Terms of Reference
Purpose
The governing body carries out its functions with the aim of taking a largely strategic role in the running of the school. This means that governors decide what they want the school to achieve via setting the strategic framework. This includes:
- setting aims and objectives;
- setting policies, targets and priorities for achieving the objectives;
- monitoring and reviewing progress; and
reviewing the strategic framework in the light of progress.
Meetings and attendance
The governing body must hold at least one meeting per term held.
The following are entitled to attend full governing body meetings:
- All members of the governing body;
- The headteacher (even if they resign from their role as headteacher governor);
- Associate pupil governors (Secondary schools only);
- The clerk;
- Any other person that the governing body determines (non-voting).
Restrictions on persons taking part in proceedings
Governors who work at the school when the subject for consideration is the pay progression of any person employed to work at the school.
Any governor where there may be a pecuniary interest or a conflict of interest.
The clerk will maintain a register of the business and pecuniary interests of all members of the governing body.
If a governor has a pecuniary interest they will be required to withdraw from a meeting and not vote on the matter in question. Where there is a dispute as to whether a governor is required to withdraw from the meeting and not vote, that question is to be decided by the other governors present at the meeting.
Delegation of functions
The governing body may delegate some functions to a committee or an individual. This decision must be minuted. Please note there are some restrictions on delegation. The governing body must receive a report (written or verbal) from the committee or individual that has been given delegated powers. This report must be minuted in the full governing body minutes.
Election of chair and vice-chair
Elected by the governing body on an annual basis, usually at the first meeting of the academic year.
Members of staff and registered pupils at the school cannot be a chair or vice-chair.
Clerk
A clerk to governors must be appointed by the governing body.
Meetings
Full governing body meetings will be held at the school and will start at 5pm. Where business has not been completed within the agreed time, the governors present may resolve to continue the meeting or to defer this item to the next meeting, or delegate to the relevant committee.
Any three members of the governing body may requisition a meeting by giving notice to the clerk. This notice must include a summary of the business to be discussed. The clerk must convene this meeting as soon as reasonably practicable.
Quorum and proceedings
The quorum for the full governing body meetings is 50% of the membership, rounded up to the nearest whole number excluding vacancies and any suspended governors. The governing body must make all decisions unless an individual or a committee has been delegated to deal with a specific issue.
Every decision to be made at the meeting must be determined by a majority of votes of the governors present and voting. Voting by proxy is not allowed. In the event of a tie, the chair has a second and casting vote. Voting will be by show of hands unless one governor requests a secret ballot. All governors must stand by the corporate decisions of the governing body.
Agenda
A governor may place an item on the agenda by contacting the clerk not less than xx days before the meeting. If a governor wants to raise an urgent item at the meeting, they must speak to the chair at the start of the meeting. The governing body will decide whether this item will be discussed or dealt with at another meeting.
Notice for meetings
Written notice of meetings, together with the agenda and supporting papers, will be sent out at least five working days in advance of the meeting. This timescale does not apply in cases where the chair calls an urgent meeting at short notice.
The clerk must give at least seven days’ notice for any meeting where the following are discussed:
- the removal of chair of vice-chair from office;
- the suspension of any governor;
- the removal of community governor or sponsor governor; or
- a decision to serve notice of the closure of the school under section 10 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998
Apologies for absence
If a governor is unable to attend a meeting, written notice must be sent to the clerk. The minutes of the meeting will record the governing body’s consent or otherwise to the absence. The clerk will also record where a governor does not attend and does not send apologies.
Minutes
The clerk will send draft minutes to the chair and headteacher within 5 school days of the meeting for checking. Once the chair has approved the draft minutes, they may be made available for inspection by any interested party together with agenda, and supporting papers. Agenda items which are confidential will be minuted separately as Part II and will be available to governors only.
Role of the chair in urgent matters
The chair (or in the absence of the chair, the vice-chair) has the authority to take action (on matters that can be delegated to an individual) where the delay in exercising the function would likely to be seriously detrimental to the interests of the school, a pupil at the school, or their parents, or a person who works at the school. The chair must report on these decision made to the next meeting of the governing body.
http://www.governors.wales/publications/2011/01/04/governor-guide-role-chair/
Principles of conduct for governors
Governors should:
- ensure that their actions reflect the considered, best interests of the school and its pupils;
- attend governing body meetings regularly;
- on appointment / election attend induction training, data training and chair training (for chairs only) provided by the Local Authority, if the criteria set out in The Government of Maintained Schools (Training Requirements for Governors) (Wales) Regulations 2013 applies;
- on appointment / election, familiarise themselves with work of the school and keep this knowledge up to date;
- maintain their knowledge of current education policy, regulations and guidance and extend their skills by participating in training programmes including whole governing body training and other events;
- demonstrate a commitment to equality of opportunity and reflect this in developing and applying the policies the school is required to have in respect of sex, sexual orientation, marital or civil partner status, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, disability or age (as defined in the Equality Act 2010);
- act as a critical friend towards those with professional responsibilities in the school, bearing in mind the governing body’s own responsibility to promote high standards of educational achievement;
- be conscious of, and act within, the limits of the responsibilities of the governing body and when necessary, seek and give due consideration to professional information, advice and guidance;
- respect the responsibility of the headteacher for the day-to-day decisions in the management of the school;
- observe collective responsibility by supporting, once determined by democratic means, the decisions of the governing body;
- respect the governing body’s right to deem certain matters to be confidential, restricting discussion of such matters, whether inside or outside governing body meetings, solely to governor colleagues and in appropriate cases solely to discussion within governing body committees;
- develop with colleagues on the governing body, a clear vision for the school;
- focus their contribution to governing body decisions upon what is in the best interests of pupils, and be conscious that the welfare of pupils should always come first in terms of child protection, health and safety and helping each child to develop their full potential;
- encourage and participate in systems which provide for open and effective communication, helping to establish a clear vision of the school’s development;
- be aware that all governors are equal and respect others’ views and behave accordingly in dealings with governor colleagues;
- be aware of their accountability to parents and others in the local community and seek to devise effective dialogue with all those interested in the conduct and standards of the school;
- observe all protocols and procedures agreed by the governing body;
- be open, honest, objective, fair and impartial and prepared to confront the personal prejudices that may hinder informed decision-making including conflicts of interest;
- with the rise in popularity of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, governors should remember that they are a representative of the governing body and part of a corporate body. It is therefore sensible for governors to maintain a certain level of separation on social networking sites, as this may create a conflict / difficult situation in the future.
Review
The governing body will review this standing order at the first meeting of the academic year.