Structure and Remit of Governing Board

Committee terms of reference general guidance

Membership

• The governing body must determine the membership, proceedings and terms of reference of the Curriculum and Standards and Resources committees and must review these annually.
• There shall also be a Steering Committee, the membership of which shall be the Chair of Governors, who shall Chair the Committee, the Vice Chair, and the Chairs of the Curriculum and Standards and Resources Committee, and the Headteacher.
• The Deputy Headteacher shall be invited to all meetings of the Governing Body and may contribute to discussions but shall not be entitled to vote.
• The membership of each committee shall be the Chair of Governors, the Headteacher, and up to six members of the governing body, as elected by the Governing Body. Other governors may attend and contribute to discussions but shall not be entitled to vote.
• Each committee must have a chair and a clerk – the governing body will elect the Chair of the Curriculum and Standards Committee and the Resources Committee.

Quorum

• The quorum for all Committees shall be three governors.

Meetings

• Each Committee shall normally meet at least once each school term but may meet additionally at the discretion of the Committee, or at the request of the governing board, or otherwise at the request of the chair of governors. Committee meetings will not be open to the public, but minutes shall be published on the school website, once formally approved. Once authorised as an agreed draft by the relevant chair, all committee minutes must be circulated to all governors at the earliest opportunity on the Governor Hub portal. Information relating to a named person or any other matter that the committee considers confidential does not have to be made available for inspection or publication.
• In the absence of the chair, the committee shall choose an acting chair for that meeting from among their number.
• In the absence of the clerk the committee shall choose a clerk for that meeting from among their number, or another suitable person (someone who is not the headteacher).
• The draft minutes of each meeting will be circulated with the agenda for the next ordinary meeting of the full governing body and governors may raise queries or otherwise comment.
• Any decisions taken must be determined by a majority of votes of committee members present and voting. In the event of a tie, the Chair of the Committee shall have a casting vote.

• To act on matters delegated by the full governing body.
• To liaise and consult with other committees where necessary.
• To contribute to the School Development Plan.
• To consider safeguarding and equalities implications when undertaking all committee functions.

Terms of reference for the resources committee

Financial policy and planning

• To review, adopt and monitor a Finance Policy which includes the local scheme of delegation for spending and budgetary adjustments (virements) for the committee, headteacher and other nominated staff.
• To review, adopt and monitor all additional financial policies, including a charging and remissions policy.
• To establish and maintain a three-year financial plan, taking into the account priorities of the School Development Plan, roll projection and signals from central government and (if applicable) the LA regarding future years’ budgets, within the constraints of available information.
• To draft and propose to the governing board for adoption an annual school budget taking into account the priorities of the School Development Plan.
• To make decisions in respect of service level agreements.
• To ensure that sufficient funds are set aside for pay increments as set out in the Pay Policy and as recommended or agreed by the pay committee of the Governing Board.

Financial monitoring

• To monitor the income and expenditure throughout the year of all delegated and devolved funds against the annual budget plan.
• To receive at least termly budget monitoring reports from the headteacher.
• To report back to each meeting of the full governing board and to alert them of potential problems or significant anomalies at an early date.
• To meet with other committees and provide them with the information they need to perform their duties.
• Subject to the local scheme of delegation, to approve any budgetary adjustments that will from time to time be necessary in response to the evolving requirements of the school.
  • To review, complete and submit the School Financial Value Standard (SFVS).
  • To undertake any remedial action identified as part of the SFVS.
  • To receive and act upon any issues identified by a local authority audit.

• To provide support and guidance for the governing board and the headteacher on all matters relating to the maintenance and development of the premises and grounds, including Health and Safety.
• To ensure that an annual inspection of the premises and grounds takes place and a report is received identifying any issues.
• To inform the governing board of the report and set out a proposed order of priorities for maintenance and development, for the approval of the board.
• To arrange professional surveys and emergency work as necessary.
• To create a project committee where necessary to oversee any major developments.
• To establish and keep under review an Accessibility Plan and a Building Development Plan
• To review, adopt and monitor a Health and Safety policy.
• To ensure that the governing board’s responsibilities regarding litter, refuse and dog excrement are discharged according to Section 89 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, so far as is practicable.

Staffing

• To ensure that the school is staffed sufficiently for the fulfilment of the school‘s

development plan and the effective operation of the school.

• To establish and oversee the operation of the school's Appraisal Policy - including the arrangements and operation of the school's appraisal procedures for the Headteacher.
• To establish a Pay Policy for all categories of staff.
• To be responsible for the administration and review of the Pay Policy.
• To ensure that staffing procedures (including recruitment procedures) follow current equalities legislation.
• To annually review procedures for dealing with staff discipline and grievances and make recommendations to the governing board for approval.
• To monitor approved procedures for staff discipline and grievance and ensure that staff are kept informed of these.
• To recommend to the governing board staff selection procedures, ensuring that they conform with safer recruitment practice, and to review these procedures as necessary.
• In consultation with staff, to oversee any process leading to staff reductions.
• To establish the annual and longer-term salary budgets and other costs relating to personnel, e.g. training.

Additionally

• To monitor the effectiveness of the school’s communications and publicity, public presentation and relationships with the wider community.

Terms of reference for the curriculum & standards committee

• To review, monitor and evaluate the curriculum offer.
• To recommend for approval to the full governing board the:
  • Self-evaluation form
  • School Development Plan
  • Targets for school improvement to the governing board
• To monitor and evaluate rates of progress and standards of achievement by pupils, including any underachieving groups
• To set priorities for improvement and monitor and evaluate the impact of improvement

plans which relate to the committee’s area of operation.

• To develop and review policies identified within the school’s policy review programme and in accordance with its delegated powers (e.g. RSHE policy and pupil behaviour policy).
• To monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of leadership and management
• To monitor and evaluate the impact of quality of teaching on rates of pupil progress and standards of achievement
• To monitor and evaluate the impact of continuing professional development on improving staff performance
• To monitor and evaluate provision for all groups of vulnerable children (e.g. looked after children) and ensure all their needs have been identified and addressed, and to evaluate their progress and achievement.
• To ensure that the requirements of children with special needs are met, as laid out in the Code of Practice, and receive termly reports from the headteacher/SENDCO and an annual report from the SEND governor.
• To regularly review and develop the Assessment Policy and to ensure that the policy is operating effectively.
• To consider recommendations from external reviews of the school (e.g. Ofsted or local school improvement advisers), agree actions as a result of reviews and evaluate regularly the implementation of the plan.
• To ensure that all children have equal opportunities.
• To advise the resources committee on the relative funding priorities necessary to deliver the curriculum.
• To identify and celebrate pupil achievements
• To oversee arrangements for educational visits, including the appointment of a named co-ordinator.