Closer to Your Reality: Why My Work as a School Governor Matters to You

Written by Paul Henderson-Griffiths, Director of Service Delivery 

As Open Awards customers (schools, colleges, and training providers) you rightly expect awarding organisations to understand the realities you face every day. In my role as Director of Service Delivery, I see it as essential that our decisions are shaped not just by policy and regulation, but by genuine insight into your environments. This is where my governance roles across three primary schools in Greater Manchester make a meaningful difference. 

Serving as a Chair of Governors and as a governor in additional schools keeps me closely connected to the challenges and priorities within education settings. I see first-hand the pressures around accountability, funding, staffing, and most importantly delivering the best outcomes for learners. I’m part of the conversations about curriculum, assessment, and support, and I understand how decisions made externally can either enable or hinder your work. 

This direct experience influences how I approach customer support and guidance here at Open Awards. It ensures that the services, qualifications, and support we provide are designed with your needs in mind. When we review processes or introduce changes, I am constantly asking: will this make life easier for Providers? Is it clear, efficient, and practical in a real-school setting? Does it support high-quality teaching and learning, rather than adding unnecessary burden to Providers amid ever-growing pressures? 

Working across multiple schools also gives me a broader perspective. Each setting is different, serving unique communities, with distinct challenges and strengths. That diversity helps me avoid a one-size-fits-all mindset and instead, focus on flexibility, accessibility, and responsiveness in the way we support you and the support our Customer Service and Training Advisors provide. 

Importantly, my governance experience reinforces the importance of listening. As governors, we are there to provide support and challenge in equal measure, and that principle carries through to how I view our relationship with you. Your feedback is critical – it helps shape how we improve, adapt, and ensure we are delivering real value. 

At the same time, my role within Open Awards allows me to bring clarity and insight back into my governance work, helping schools better understand qualification frameworks, quality assurance, and operational expectations. This two-way flow strengthens both sides. 

Ultimately, these roles are interconnected. They help ensure that our support and guidance offer at Open Awards is not distant or abstract but rooted in the day-to-day experiences of the education sector. My aim is simple: to make sure we are a partner you can rely on – one that understands your challenges, listens to you and works alongside you to support your success and the success of your learners.