FULL GOVERNING BODY
The governing body needs to take a strategic role, act as a critical friend to the school and be accountable for its decisions. It should set aims and objectives and agree, monitor and review policies, targets and priorities.
Members: As per the Instrument of Government
Quorum: 50% of current membership (i.e. quorum does not include vacant positions)
Chair: To be appointed by governing body
Clerk: To be appointed by governing body
Terms of reference:
• Monitor and agree changes to instrument of government including terms of office;
• Appoint, suspend or remove governors in accordance with Regulations*;
• Hold at least three governing body meetings a year*;
• Regulate procedures of meetings e.g. code of confidentiality and code of conduct;
• Appoint or remove the Chair and Vice-Chair*;
• Appoint or remove a Clerk to the governing body*;
• Establish the committees of the governing body and their terms of reference*;
• Decide which functions of the governing body will be delegated to committees, groups and individuals and review the delegation arrangements annually*;
• Appoint the Chair of any committee (this may be delegated to committee);
• Appoint or remove a Clerk to each committee (this may be delegated to the committee);
• Appoint associate members to committees and determine their voting rights;
• Appoint link or designated governors, including performance management governors*;
• Ensure Headteacher provides such reports as requested by the governing body to undertake its role;
• Receive reports from any individual or committee to whom a decision has been delegated and to consider whether any further action by the governing body is necessary*;
• Ensure requirements within Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education are met;
• Ensure requirements within the duty to promote Community Cohesion are met;
• Approve the first formal budget plan of the financial year (if not delegated to committee) and best value statement;
• Ensure copies of minutes of full meetings are forwarded to the Local Authority;
• Monitor and keep under review School Development Plan;
• Approve written description of financial systems and procedures in line with LA’s scheme for financing schools;
• Ensure school works within SFVS
• Publish proposals for alteration, change of category or closure of school*;
• Recruit Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher*;
• Determine arrangements for recruitment of other members of staff;
• Participate in school self review process including review of Governing Body effectiveness;
• Decide on decision to federate or form joint committees with other school governing bodies*;
• Any items which individual governing bodies may wish to include;
*these matters cannot be delegated to either a committee or an individual
Disqualification – as per Regulation 20 and Schedule 6 of the Constitution Regulations
RESOURCES COMMITTEE (incorporating Personnel, Finance and Premises)
The finance committee has a general role in advising the Headteacher on matters relating to the finances of the school, and is required to abide by the requirements and guidelines of the Local Authority and the DfE.
Members: Resources Committee Members
Quorum: 3 governors including Headteacher
Chair: To be appointed by governing body
Clerk: To be appointed by governing body
Members: As Committee List
Terms of reference:
• In consultation with the Headteacher and administrator, the first formal budget plan of the financial year and present to the full governing body for approval within required Local Authority timescales;
• Establish, approve to governing body, monitor and review within agreed policy review process, policies relating to:
• Performance Management and development of staff:
• Personnel including those relating to appointment of staff, health and safety, discipline, grievance
• Pay Policy for all categories of staff and to be responsible for its administration
• Allegations of abuse against staff
• Staff appraisal
• Determine the staffing structure, in consultation with the Headteacher, in relation to the School Improvement Plan and curriculum requirements and, in the light of resources available. Present to governing body for approval;
• Monitor and evaluate the staff development programme in relation to curriculum and professional development needs as identified through performance management procedures and within the context of the School Improvement Plan;
• Oversee the appointment procedure for all staff, having regard to the requirements within Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education;
• Keep under review staff work/life balance, working conditions and well-being, including the monitoring of absence;
• Make recommendations on personnel related expenditure to the Finance Committee;
• Monitor and keep under review specific areas of School Development Plan for
which the committee has responsibility.
• Agree and monitor training strategy for teachers, support staff and governors;
• Consider and report back upon matters as may be delegated or devolved to the committee by the Governing Body* (see below);
• Ensure annual pay review is completed.
