Governing Body Policies and Documents

POLICY / SCHEME /

Statutory

/ Responsible Committee / Date approved by Governors / Date for review / Notes
Admissions policy (VA and Foundation schools) and Community and controlled schools if the LA formally transfers the responsibility to them / ü / To see a list of Westminster schools’ policies, use following link and insert admissions: http://www3.westminster.gov.uk/publications/ .
Also, see WCC Admissions website: www.westminster.gov.uk/admissions
For RC Diocesan Admissions follow link:
http://www.rcdow.org.uk/education/default_view.asp?parent_ref=229&library_ref=8&category_ref=246;
For London Diocesan Board for Schools follow link:
http://schools.london.anglican.org/Policies/policies-index.htm
Allegations of abuse against staff / ü / See Westminster’s Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures on governor website: http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors/mnu6.html
Attendance Policy / Attendance targets / http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/schoolattendance/goodpractice/index.cfm?cat=10
All schools except maintained nursery have a statutory duty to set annual attendance targets.
Charging and remissions policy / ü / See guidance on charging for school activities on governor website:
http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors/mnu6.html
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/atoz/c/chargingforactivities/index.cfm?code=main .
Regulations: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1999/19992255.htm
Child protection policy / ü / See Westminster’s Model Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy on WCC website Local Safeguarding Children Board, Safeguarding in Education:
http://www.westminster.gov.uk/services/healthandsocialcare/familycare/safeguardingchildren/safeguarding-in-education/
Teachernet model policy:
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/familyandcommunity/childprotection/schools/examplepolicy/
Collective worship policy / ü / Teachernet model policy:
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/atoz/c/collectiveworshippolicy/.
Complaints policy – general / ü / See Complaints Procedure under Guidance/Other guidance & useful documents on Westminster Governor Website:
http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors/mnu6.html
Curriculum policy (including teaching and learning policy) / ü
Finance Scheme of Delegation* / See Westminster sample scheme of delegation on Westminster Governor Website: http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors/mnu6.html
Also: http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/_doc/9681/Scheme%20Guidance%20Oct%202006.doc; and www.fmsis.info
Freedom of Information Act and Model Publication scheme / ü / http://www.ico.gov.uk/tools_and_resources/document_library/freedom_of_information.aspx
Teachernet & Governornet guidance:
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/atoz/f/freedomofinformationforschools/
http://www.governornet.co.uk/publishArticle.cfm?contentid=732&topicAreaId=31&pageStart=1&sortOrder=title&searchWhere=all&searchString=freedom%20of%20information
Equality Policy (race, gender, age, disability etc) / ü / DCSF FAQ on policy:
http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/ethnicminorities/faqs/raceequality/#4
Teachernet equality guidance:
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/equality/
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/docbank/index.cfm?id=9252
Promoting disability in schools:
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/_doc/10822/15th%20draft%20of%20guidance%20without%20header.doc See Accessibility Plan below for additional info & Model Disability Equality Scheme: Westminster Governor Website under guidance/policies: http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors/mnu6.html
Governors’ Allowances Scheme (where the GB has agreed to pay) / ü / See NGA’s Paying Governors’ Allowances Model Policy under Guidance/Model Policies on Westminster Governor Website:
http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors/mnu6.html ; DCSF guidance:
http://www.governornet.co.uk/linkAttachments/GovernorAllowancesOct03.pdf
Health and safety policy ( should include Risk Assessments, School Visits /Off-site Activities policy and procedures), emergency evacuation procedures / ü / Westminster H&S Website:
http://www.lgfl.net/lgfl/leas/westminster/accounts/she/
Westminster Emergency Website:
http://webfronter.com/westminster/emergency/
Alsohttp://www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/atoz/h/healthandsafety/index.cfm?code=keyd
Performance management policy, including staff appraisal / ü / Model Policy: http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/docbank/index.cfm?id=5175
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/payandperformance/performancemanagement/
Pupil discipline including anti-bullying policy / ü / http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/behaviour/schooldisciplinepupilbehaviourpolicies/
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/behaviour/tacklingbullying/
Special Educational Needs policy / ü + LAC desig teacher / http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/atoz/s/senpolicy/. Since 2009 all schools must have a designated teacher for looked after children (LAC)
Sex education policy / ü / See Westminster PSHCE website:
http://www.lgfl.net/lgfl/leas/westminster/accounts/pshce/
plus DCSF and NCB Sex & Relationship Education guidance documents:
http://publications.dcsf.gov.uk/default.aspx?PageFunction=productdetails&PageMode=publications&ProductId=DfES%25200116%25202000 and
http://partner.ncb.org.uk/Page.asp?originx_7059ij_19914531004942u32u_200610234228g
Staff capability, discipline and grievance procedures / ü / Contact your HR advisor
Teachers’ pay policy / ü / http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/docbank/index.cfm?id=7478
Whistle blowing policy * / See Westminster Governor Website, guidance/model policies:
http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors/mnu6.html
Also, FMSIS - http://www.fmsis.info/uploads/S1.6.doc
School Code of Conduct / See Code of Conduct info on Governor Website under guidance / code of conduct and practice:
http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors/mnu6.html
Dignity at Work – Bullying & Harassment procedure / See Dignity at Work and Harassment, Model Policy, on Westminster Governor Website under guidance/model policies:
http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors/mnu6.html
Governor Visits Policy / See Westminster Governor Website, guidance/self evaluation:
http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors/mnu6.html
Homework Policy
E-Safety Policy
Lettings Policy *
Leave of Absence for Reasons other than Sickness Policy

