Governance Development Programme (GDP) for College Governors
Welcome to your Governance Development Programme – free training funded by the Department for Education (DfE) to support you in being an effective college governor.
Select from over 30 short courses covering all the key topics you need to master as a governor to be able to support and challenge your organisation. Developed in collaboration with the sector, each course is standalone, and you can dip in and out at a time to suit you, tracking your progress on your MyETF dashboard.
You can find courses on in the Learning Library by filtering to "Governance" courses.
If you started a GDP short course before 1 April 2026, you can continue with your course from the My Learning section of your ETF account. If you have any questions, please get in touch with the leadership team.
How is the programme structured?
You are in total control of your learning with the programme; each opportunity is designed to be standalone, so it’s up to you where to start and what to explore next.
As a governance professional, this programme of self-directed study also provides you with an ideal source of free, reputable training which you can recommend to your governors.
Governance Development Programme (GDP) course guide
Explore the full range of over 30 short courses in the form of online self-directed sessions, podcasts and live workshops to suit your development needs.
This toolkit provides a five-step methodology that is intended to support governors and/or boards as a whole to address climate change as a strategic business issue.
In this online course you will consider the role that behavioural bias plays in financial decision making, and how to identify and avoid it. You will look at the key issues and applied methodologies used by managers when faced with
making financial decisions, and how to distinguish between the roles of profit, cash, and cost in decision making as well as scrutinise and challenge investment appraisal decisions.
The course aims to equip you with the information necessary to take up a position such as chair of the finance committee.
In this self-directed learning resource, you will explore the attributes of an effective audit committee and how to assess its effectiveness, as well as consider the notion of assurance and how to play an active part in assurance mapping processes within your college.
A selection of activities is provided so that you can pick those most relevant to your learning journey.
In this online course you will be introduced to the Board Assurance Framework (BAF), how to create one and how to ensure it provides the board with information that is timely, accurate and relevant. You will also look at the benefits and importance of assurance mapping, how the BAF can be used to measure and manage risk, as well as how the board assurance cycle fits in with the overall governance cycle.
In this self-directed learning resource, you will consider the role that a governor plays during an Ofsted inspection, how to represent the board and how to ensure the board is Ofsted ready. You will look at how to demonstrate ownership of the intent, implementation and impact of the curriculum and the quality and standards overall.
A selection of activities is provided so that you can pick those most relevant to your learning journey.
In this online course you will look at the role of a senior post holder, the board’s role in recruitment of senior post holders, target setting and appraisals and matters of remuneration.
You will also explore training and development and succession planning for the senior team, as well as discrete policies of grievance and disciplinary matters.
In this online course, you will consider the importance of capital projects as instruments to deliver transformational change. The course will support you to effectively contribute to the capital project process in your capacity as governor should a capital project arise.
In this online course, you will be provided with the information you need to understand the value and benefits of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) to your organisation’s vision and strategy, in order to create an inclusive organisation that reflects the demographics of your organisation’s community.
This live workshop looks at how the board leads the college and its staff. It features a range of activities to explore equality and diversity, as well as the board’s role in HR practice. It also takes a wider look at organisational culture and change, and how this is influenced at board level.
Through this self-directed learning resource you will explore how to fully participate in board discussions to shape the educational character of a college, as well as assess developments in the Further Education sector more broadly to understand drivers which may impact this character.
You will consider how to articulate and discuss the evolving educational character of the college and how this relates to the college strategy, mission and values.
A selection of activities is provided so that you can pick those most relevant to your learning journey.
In this live workshop, you will explore the key features of effective teaching, learning and assessment and the Ofsted requirements for these. You will also consider methods for monitoring and assessing this effectiveness.
This podcast is made up of interviews between a governor and a vice principal as they discuss the curriculum. Through this podcast you will explore curriculum strategy and the different curriculum practices across the sector, as well as how to provide a good level of scrutiny, challenge and support for the curriculum at board level.
This online course is designed to help enable governors to contribute fully to the governance of all matters that relate to or that are affected by digital technology in their organisation.
In this online course, you will consider the responsibilities of the board and board members in relation to financial management, including the process for monitoring the financial position of the organisation.
You will develop an understanding of the types and purpose of financial management documentation, the role of the audit committee, and key financial health indicators.
Explore the governor recruitment process and your responsibilities.
Go to course
In this online course, you will develop an understanding of internal and external audit processes, the audit committee, and its role and importance in good corporate governance. You will explore the notion of assurance, and how to play an active role in assurance mapping processes within your college.
In this online course, you will consider national and local policy needs, priorities and trends that contribute to the development and delivery of a responsive and relevant curriculum offer. You will look at the student profile, how funding and resourcing affects the curriculum and how the quality of curriculum provision is evaluated, with a view to contributing to future curriculum design.
