used: Role play
• Materials required: Instructions to group
• Aim of activity: To encourage students to consdier things from different perspectives
• Underpinning components: UC 3.1, UC 3.2
• Connection with other competences: Decisiveness

Short description

In your assessment groups, please allocate as many of these roles as possible, (starting from the top):

• Facilitator
• Sociologist
• Environmental scientist
• Economist
• Local religious leader
• Computer scientist
• Scientist/mathematician

You make up the governing body of a local educational institution.

Government policy is to take the institution out of local authority control and make it a ‘free’ school, meaning you are able to decide for yourselves its future direction.

Task A

• Group: Discuss what should be the focus/vision from your perspective. Try to win the others around to your idea
• Facilitator: Listen and take notes. Decide who makes the most compelling argument/who ‘wins’

Task B

• Facilitator: stage another discussion.
• This time try to find a focus/vision that can satisfy all members of the group. 
• A win-win?

Plenary reflect on the different experiences