Headteacher's position on the governing board

Last reviewed on 28 October 2021
School types: Maintained, Special, Academy · School phases: All
Ref: 3347

Make sure you understand your headteacher's role and rights on your governing board, so your meetings run smoothly.

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Contents

  1. The headteacher has the right to be a governor
  2. Your headteacher's role on the governing board
  3. It's the chair's role to lead board meetings
  4. Appointed acting headteachers have the same rights
  5. Other staff can't 'fill in' for the headteacher

The headteacher has the right to be a governor

Maintained schools

The headteacher's automatically a governor by virtue of their office (also known as an ex officio governor). However, they can resign as a governor if they choose. 

Headteachers also have the right to attend both whole governing board meetings and committee meetings, regardless of whether they're a governor or a member of a committee. 

Only governors have the right to vote at full governing board meetings, so if the headteacher isn’t a governor, they can’t vote.

This is set out in regulation 13 of the School Governance (Constitution) (England) Regulations 2012 and regulations 12, 14 and 25 of The School Governance (Roles, Procedures and Allowances) (England) Regulations 2013.

Academies

This is outlined in article 57 of the Department for Education's (DfE's) model articles of association. Check your own articles of association, just

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