When and how to reconstitute the governing board of a maintained school

Thanks to our associate governance expert Jane Edminson, who helped us with this article.

What is reconstitution and when should you do it?

'Reconstitution' is the act of reorganising the governing board.

You might have to do it if you need to reconsider your leadership structure. This could be due to internal or external changes, such as:

• Deciding to make a proactive move to make sure your board is fit for purpose in the future - for instance, if you're converting to academy status or gaining or removing a foundation
• If things aren't going well - such as if you've had a poor Ofsted inspection or the board as a whole doesn't seem to be working well together
• Having an external review of governance which recommends it 

This is laid out on page 7 of statutory guidance from the Department for Education (DfE).

Before you get started, check if your local authority (LA) has published reconstitution guidance