• Establish, approve/recommend delete as appropriate) to governing body,, monitor and review, within agreed policy review process the following;
• Charges and remissions policies and expenses policies;
• Whistle Blowing policy;
• Give due consideration for meeting best practice requirements as set out in the Schools Financial Value Standards (SFVS) and ensure compliance;
• Ensure all spending provides value for money in terms of raising standards in education and sign best value statement;
• Benchmark school financial performance against similar schools and report to governing body ;
• Analyse and recommend annual statement of internal control and present to governing body ;
• Establish and maintain an up to date 3 year financial plan;
• Review and monitor the schools financial procedures annually and present draft to governing body for approval (unless approval delegated to committee *see below);
• Receive and review a budget position statement including virement decisions at least termly and to report significant anomalies from the anticipated position to the governing body with recommendations for corrective/remedial action;
• Ensure committee receives relevant, timely and user friendly reports on the budget with meeting papers;
• Ensure that the school operates within the latest Financial Regulations of the Local Authority;
• Ensure school co-operates with audit team including ensuring post audit action plan is drawn up and actioned as appropriate;
• Monitor expenditure of all voluntary funds kept on behalf of the governing body and report on these at least annually to the governing body (including ensuring there is an annual audit of the school fund and other funds held by the school, undertaken by persons independent of operating the accounts, presented to governing body);
• Review service level agreements and make recommendations to the full governing body;
• Make decisions on expenditure following recommendations from other committees;
• Ensure, as far as is practical, that Health and Safety issues are appropriately prioritised;
• Determine whether sufficient funds are available for pay increments as recommended by the Headteacher/Headteachers Performance Management Panel;
• Undertake an annual review of all expenditure with a view to achieving ‘best value’ in respect of the use of the delegated budget allocation and ensure a best value statement is adopted by the governing body;
• Ensure register of pecuniary interest of governors is maintained and reviewed annually and any updates on declarations and interests in agenda items are correctly recorded;
• Ensure governors and particularly finance committee members have access to adequate training opportunities;
• Monitor and keep under review specific areas of School Development Plan for which the
committee has responsibility;
• Ensure minutes are taken at each meeting and that budget decisions are clearly minuted at both committee and full governing body levels;
• Report back upon matters as may be specifically delegated or devolved to the committee by the governing body* see below
Disqualification – Any relevant person employed to work at the school other than as the Headteacher, when the subject for consideration is the pay or performance review. The Clerk to governors is only disqualified from attending if the matter for discussion is their own pay or disciplinary.
*Delegated Powers
Any delegated powers should be clearly stated, and decisions taken reported back to the next governing body meeting, having due regard to matters that cannot be delegated to committees. (Approval of policies would be considered a delegated function)
PAY & CONDITIONS COMMITTEE
n.b. This committee may also be established as a sub committee of an established committee such as personnel or finance. The title of the committee would need to be altered to ‘sub committee’ and any reference to governing body amended to …..committee
Members: At least 3 governors. Associate members will not be appointed.
Quorum: 3 governors including Headteacher
Chair: To be appointed by Committee
Clerk: To be appointed by governing body
Members: As Committee List
Terms of reference:
• Make recommendations regarding honorarium awards;
• Undertake decisions on recommended annual salary reviews for all staff (including Headteacher);
• Advise governing body of decisions taken within the powers delegated by providing a statement of decisions taken – having regard to confidentiality;
• Assist in monitoring and keeping under review pay policy and make recommendations to full governing body;
• Assist in the determination of availability of funds for pay increments.
Disqualification – staff members, including Headteacher
Delegated Powers
Any delegated powers should be clearly stated, and decisions taken reported back to the next governing body meeting, having due regard to matters that cannot be delegated to committees.
Many governing bodies maintain pay review committee minutes as confidential; any report to other committees or the governing body would therefore also remain as confidential documents.
