What should a governing board or Trust Board actually be asking? This fully revised second edition brings together 150 questions every school governor and academy trustee in England should put to their board, their leaders and themselves, each with clear, practical guidance on why it matters and what good looks like. Drawn from Al Kingsley’s 35 years in education and more than two decades chairing boards, the questions cover the full span of governance: vision and strategy, finance, curriculum, safeguarding, Ofsted’s new report cards, inclusion and SEND reform, attendance, estates, sustainability and staff wellbeing, all updated for the latest legislation and DfE guidance, including the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act and the 2026 Schools White Paper.

New to this edition is a dedicated chapter on artificial intelligence, from classroom use and staff workload to data protection, academic integrity and the questions boards should ask before adopting any AI tool. Organised into sixteen colour-coded chapters with one question per page and space for your own notes, it works as an induction companion for new governors, a prompt list before meetings, or a framework for your board’s annual self-review. Whether you govern a single maintained school or a large multi-academy trust, this is a working handbook for asking better questions, and for keeping children at the centre of every answer.