School policies for governors: an introduction

Schools run on policies. Understand your role as governor in the policy process, from development, to approval, review, monitoring and publication.

Last reviewed on 18 August 2022
School types: AllSchool phases: AllRef: 4089
Contents
  1. What are policies for?
  2. How are policies set?
  3. What's my role as a governor?
  4. Next steps: examples of different kinds of policy

What are policies for?

Your school uses policies to: 

  • Outline your school’s approach in key areas of its work 
  • Show how your school's vision and values will be achieved on a daily basis
  • Demonstrate compliance with legislation and statutory guidance
  • Set out processes for how problems will be dealt with, and communicate these to your school community  
  • Ensure consistency in approach across a school, or multiple schools in a multi-academy trust (MAT)

How are policies set?

Policies written by your school

Your school leaders will write some policies, and they can alter and edit them as they see fit. 

Your school leaders might have adapted these from model policies, such at the ones in our policy bank.

Covers work you do as a governing board (like your instrument of government) Requires you to by law (like your school's written statement