Responsibilities and powers
A selection of the wide variety of the responsibilities of the governing body follows:
Teamwork
The governing body is a corporate body. That means that the responsibilities and decisions are all shared. No single governor can act as an individual or be personally liable.
Curriculum
The headteacher is responsible for the day-to-day management of the school. However the governing body:
- Ensures the implementation of the National Curriculum
- Approves policies such as for religious education and sex education
Governors are not school inspectors, checking on the staff, but give the school direction through agreed policies.
Financial management
Today's schools have control of the majority of their budget. Governing bodies have to:
- Approve the first budget of the year
- Ensure the curriculum is resourced
- Ensure that spending is monitored
This is done by receiving regular reports from the headteacher.
Staffing
Governors, in consultation with the headteacher, decide:
- How many staff to employ
- The recruitment and selection of staff
Have procedures to deal with:
- Staff grievances
- Staff discipline
- Redundancy
Premises management
Governing bodies control the budget for the day-to-day maintenance of the school's buildings, structural repairs and maintenance, small capital projects and health and safety.
Pupils
Governing bodies are responsible for:
- Special education needs
- The school's Behaviour Policy
Meetings
Governing bodies have to meet once a term. They also have to present a report to parents once a year.
Most governing bodies have committees dealing with specific subjects, for instance a finance or personnel committee. Governors can get involved in areas that they are interested in. They provide the opportunity, to look at a specific area in more depth. The number or meetings depends on your involvement.
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