A clerk's guide to producing minutes

Getting the minutes right is essential to your role as a clerk. Read up on our top tips for taking and writing up notes, then use our handy template and checklist to save your valuable time.

Last reviewed on 7 October 2022
School types: AllSchool phases: AllRef: 3490
Contents
  1. Prepare before the meeting
  2. Download our template
  3. Choose your preferred method of recording
  4. Distinguish between public and confidential information
  5. Use the right language and tone
  6. Demonstrate the board's effectiveness
  7. Write up your notes afterwards
  8. Check them over using our checklist
  9. Use GovernorHub to make your life easier

Thanks to our governance experts Vicky Redding and Fiona Stagg, who helped us to write this article. 

Prepare before the meeting

It will make your job easier if you know what's going to be discussed in the meeting, the key documents that will be considered, and the key decisions the board needs to make.

Make sure you know:

  1. The date of the meeting and the date that papers need to be sent out on
  2. Which papers need to go out with the meeting pack, who is providing them, and which papers link to which agenda item

Check whether your local authority or academy trust has any guidance or rules