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Roles on the governing board
11 articles
Chair of the governing board
- Can the vice-chair cover for the chair? The vice-chair can act as chair when the chair is absent or there is a vacancy in the office of chair. Understand the requirements, and how to manage a chair's leave of absence.
- Chairing meetings: your complete guide Read our top tips on how to chair a full governing board meeting – including how to prepare in advance, stick to time and keep things on track. Download our audit to evaluate how effective your current meetings are.
- Chair of governors: meetings with the headteacher Make meetings with the headteacher more productive with advice on why you should meet and what you should focus on.
- Chairs: how to work well with your headteacher It's crucial that you and your head work together effectively. Read our experts' advice on how to build and maintain a good relationship.
- Co-chairs on governing boards Can two school governors share the role of chair? We look at guidance from the DfE and a local authority, and highlight a case study from a primary school on shared leadership responsibilities. We also relay expert advice on dividing responsibilities and co-chairing a local governing body.
- Electing a chair/vice-chair: difficulties in filling the post If you are struggling to fill the role of chair or vice-chair, draw on advice from our associate experts on operating without a chair and recruiting externally.
- How to elect a chair and vice-chair of governors As a governing board you must elect a chair and vice-chair of governors. Find out the rules and use our flowchart and checklist to make sure your election process runs smoothly.
- Length of service for a chair of governors There is no restriction on the chair of governors serving successive terms, and no limit on their length of service. Read recommendations for appropriate lengths of service, and understand the benefits of restricting terms of office.
- Removing the chair or vice-chair of governors from office Understand the procedure for removing the chair or vice-chair in maintained schools and academies, and read guidance on how the removal may be kept confidential.
- Using 'chair's action' during coronavirus Be clear when you might use the 'chair's action' to make urgent decisions on your board's behalf during coronavirus.
- Vice-chair: role and responsibilities The role of the vice-chair can be confusing. Download our role description and see terms of reference from a school to get a grip on what it means to be the vice-chair.
12 articles
Clerk to the governing board
- A clerking competency framework We summarise the clerking competency framework, published in April 2017, in just one page. You can also download a copy of this QuickRead as a ready-made resource to share with colleagues.
- Appraisal of the clerk to governors How should the clerk to the governors be appraised? We look at the process of appraising clerks to the governors. This article features two KeyDocs for use in 360-degree reviews and in setting performance objectives for clerks. It also looks at appraising a clerk who works for more than one school.
- Can the clerk be a member of school staff? Can a member of staff also be clerk to the governors? We look at the regulations for maintained schools and academies. This article also includes advice from two of our associate experts, as well as LA guidance, on the advantages and disadvantages of this arrangement.
- Clerk to governors in maintained schools: pay and hours As a clerk, a lot of factors inform your pay and working hours. See some examples of hours and pay from local authorities and read guidelines from our experts.
- Clerk to the governing board: role description Download our model role description to help you hire a clerk with the right skills – it's based on the Clerking Competency Framework. Plus, see examples of job descriptions from schools.
- Involvement in meetings: clerk to the governing board How involved should a clerk be in governing board meetings? This article addresses the clerk's role in meetings, as set out in the clerking competency framework. It also relays an expert's advice on what to do if governors are concerned about the clerk's level of involvement.
- Recruiting a clerk (maintained) How can we recruit a clerk to governors? Governing boards can do this through their LA clerking service, or independently. We look at examples of clerking services and link to recruitment resources, including a model person specification based on the clerking competency framework.
- Role of the clerk (maintained) What are the duties of the clerk to governors? We cite the regulations on the functions of a clerk in a maintained school, and relay advice on the clerk's role in updating policies. We also look at a job description from a local authority.
- Skills audit: clerk to the governing board Evaluate your skills and knowledge and identify your training needs with our downloadable skills audit for clerks based on the competency framework.
- The clerk's role in supporting the effectiveness of the governing body How can the clerk ensure the governing body works effectively? We look at regulations and DfE advice on the clerk's role in the effective running of the governing body. We also relay advice from two of our associate education experts about how clerks can help governors work more efficiently.
- The role of the clerk What is the role of a governing board's clerk? In this article, we look at the role of a clerk as set out in the clerking competency framework and the Governance Handbook. The article applies to clerks in maintained schools, academies and multi-academy trusts.
- Training for clerks to the governing board Clerks should have all of the skills and knowledge set out in the clerking competency framework. Discover what funding is available to you and where to find the training you need.
23 articles
Link governors
- Allocating link governor roles Find out what link governor roles your board should have and get advice on how to allocate them.
