The third core function: overseeing financial performance
All governors have a part to play in monitoring school finance. Get a concise overview of what your role is and what you're monitoring, so you can make sure money's well spent.
Our associate education experts Graeme Hornsby and Matt Miller helped us to write this article.
Get a handle on the basics
Familiarise yourself with how your school is funded so you can understand the budget and ask better questions.
You also need to know what responsibilities have been delegated to your board. If you’re:
- A maintained school, read your local authority's scheme of financial delegation
- An academy, read your scheme of delegation
- On a local governing board (LGB), find out about your role in finance
The board's role
All governors have financial responsibility. However, you don't need to be an expert, and you won't be involved in everything.
Your job is to make sure that:
- There's financial oversight
- Leaders are held to account
- Money's spent correctly, and
- Spending is in line with your school's priorities
You only need to understand
Read next
Also in 'The role of the board'
- Challenge and support: finding the balance
- Role description templates for maintained school governors, trustees, and governors on LGBs
- The first core function: clarity of vision, ethos and strategy
- The governing board: purpose and responsibilities
- The second core function: holding executive leaders to account