STANDARDS & CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
Members: As Committee List
Quorum: 3 governors including Headteacher
Chair: To be appointed by Committee
Clerk: To be appointed by governing body
Members: As Committee List
Terms of reference:
• Consider and advise the governing body on standards and school performance and other matters relating to the school’s curriculum, including statutory requirements;
• Ensure national curriculum is in place;
• Establish, approve/recommend (delete as appropriate) to governing body * see below, delegated functions), monitor and review, within agreed policy review process the following policies:
• The schools Curriculum Policy (on an annual basis);
• Pupil health, safety and welfare (including safeguarding and child protection);
• Behaviour and discipline;
• Collective worship;
• Provision for equal opportunities, Racial Equality, disability equality and gender equality
• Identification, assessment and provision for pupils with special educational needs
• Child protection in accordance with statutory requirements and DfE and Local Authority advice and to ensure the policy is communicated to staff and parents;
• Home/school agreements;
• Exclusions;
• Complaints procedure;
• Prospectus;
• Target setting;
• Monitor implementation and evaluation of policies for individual subjects (there is no requirement for policies for individual subjects to be approved by the governing body however, the governing body should ensure through the Headteacher, that policies are drawn up and put into practice in line with the aims, values, ethos and school development plan agreed by the governing body and in accordance with statutory requirements);
• Approval all school trips involving an overnight stay away from home (this may be incorporated into full Governing Body terms);
• Monitor pupil achievement against published targets;
• Ensure that the school designates members of staff to be responsible for co-ordinating child protection and Looked After Children within the school and for liaising with outside agencies and to receive appropriate training;
• Consider curricular issues which have implications for Finance and Personnel decisions and to make recommendations to the relevant committees or the governing body;
• Make arrangements for the governing body to be represented at School Improvement discussions with the Local Authority and for reports to be received by the governing body;
• Oversee arrangements for individual governors to take a leading role in specific areas of provision, e.g. SEN, Literacy, Numeracy. To ensure regular reports are received and reported to the governing body;
• Through the Headteacher, monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of teaching and learning in delivery of the curriculum;
• Through the Headteacher, monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of SEN provision;
• Consider school performance data and agree* or recommend* school targets for pupil attainment to the governing body. *(depends on whether GB delegates authority to committee);
• Keep under review the Healthy Schools initiative and ensure Government standards for food in schools are met;
• Ensure there are rewards systems in place which impact positively on achievement and behaviour;
• Monitor pupil attendance and absence rates against agreed targets, pupil exclusion rates and to consider strategies to improve them;
• Review annually in conjunction with the Headteacher the effectiveness of the
school’s policies in relation to personal development and well-being and to report the results of the review to the governing body, including any recommendations for policy changes and priorities for the next School Development Plan;
• Be responsible for addressing issues of relationships with the community and issues of promoting the school;
• Actively seek the views of learners and parents/carers and of the school’s stakeholders and partners in order to inform the governing body and Headteacher in their decision making about the way the school is conducted;
• Have oversight of the development of and to monitor extended school provision and to report to the governing body with recommendations (including impact against pupil achievement;
• Be responsible for primary/secondary liaison (as appropriate) and, if appropriate further education liaison and for education/industry links;
• Review annually in conjunction with the Headteacher the effectiveness of the school’s policies in relation to the views of learners, parents/carers and other stakeholders and partners and to report the results of the review to the governing body, including any recommendations for policy changes and priorities for the next School Development Plan;
• Be responsible for addressing issues of relationships with the community and issues of promoting the school;
• Monitor and keep under review specific areas of School Development Plan for which the committee has responsibility;
• Consider and report back upon matters as may be delegated or devolved to the committee by the Governing Body.
Disqualification – none
*Delegated Powers
Any delegated powers should be clearly stated and decisions taken reported back to the next governing body meeting, having due regard to matters that cannot be delegated to committees. (Approval of policies would be considered a delegated function)
NOTE:
The following group is optional. However, the function it performs is an important one that key governors and Headteachers should carry out. The function could be carried out informally without the need for a committee, but the various ‘working’ committees would still need to be informed by reports from the informal group.
The key governors with the Headteacher would have a more strategic and co-ordinating role and would add to the effectiveness of the work of the governing body. Full meetings of the governing body, with their long agendas, do not allow sufficient time for this activity.
Quorum: Not applicable, but Headteacher presence essential
STAFF DISCIPLINE AND GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE
Note: the following committee models reflect the procedures which normally apply to all categories of school but voluntary aided schools may wish to adapt them to meet their own requirements:-
Members: At least 3 impartial governors excluding the Headteacher (NB. The number appointed to this committee directly affects the number required for an appeal committee) It is suggested that only experienced governors be appointed and consideration given if appointing Chair, who due to their role, will probably have prior knowledge of events.
