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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 Free sample Make meetings with the headteacher more productive with advice on why you should meet and what you should focus on.
- 'Chair's action': your power to act in cases of urgency As a chair, be clear when you might use the 'chair's action' to make urgent decisions on your board's behalf, and see examples of how other schools do it.
- 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 be clear on how the removal may be kept confidential.
- Vice-chair: role and responsibilities Download our role description and see examples of responsibilities from a school and a local authority, to help you get a grip on what it means to be the vice-chair.
8 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.
- 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.
- How to carry out your clerk's appraisal Your clerk is your board's governance professional. Learn how to carry out an annual performance review so you can drive high standards and support your clerk's professional development.
- 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.
- Skills audit: clerk to the governing board Free sample Evaluate your skills and knowledge and identify your training needs with our downloadable skills audit for clerks based on the competency framework.
- The role of the clerk All boards must have a clerk. Find out who can be clerk, and be clear on what the role involves so you can work with them effectively. Download our model role description if you’re recruiting a new clerk.
- 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 Find out what your role is as a link governor for careers. See what questions you can ask the relevant staff member to support and challenge them during the coronavirus period and beyond.
- Curriculum: role of the link governor Understand your role as a curriculum link governor, including during coronavirus, and find out what 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 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: role of the link governor and questions to ask Use our role description to define your responsibilities, get tips on monitoring your school's compliance and download a list of questions you might ask during a school visit.
- ICT: role of the link governor Understand your role as an IT or ICT link governor, including getting online safety and cyber security on your school's radar, and learn what questions you can ask school and subject leaders to challenge and support them.
- Inclusion/equality: role of the link governor Be clear on your role as the link governor for inclusion/equality and find out what questions you can ask to challenge and support your subject lead.
- 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 Find out what questions you can ask your SENCO about your school's provision for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and what to look out for in their answers. Now including questions to ask when monitoring SEND provision during coronavirus.
- 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.
- Wellbeing link governor: role description Understand what your role as a wellbeing link governor involves so you can help your board monitor and embed a wellbeing culture. Get an idea of what questions you can ask your school's wellbeing/mental health lead so you can be a ‘critical friend’.
4 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 Make sure you understand your headteacher's role and rights on your governing board, so your meetings run smoothly.
- 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.