DOCUMENTS

Accessibility Plan / ü / Refer to Equality Policy for meeting the needs of disability in schools. Also: http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/disability/ and DfE publication:
http://publications.teachernet.gov.uk/default.aspx?PageFunction=productdetails&PageMode=publications&ProductId=LEA+0168+2002&
Annual report to parents (nursery schools only) / ü
Best Value Statement * / FMSIS - http://www.fmsis.info/uploads/R37.doc
Committee Terms of Reference / ü / See Westminster Governor Website, guidance/self evaluation:
http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors/mnu6.html
Community Cohesion / ü / Schools have a duty to promote Community Cohesion. There is no statutory requirement for a policy on this but evidence is required to demonstrate that the school/Governing Body is meeting its statutory requirement. Guidance: http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/communitycohesion/
Competencies Matrix * / R11 (staff) and R20 (governors) on FMSIS toolkit
Contingency / Emergency Plan – for responding to emergencies / Westminster Emergency Website:
http://webfronter.com/westminster/emergency/
Consistent Financial Report * / http://www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/vfm/downloads/PDF/CFRFrameworkv5.pdf
Governing body (and committees) agendas, papers and minutes / ü
Home-school agreement / ü / http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/atoz/h/homeschoolagreements/
Instrument of government / ü / Instruments can be found on the Governor Website under Guidance/ Instruments of Government: http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors/
Ofsted report / ü / http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/
Parenting Contracts and Orders for Behaviour and Attendance if school proposes to use these / http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/schoolattendance/otherinitiatives/parentingcontracts.cfm
Prospectus / ü
Register of Business Interests * / ü / See Governor Website under Guidance / Other Guidance & Useful Documents: http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors/mnu6.html
Also, sample form included in R32 of FMSIS toolkit
Register of pupils/ attendance / ü
Risk Assessments / ü / See Health and Safety above
Staffing structure (linked to pay policy) / ü
Central Record of Recruitment and Vetting checks (CRB Register and register of staff qualifications)* / ü / See Governor Website under Guidance / Other Guidance & Useful Documents: http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors/mnu6.html
School Development / Improvement Plan / http://www.tda.gov.uk/remodelling/extendedschools/sipf2.aspx
Statement of Internal Control * / See R15 of FMSIS toolkit
Target setting - end of key stage and attendance / ü

ON-LINE DOCUMENTS

School Profile / ü / http://schoolsfinder.direct.gov.uk/;
SEF (Ofsted self-evaluation form) / Blank SEF plus guidance via Ofsted website:
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/content/advancedsearch/summary?SearchText=Self+evaluation+form&SearchSectionID=-1&SubTreeArray=84&SearchButton=Search

* Key policies & documents required for achieving the Financial Management Standard.

1 All these policies could be grouped under one Equality Scheme

NB The online version of the Guide to the Law on www.governornet.co.uk includes direct links to sources of further information.

Other useful websites: National Association of Head Teachers: www.naht.org.uk National College for School Leadership: www.ncsl.org.uk

Association of Teachers and Lecturers: www.atl.org.uk Association of School and College Leaders: www.ascl.org.uk

National Governors’ Association: www.nga.org.uk QCA: www.qcda.gov.uk

4

August 2010