The full board should approve them
But there's no rule on who has to write them. Typically, either:
- The board writes and approves terms of reference. The relevant committee formally adopts them and creates a related work plan, or
- The committee puts together terms of reference and the board approves them
In practice, the chair of the board or committee will probably write the terms of reference.
Don't consider terms of reference in isolation. Include the full board, because it's important that responsibilities are delegated clearly and don't overlap.
Find out about terms of reference for trustees and local governing bodies to understand when they are and aren't needed in academy trusts.
You can use terms of reference for panels and link governors, as well as committees
Link governors might benefit from having their delegated responsibilities set out in a short formal document.
Use our role descriptions to help you.
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