- Assessment: role of the link governor What is the role of the link governor for assessment? One of our associate education experts looks at what the role of link governor for assessment involves. The article also includes suggestions of questions the governor could ask of school leaders.
- Careers link governor: role What does the role of a careers link governor involve? In this article, we link to guidance on the statutory requirement for schools to provide independent careers guidance to pupils in years 8 to 13. We also relay practical advice for link governors for careers, including questions for them to ask.
- Curriculum: role of the link governor Understand your role as a curriculum link governor and questions you can ask subject leaders to challenge and support them.
- EYFS: role of the link governor See an example role description from a school, find links to information about how the EYFS works, and read example questions to ask about EYFS provision.
- Finance: role of the link governor Be clear on your role as a finance link governor so you can monitor effectively.
- Governor induction and training: role of the link governor What does the role of training link governor involve? We look at the role of the link governor for training, citing three local authorities and expert advice on who should, and should not, take the role. We also point to our articles looking at governor handbooks and induction packs in more detail.
- Governors with responsibility for behaviour What should I be doing as governor responsible for behaviour? Education expert Celia Grace suggests what might be expected of you as a 'behaviour governor'. Another expert suggests questions you could ask on a visit, and we link to a school behaviour policy that sets out the governor's monitoring role.
- Governors with responsibility for data analysis Not all governors need to be data experts - but governing boards should have at least one person with the skills to interpret the data they're given. Read this article if you're considering how best to deploy your data specialists.
- Health and safety: link governor role and questions to ask Download our job description for a health and safety link governor to help you in this role, and read our suggestions of questions to ask the school leaders responsible for health and safety.
- ICT: role of the link governor What is the role of an ICT link governor? We relay advice from One Education and two of our associate education experts on the link governor's monitoring role. We also link to job descriptions from schools, which outline the role of an ICT link governor.
- Inclusion: role of the link governor What is the role of the link governor for inclusion? We relay advice from one of our associate education experts on the role of a link governor and suggest questions for him/her to ask when visiting the school. We also link to descriptions for other link governor roles that cover inclusion.
- Link governors Save time by reading our summary of the role and functions of link governors in just one page. Download a copy to share with your governing board.
- Literacy: role of the link governor Understand your role as a literacy link governor and questions you can ask literacy subject leaders to challenge and support them.
- Monitoring pupil premium: role of the link governor Be clear on the role and responsibilities of a pupil premium link governor, and use our list of questions when monitoring provision.
- Numeracy/maths: role of the link governor Understand your role as a numeracy/maths link governor and questions you can ask maths subject leaders to challenge and support them.
- PSHE and citizenship: what questions could a link governor ask? Have a look at examples of questions you could put to relevant members of school staff as a link governor for PSHE education and citizenship. We’ve put these together with the help of our associate education expert Fred Birkett, who has been a school governor for 20 years.
- Pupil premium: questions to ask See our list of questions to ask your pupil premium lead about how your school uses pupil premium funding to close the attainment gap for disadvantaged pupils. Use the questions in link governor visits or in relevant committee meetings.
- Questions to ask subject leaders You might be asked to meet with subject leaders as part of a school visit, or a board/committee meeting. Be clear on what questions you can ask to challenge and support them.
- RE link governor: role and questions to ask Feel confident in your role as RE link governor with guidance on your responsibilities, and examples of questions you can ask school leaders when monitoring provision.
- Safeguarding: role of the link governor Know who you can appoint as the safeguarding link governor and understand what their role is.
- SEND: questions to ask Read our questions to ask your SENCO about your school's provision for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
- SEN: role of the link governor Clarify your role as the link governor for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Download our role description and get advice on meeting with the SENCO.
5 articles
The headteacher's role on the board
- Division of responsibilities: governing board and headteacher Learn about the division of responsibilities between the board and the headteacher, and read advice on keeping the governor role strategic, not operational.
- Headteacher's position on the governing board It’s important to understand the headteacher’s role on the governing board, so that you can work constructively with them. Use this article to understand the rules around their rights to be a governor, and membership and voting rights in different situations, so your board can get this right.
- Headteacher's report to governors: template and guidance Use our template report to make sure you're giving the governing board all the information it needs to do its job well.
- How long is the headteacher's report you receive? See how long the headteacher's report is for other governing boards.
- The headteacher's voting rights in governor & trustee meetings Can the headteacher vote at governing body meetings? The headteacher has the same right to vote as other governors or trustees if they have chosen to be a governor or trustee. We also look at when they should refrain from voting.