Through this self-directed learning resource, you will consider the mission, vision and values of your organisation, how to act as guardian, and how to contribute to its development.
In this live workshop, you will work through the committee business for a fictional college, to model the behaviours needed to be a committee chair. You will also explore conflicts of interest, and how to deal with them.
In this podcast you’ll hear governance colleagues from three colleges discussing periods of significant organisational change they went through.
This course aims to equip participants with the knowledge and tools to fulfil the expectation of governors to evaluate how effectively their college is meeting local needs.
In this live workshop, you will look at how to behave in the board room. Experience a board meeting as the principal and see how difficult it can be to present a big proposal to the board; take on the role of the chair and see what it is like to lead the board through significant change.
Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility – not just that of senior leadership. In this course, you will cover the basic safeguarding responsibilities of governors and trustees as well as an introduction to safer recruitment.
Explore how trauma-informed practice goes beyond statutory safeguarding requirements.
Governors are required to ensure that all learners, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) can access education provision that meets their needs. Explore how to support learners with SEND as governors in further education and skills.
In this online course, you will consider the role of the corporation in effective risk management and how to explain risk management in the context of a college. You will look at how to contribute to the corporation’s discussion about the college risk register, mitigation and assurance, as well as how to play an active role in the monitoring of risks.
In this self-directed learning resource, you will consider the strengths and weaknesses of your college’s teaching, learning and assessment and how to agree smart targets at board level to improve it. You will take an in-depth look
at the data parameters of teaching, learning and assessment in the further education context.
A selection of activities is provided so that you can pick those most relevant to your learning journey.
This podcast is made up of interviews between college chairs and key members of the executive team explaining the strategic planning behind their college’s journey through academisation, merger and group structure changes. You will explore the robust information and data you need to make effective strategic decisions, and consider when and how to undertake a review, such as a Structure and Prospects Appraisal, before hearing how different colleges have undertaken strategic change and what they have learned from it.
In this self-directed learning resource, you will consider the main funding sources available to a college, and the issues that affect college finances, as well as explore the role of the board in effective short-term and long-term financial planning and forecasting, and how to participate in this effectively. You will also explore the benefits of a strategic approach to procurement.
A selection of activities is provided so that you can pick those most relevant to your learning journey.
In this online course, you will explore the purpose and value of the college self-assessment report and quality improvement process, and the governors’ role in these. You will look at how to use key organisational and sector benchmarked performance data, and how the effectiveness of teaching, learning and assessment is monitored in your college.
This resource provides important background information on EDI concepts and introduces a five-level EDI model that enables an evaluation of the inclusivity of boards.
This course employs a range of learning tools to develop governors’ knowledge and understanding of their role and responsibilities as charity trustees.
In this podcast you will consider the role and responsibilities of the governance professional, the board’s role in human resource (HR) activity, and the importance of the board in relation to strategic systemic leadership and the setting of organisational culture.
You will also look at the board’s role in ensuring its own diversity, with reference to the skills it needs and the community it serves.
This course explores the main responsibilities of the safeguarding lead governor.
In this live workshop, you will explore current policy issues in the context of your college and the wider sector, and the relevance of Ofsted’s role.
In this online course, you will consider your role as a member of the board, and how you can contribute to organisational success. You will explore the regulatory and legislative responsibilities of board members, and be introduced to the importance of scrutiny and challenge.
In this self-directed learning resource, you will explore your college’s curriculum offer and learner profile in greater depth.
A selection of activities is provided so that you can pick those most relevant to your learning journey.
In this online course you will explore the phrase ‘taking the board online’ and what impact this might have on the board and the role of the chair. You will look at how to evaluate the skills and development needs of the current board and senior management team, as well as how to assess the risks of virtual governance, including data management and cyber security.
Previous attendee feedback
Rachel Kirk, East Coast College
“You can sit down and do half an hour on a course then come back a bit later. I like being able to dip in and out of them.
This is the first time I’ve come across governance training for the sector, and I think it’s really good.”
Rachel Kirk, Governor, East Coast College
Patrick O'Neill, South & City College Birmingham
“The training was tremendous… everything about the content was good.
Governors are expected to know more and more now, so it’s important to have expert input.”
Patrick O'Neill, Governor, South & City College Birmingham
Parveen Ghulam, South & City College
“We wanted high quality, external CPD where [our governors] could study independently and just dip in and out as and when they pleased… finding the ETF Governance Development Programme was very important.”
Parveen Ghulam, Head of Corporate Governance and Legal Services, South & City College Birmingham
Looking for support with board recruitment?
ETF can support your organisation to build confident and capable boards through targeted and inclusive search. Find the right governor, trustee or non-executive director who can bring the skills and expertise to strengthen your board.