Conduct of Governing Body Business and Meetings

Conduct of governing body business and meetings

Please see below an extract of some of the important points from the Education (School Government) Regulations and established good practice.

A productive governing body:

·  works together as a group

·  decides on policies and priorities with the headteacher and staff

·  takes reasoned decisions and follows them through

·  holds meetings that make a difference to life and work of the school

·  supports the pupils, parents, staff and headteacher.

Agenda

·  The agenda will list all the items that are to be discussed at the meeting.

·  All governors are entitled to ask for an item to be placed on the agenda. To do this they should contact the Chair or clerk a few weeks before the meeting. Governors can also contact the Chair/headteacher and ask for information.

·  Items under Any Other Business should be for urgent matters only. Governors should let the Chair know at the beginning of the meeting if they wish to raise a matter under Any Other Business.

Minutes

·  The minutes are a record of what happened and are taken by the clerk.

·  When the minutes are agreed as a correct record, the Chair will invite discussion on any matters arising from them.

·  All governors are entitled to ask a question about the minutes or check on progress since the last meeting.

·  There is no need to raise questions on the minutes if they are covered elsewhere in the agenda.

Headteacher's Report/other reports

·  This is a report written by the headteacher which updates governors on issues and provides information on which decisions can be made.

·  This report can also enable the headteacher to explain school policies and report on progress.

·  The Headteacher's Report provides an important way for governors to get to know the school.

·  This report is also one of the ways by which the headteacher is accountable for the running of the school.

·  Other reports may be provided by the headteacher, committees, Education Leeds, the LEA, the DfES, etc. These can often provide detailed information useful to governors.

Meetings

·  The governing body must meet at least three times a year.

·  Any three governors may ask for a special meeting through the clerk.

·  Seven days written notice of a meeting must be given by the clerk.

·  Shorter notice may be given only if the Chair (or in his/her absence the Vice Chair) agrees that there is an urgent need for a meeting.

·  Meetings are not open to the public but the governing body may decide to invite observers on a one-off or regular basis. Observers may contribute to discussion but cannot vote.

·  The agenda, minutes, and any other papers used in a meeting must be held in school and made available for inspection on request.

Chair and Vice Chair

·  The Chair and Vice Chair are elected for either one, two, three or four years.

·  Where a vote is taken on an item of business and there are equal numbers for and against, the Chair has a casting vote.

Instrument of Government

·  An instrument of government is a document setting out the size of the governing body, giving the number of governors by category and the terms of office.

·  All governors should have a copy of the Instrument of Government for their school.

Quorum/decisions

·  A decision cannot be taken unless a minimum (quorum) of governors is present.

·  A quorum is one half of the number of governor in post rounded up to a full number.

·  Any decision taken at the previous meeting should not be rescinded or varied unless there is an item on the agenda which specifically states the intention to do so.

Withdrawal from meetings

·  No governor should be involved in a decision where his/her personal interest may conflict with those of the school (contracts, services, staff). It is up to the governor to declare an interest.

·  Where disciplinary action against a member of staff is being discussed, no one who was involved in events leading up to the matter, or who has a personal interest in the outcome, is allowed to take part in the discussion and should leave the meeting.

·  Staff governors need not withdraw from meetings unless their interest in the matter under discussion is greater than that of other staff in the school.

·  Staff governors must withdraw from meetings where the pay or performance of anyone who works at the school is being considered.

Disqualification

·  If a governor fails to attend any meeting for six months without the consent of the governing body he/she will be removed from office.

Further information

·  For further information on how the business of the governing body and its meetings should be conducted, please consult the Guide to the Law and in particular the Education (School Government) Regulations, which are located at the back of the Guide to the Law. On appointment to a governing body governors will receive a copy of the Guide to the Law.