Quorum: 3 governors
*Clerk – to be appointed by the governing body
Terms of reference:
• Make any determination to dismiss any member of staff (unless delegated to the Headteacher)
• Make any decisions under the governing body’s personnel procedures e.g. disciplinary, grievance, capability, where the Headteacher is the subject of the action*
• Make any decisions relating to any member of staff other than the Headteacher, under the governing body’s personnel procedures (unless delegated to the Headteacher)
4.10 STAFF APPEALS COMMITTEE
Members: No fewer members (impartial governors) than first committee (see also note on membership of hearings committee)
Quorum: At least 3 governors
Clerk: To be appointed by governing body
Terms of reference:
• Consider any appeal against a decision to dismiss a member of staff made by the first committee*
• Consider any appeal against a decision short of dismissal under the governing body’s personnel procedures e.g. disciplinary, grievance, capability
• Consider any appeal against selection for redundancy
• Consider and decide upon any salary/pay decisions made by the first committee
Disqualification – The Headteacher, any members of the hearings committee
PUPIL DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE
Members: 3 or 5 governors (excluding the Headteacher and any governor with prior knowledge of pupil or incident)
Quorum: 3 governors
Clerk: To be appointed by governing body
Terms of reference:
• Operate within the statutory procedures relating to pupil exclusions, in particular to consider any representations about fixed term exclusions of between 5 and 15 days in one term, and
• Consider fixed term exclusions of more than 15 days in one term (including exclusions which in aggregate come to more than 15 days) and permanent exclusions.
• Review the School Behaviour and Discipline Policy, and make recommendations on changes, to the governing body or relevant committee in light of decisions made.
4.12 COMPLAINTS COMMITTEE
Members: At least 3 governors (not to include anyone with prior knowledge of the matter to be discussed)
Quorum: 3 governors
Chair: To be appointed by committee
Clerk: It is recommended that the committee be professionally Clerked either by Clerk to governors or external Clerk
Terms of Reference:
• Act in accordance with School Governance Regulations and other legislation affecting the conduct and responsibilities of school governing bodies;
• Consider complaints in accordance with the Schools agreed Complaints Procedure;
• Advise the governing body of decisions taken within the powers delegated by providing feedback (minutes of meetings etc to remain confidential)
Disqualification – The Headteacher, any governor with prior knowledge of the matter to be discussed
HEADTEACHER’S PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT REVIEW GROUP
Members: 3 governors as Committee List
Quorum: Minimum of 2 suggested
Terms of reference:
• Arrange to meet with the External Consultant to discuss the Headteacher’s performance management and review in accordance with current regulations;
• To decide, with the support of the Consultant, whether targets have been met and set new targets annually;
• Monitor throughout the year the performance of the Headteacher against the targets;
• Make recommendations to the pay review committee (or pay review sub committee, whichever system is adopted) in respect of pay progression for the successful meeting of targets set.
Disqualification – staff governors
SELECTION PANEL FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF HEADTEACHER AND DEPUTY HEADTEACHER
Members: To be agreed
Quorum: at least 3 governors
Clerk: To be appointed by governing body
Terms of Reference and Delegated Powers:
• Act in accordance with the School Government Regulations, the Term of Reference Regulations and other legislation affecting the conduct and responsibilities of School Governing Bodies;
• Appoint a Chair at the first meeting, unless appointed by the Governing Body;
• Decide criteria for the post, consulting as appropriate with governing body and LA;
• Make necessary arrangements for advertising the post;
• Shortlist candidates for interview;
• Interview and recommend a suitable candidate to a meeting of the Governing Body for appointment;
• Liaise with Local Authority – the Executive Director of Children and Family Services (or his nominated representative) has a statutory right to be present and duty to give advice at all meetings of the selection panel. The selection panel has a duty to consider such advice;
NB. This panel is required to be established to consider each appointment of Headteacher/ Deputy Headteacher. A meeting of the full Governing Body will be required to approve the recommendation.
DELEGATION OF RESPONSIBILITY TO INDIVIDUALS
Any individual to whom responsibility has been delegated is expected to work within the
following terms of reference having regard to restrictions on delegation.
Terms of reference:
• Liaise with the appropriate member(s) of staff;
• Visit the school with the purpose of gathering information concerning their area of responsibility and to increase their knowledge of the School
• Regularly report to the Governing Body, the Curriculum Committee or the Steering Group, whichever the Governing Body deems most appropriate, on developments and progress within their area of responsibility
• Raise the profile of the area of responsibility when related matters are considered by the Governing Body
• Attend training as appropriate
• Any items which individual governing bodies may wish to include
