The Linguist

@Linguist_CIOL INSTITUTE MATTERS The CIOL CEO learns about the importance of governance from a Council member and Parent Governor of the Anglo European School Tell us a little bit about yourself, Helle… As most Scandinavians, I was exposed to English from an early age, and I then had the opportunity to add French and German later on. With language learning comes confidence to travel, and I ended up in Switzerland studying business administration and hotel management. This took me to the UK, where I worked as a hotel manager for the best part of a decade. It was a fascinating career but when my children came along I felt it was time for a change. I obtained the Diploma in Translation (DipTrans), set up my own company, and have worked full time as a translator and interpreter since then. What kinds of work have you most enjoyed or found most interesting? I feel privileged to have such a varied and stimulating job, but if I had to pick one area it would be public service interpreting. I find it hugely rewarding but also challenging, as it requires a very different skillset to that of a translator. Furthermore, it is a chance to work directly with people and provides that element of excitement of never knowing quite what to expect. How did you first get involved with the Anglo European School in Essex? Initially through my children, who are both former students. As a parent, I was impressed by the broad curriculum, international dimension, and focus on intercultural understanding and respect at the school (www.aesessex.co.uk) – and of course, its commitment to language learning. The aims – to develop open-minded and confident young people able to communicate effectively in a variety of languages and with an appreciation and understanding of different cultures, religions and communities – are not just words. I saw my children become these people, and I joined the governing board to help support and develop this further. It is an educational ethos I am very passionate about, and it is why I am still there. What are some of the opportunities and challenges the school has faced? When I joined the governing body we were still under local authority control, and by the time I was elected chair in 2015 we had converted to academy status. This meant becoming a company limited by guarantee, and hence significant changes in both operational management and governance. On top of that, cuts in funding meant that we had to embark on a painful restructuring process. It is our responsibility to oversee the delivery of the best possible education for our pupils, and a big part of this is to ensure financial sustainability. This means making some really hard decisions, which can be heartbreaking as you know it affects the lives of real people who are doing amazing work. As a new and inexperienced chair this was a challenging period, and I could not have done it without the support of an experienced and diverse governing board and a highly competent school leadership team, both willing and able to implement the changes needed. We have emerged from this stronger, but I would like to stress that a lack of funding for state schools is just as much a problem now as it was then. I do fear for the future of our state school system, and a major shift is needed if we are to give our young people the education they deserve. What would you say matters most about governance? Governance is the overarching framework that sets the direction of an organisation or a business, including its purpose, goals and strategy. The role of each member of the board is to provide a contribution through HELLE GULOWSEN JOHN WORNE MEETS

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