The Department for Education (DfE) Competency Framework for Governance is designed to help governing boards assess what knowledge, skills and behaviour are needed to govern the school, or group of schools, most effectively.

The  framework is made up of 16 competencies, grouped under the headings of the ‘six features of effective governance’:

1. Strategic leadership

2. Accountability

3. People

4. Structures

5. Compliance

6. Evaluation