FE Associates and Sixth Form Associates launch new External Board Review service, developed in direct response to college demand for a more personalised approach to independent governance reviews

FE Associates (FEA) and Sixth Form Associates (SFA) have launched their new External Board Review service, a governance review offer developed specifically in response to requests from Sixth Form and Further Education colleges for a review process that reflects the individual context, priorities and maturity of their boards.

Responding to what colleges have been asking for
Our college clients have told us the same thing repeatedly: existing External Board Review models often treat governance reviews as a tick-box compliance requirement, applying a standard framework regardless of a board’s particular circumstances, history or stage of development. Our clients want reviews that start from an understanding of their college – their mission, strategic priorities and governance journeys.
Our External Board Review service has been designed and built to answer that call directly. Every review begins with a dedicated scoping stage to understand the college’s unique context before any framework is applied, ensuring the review reflects the board’s specific governance maturity and priorities rather than a standardised checklist.

What’s different?
The FE Associates and Sixth Form Associates service is distinguished by several features colleges will not typically find in any other board review services:

• A genuine development exercise, not just a compliance task. While fully aligned with Department for Education (DfE) guidance and relevant governance codes – which require external governance reviews every three years – our reviews are designed to add value beyond assurance, creating space for meaningful improvement rather than simply confirming compliance.
• Reviewers with a rare dual perspective. Reviewers combine first-hand governance expertise as experienced governors with recent, relevant experience as former college senior leaders. This 360-degree perspective allows the review to speak credibly to both boards and executive teams, producing recommendations that are practical, relevant and immediately actionable for governors and leaders alike.
• A five-stage, evidence-led process. The review runs from understanding context and scoping, through stakeholder engagement and governance analysis, interim feedback, and reporting and action planning, to an optional ongoing development and governance support stage — giving boards not just a report, but a jointly developed, prioritised action plan and, if wanted, continued support to embed change.
• A structured framework tailored to context. Reviews are assessed against four interdependent elements – Culture and Behaviours, Structures and Assurance, Strategy and Impact, and Board Development –  applied in a way that reflects each college’s specific governance context rather than a rigid template.
• Independent moderation on every review. Each review undergoes an independent moderation process, with a moderator acting as a critical friend to the lead reviewer to test findings against the evidence and ensure conclusions are robust, balanced and fair.
• A dedicated offer for Catholic Sixth Form Colleges. Recognising the distinctive nature of Catholic education, the service includes a specialist strand evaluating how effectively a board understands, promotes and safeguards the college’s Catholic mission and ethos.
• Development doesn’t stop at the report. Optional follow-on services — including action plan implementation support, coaching for governance professionals, Chair development and appraisal, and board or committee effectiveness reviews – help boards sustain improvement well beyond the review itself.

“Colleges came to us wanting something different. They wanted a board review that starts with listening, and is built around their institution and what matters most to them”, said Shireen Razey OBE, Director of Sixth Form Associates who leads the EBR service across FEA and SFA.

This new service was created in direct response to that feedback. Built on deep experience of both governance and college leadership, it takes a genuinely tailored approach to every review.  Every review is designed around the individual institution, ensuring the insights, observations, and recommendations are relevant, meaningful, and grounded in evidence. The result is an honest and constructive reflection on board effectiveness, alongside a clear and practical roadmap to help boards build on their strengths, address key challenges and confidently plan their next steps.”

To secure a review, or learn more about how the service can be tailored to your board’s context, contact Shireen.razey@fea.co.uk.

More information is available at www.fea.co.uk/external-board-review-services/and www.sixthformassociates.co.uk/ebr/