Terms of Reference for the Governing Body
The Governing Body establishes an overall framework for the governance of the academy. It takes on a strategic role, acts as a critical friend to the school and is accountable for its decisions. It sets aims and objectives and reviews, agrees and monitors policies, targets and priorities. Governing Body meetings are open to the public with Minutes available except for matters considered confidential. In the event of a tied vote the Chair or Acting Chair/Vice Chair will have a second or casting vote.
The Governing Body will:
- Hold at least 3 meetings per year
- Appoint or remove the clerk
- Elect a Chair and Vice Chair
- Advise all parents of any parent governor vacancies and to appoint co-opted governors
- Set dates of meetings for the year ahead
- Receive Head teacher reports
- Review and monitor national test results
- Review the level of exclusions
- Monitor attendance of pupils/staff/governors
- Monitor accidents/incidents involving pupils/staff/governors/visitors
- Set pupil performance targets
- If required, consider the suspension of a governor
- Provide induction for new governors
- Encourage governors to visit school and to review, adopt and monitor a governors’ visit policy and feedback procedure
- Review, adopt and monitor the procedures for dealing with complaints from parents/carers
- Review, approve and monitor the School Improvement Plan
- Annually review and approve the School Health and Safety Policy
- Monitor the implementation of the schools health and safety arrangements
- Ensure at least 2 governors are appointed to complete the Headteacher’s Performance Management.
- Maintain and update annually a file of business and pecuniary interest declarations
- Publish information on governors and their business or pecuniary interests as required by legislation.
- Ensure governing body information is recorded and kept up to date on the DfE’s national database of governors (GIAS).
- Review, adopt and monitor a governors’ expenses policy and curriculum policy
- Review annually the delegation of functions and committee structure
- Receive reports and in particular policy documents from its committees for ratification.
- Monitor the activities of the committees through the minutes of their meetings and establishes committee terms of reference.
- Organise support and training for governors.
- To receive a regular report on Safeguarding.
- Ensure the school is compliant with the requirements of the GDPR.
- To ensure that there are appropriate technical and organisational measures in place to reduce the risk of a cyber security attack.
- To appoint a Governor responsible for ensuring that the filtering and monitoring standards are met in regard to the school’s IT system, ensuring there are processes in place to filter and monitor risk, and to regularly review their effectiveness.
The Governing Body has a strategic role in the financial management of schools and its key responsibilities include:
- Approval of Annual Budget
- Authorisation of the 3 year financial plan
- Setting financial priorities through the School Development Plan
- Appointment and salary of Head Teacher
- Determination of the staff complement and pay policy for the school
- Authorisation of Terms of Reference for all committees
- Authorisation of non-budgeted expenditure and virements
- To approve financial regulations and procedures on an annual basis.
- Act as a critical friend to the school on all financial matters
The Governing Body will not delegate any functions relating to: the constitution of the Governing Body (unless otherwise provided by the Constitution Regulations), the appointment or removal of the Chair and Vice-Chair, the appointment of the Clerk, the suspension of governors, the delegation of functions and the establishment of committees.
Delegated Functions Overview
The following functions are delegated to the board, but not to any individual:
- Functions relating to the approval of the first formal budget plan of the financial year;
- Functions relating to school discipline policies;
- Functions relating to the exclusions of pupils (except in an emergency when the Chair has the power to exercise these functions).
Quorum
The quorum for governing body meetings shall not be less than half of all serving governors and this number shall be rounded up should it be an odd number. Associate governors are not included for the purposes of quorum.
Approved by the Governing Body on 3 October 2023.