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The governing board : Committees & panels

Committees & panels

  • Committees: what they are and what they do One way that governing boards manage their workload is by delegating tasks to smaller groups of governors, called committees. Understand the role committees play in managing the governing board's responsibilities.
  • Different governing board committee structures: pros and cons What different committee structures are available? We look at the advantages and disadvantages of different structures for school governing bodies, including for all-through schools.
  • Finance committee Finance committee members have a wide range of responsibilities, from overseeing the school budget, to reviewing finance policies. Here we bring together articles across the website to help finance committees discharge their duties.
  • Governing board committee structures (maintained) We look at the governance structures in maintained primary and special schools. One of these follows the 'circle model', with no permanent committees.
  • How to clerk a finance committee meeting Be clear on what to do before, during and after a finance committee meeting to make sure it runs smoothly.
  • How to review your committees You should review your committees annually. Read our 3 step process for how to do this effectively.
  • Roles and responsibilities of committee chairs What is the role of a committee chair? We look at statutory guidance on the role in maintained schools, and one of our experts outlines how the role is managed in academies. We link to examples of committee chair role descriptions, and look at what general tasks they would be expected to perform.
  • The role of the chair of the finance committee (maintained) The role and responsibilities of the chair of the finance committee can vary, but there are some core skills every finance chair should have. Download our role description to clarify the duties, and see some example terms of reference from other schools.
  • Who can chair a committee? Who is eligible to be chair of a committee? We look at guidelines on who can chair committees of the governing body in academies and maintained schools, and at permitted terms of office for the chair. We also relay advice on good practice when electing chairs and vice-chairs of committees.