Division of responsibilities: governing board and headteacher

Learn about the division of responsibilities between the board and the headteacher, and read advice on keeping your role strategic, not operational.

Last reviewed on 11 October 2022
School types: AllSchool phases: AllRef: 3335
Contents
  1. In a nutshell
  2. In more detail
  3. Role comparison in key areas of school life
  4. Why the responsibilities are divided like this
  5. Governors can intervene in operational matters in rare situations

In more detail

Governors' role

By law, the core functions of the governing board are to make sure that:

Governors should:

  • Avoid routine involvement in operational matters
  • Focus on holding the headteacher to account for exercising their professional judgement about how the school should be organised and managed 

You'll find the roles set out in this way in the Governance Handbook on pages 23 and 24, and the School Governance (Roles, Procedures and Allowances) (England) Regulations 2013.

Headteacher's role

The internal organisation, management and control of the school  The educational performance of the school Along with others, leading, developing and supporting the strategic direction, vision, values and priorities of the school  Developing, implementing and evaluating the school’s policies, practices and procedures Leading and managing teaching Leading, managing and developing