Governance

“There are over 250,000 volunteers governing in schools in England. By joining them, you can make a valuable contribution to school leadership. The National Governors Association have put together this short film about the role:

The role of school governors and trustees – YouTube

The Governing Body works in close partnership with the headteacher, staff and the Local Authority. Whilst the headteacher is responsible for the day- to- day organisation and running of the school, the governors are involved with such things as staffing, curriculum, health and safety, safeguarding, school buildings and finance. It ensures the school functions well and maintains the proper range of academic and social objectives.

Governors are representatives of the local community, parents, school staff and the Local Authority. They bring a range of interests, knowledge and skills to the school and they all work in a voluntary capacity. They work as a team with shared responsibilities. Governors never make decisions on their own, nor do they act as individuals.

Almost anyone over 18 years of age can become a governor. There are no particular qualifications or requirements, other than a willingness to give time to the role and a capacity for working with other people.

There are typically four types of governors: Staff Governors, Parent Governors, Co-opted Governors and Local Authority Governors. All governors have the same roles and responsibilities once part of the governing body.

As part of the governing body team, a governor is expected to:

• Contribute to the strategic discussions at governing body meetings which determine the vision and ethos of the school, clear and ambitious strategic priorities and targets for the school’s performance
• Ensure that all children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities, have access to a broad and balanced curriculum.
• Determine the school’s budget, including the expenditure of the pupil premium allocation, the school’s staffing structure and key staffing policies, and the principles to be used by school leaders to set other school policies.
• Hold the senior leaders to account by monitoring the school’s performance and providing the appropriate balance of challenge and support for the headteacher and senior leaders.
• Ensure the school staff have the resources and support they require to do their jobs well, including the necessary expertise on business management, external advice where necessary, effective appraisal and CPD (Continuing Professional Development), and suitable premises, and that the way in which those resources are used has impact.
• When required, serve on panels of governors to appoint the headteacher and other senior leaders, appraise the headteacher, set the headteacher’s pay and agree the pay recommendations for other staff, hear the second stage of staff grievances and disciplinary matters and hear appeals about pupil exclusions.
• Governors are appointed for a four year term. The chair and vice chair are appointed annually. All governors participate in a voluntary capacity and do not receive any remuneration for their work as school governors.