Governing Body Terms of Reference
The Governing Body takes a strategic role for the school, acts as a critical friend to the school and is accountable for its decisions. It should set aims and objectives and review, agree and monitor policies, targets and priorities.
The Governing Body will consist of a Chair (owners’ representative), Vice Chair (owners representative), a minimum of one and up to three Independent Governors with appropriate industry experience and a Parent Governor. The Head Teacher is an invited guest to attend Governing Body meeting.
The Governing Body will:
o Hold at least 3 meetings per year
o Appoint or remove the clerk
o Advise all parents of any parent governor vacancies
o Annually adopt the School Inspection Framework
o Set dates of meetings for the year ahead
o Note term dates for the academic year
o Receive Head teacher reports
o Review and monitor examination/national test results
o Review the level of exclusions
o Monitor attendance of pupils/staff/governors
o Monitor accidents/incidents involving pupils/staff/governors/visitors
o Agree Curriculum plans
o Set pupil performance targets ( provided by the Head Teacher) o If required, consider the suspension of a governor
o Provide induction for new governors
o Encourage governors to visit school and to review, adopt and monitor a governors’ visit policy and feedback procedure
o Review, adopt and monitor the procedures for dealing with complaints from parents/carers
o Review, approve and monitor the School Improvement Plan
o Annually review and approve the School Health and Safety Policy
o Monitor the implementation of the school’s health and safety arrangements
o Annually elect Governors for the following responsibilities:
a) Curriculum, Special Educational Needs and Child Protection,
b) Premises and Health and Safety
c) Personnel
o Ensure at least 2 governors are appointed to complete the Head Teacher’s Performance Management Appraisal. The Chair of Governors will be the Review Officer.
o Review annually the delegation of functions and committee structure o To receive an annual report on Safeguarding
o Act as a critical friend to the school on all financial matters
o Review and amend the Governing Body and Terms of Reference as appropriate
Head Teacher
The Head Teacher shall attend meetings as invited by the Chair and shall provide guidance, assistance and opinions on key matters to the Governors, but may not vote.
Quorum
Three Governors who are appointed members of the Governing Body.
Meetings In the absence of the Chair, the Governing Body shall choose an acting Chair for that meeting from among their number. This will normally be the Vice Chair. In the event of a tied vote the Chair or acting Chair shall have a second or casting vote. Meetings shall be clerked by the Clerk to Governors. In the absence of the Clerk the Governing Body shall choose a Clerk for that meeting from among their number. The draft minutes of each meeting will be circulated with the agenda for the next meeting and will be presented at that meeting by the Chair or acting Chair.
General Terms
To liaise and consult with other committees where necessary. To contribute to the School Improvement Plan. Although primary responsibilities for policies concerning Health and Safety, Inclusion, and Child Protection, are delegated to specific committees, the Governing Body should consider relevant aspects of these.
Specific Terms of Reference
CURRICULUM AND INCLUSION COMMITTEE
To review, adopt and monitor an overall curriculum policy. In collaboration with staff, to provide information about how the curriculum is taught, evaluated and resourced. To review, adopt and monitor policies for Collective Workshops and Sex Education. To ensure that the requirements of children with special needs are met, as laid out in the Code of Practice. To monitor and review the information about school performance and report according to statutory requirements. To review, adopt and monitor policies including pupil behaviour and discipline, child protection, and SEN and to monitor their implementation. To advise the owners on the relative funding priorities necessary to deliver the curriculum. To oversee the arrangements for educational visits including the appointment of a named Co-ordinator.
PREMISES COMMITTEE
To provide support and guidance for the Governing Body and the Head Teacher on all matters relating to the maintenance and development of the premises and grounds, including Health and Safety.
To inspect the premises and grounds three times a year (terms 1/2, 3/4 and 5/6) (This can be devolved to the Head Teacher and Operations Manager of the school, with support from the group), produce a report of the findings and to review the Asset Management Plan in order to prepare a list of priorities for maintenance and development.
To ensure that a Fire Risk Assessment for the premises is completed and reviewed annually with the resulting report being received by the committee.
To review the PIC (person in control) handbook and monitor regularly
To advise owners on the relative funding priorities necessary for security, maintenance, repairs and redecoration, etc
The Head Teacher is authorised to commit expenditure without the prior approval of the committee in any emergency where delay would result in further damage, or present a risk to the health and safety of pupils or staff. In this event the Head Teacher would normally be expected to consult the committee Chair at the earliest opportunity.
To oversee the preparation and implementation of contracts. To establish and keep under review an Accessibility Plan.
To ensure any necessary liaison with the LA regarding premises issues.
PERSONNEL COMMITTEE
In consultation with the Head Teacher, to determine the staffing structure of the school.
To oversee the appointment procedure for all staff.
To consider recommendations on staff salaries made by the Head Teacher and to make appropriate recommendations to the Finance Committee
To review, adopt and monitor a policy statement on staff consultation and to undertake any formal consultations. In consultation with staff, to oversee any process leading to staff reductions.
To annually review, adopt and monitor the procedures for dealing with staff discipline and grievances and ensure that staff are informed of these.
To act as “first committee” for formal disciplinary or complaints hearings.
To review, adopt and monitor a Performance Management policy.
To review and adopt the Allegation of Abuse against School staff policy
Current Governing Body Membership and Participants (as at 2019)
Chair: ……………………………………… Raymi Van der Spek
Vice Chair: ……………………………… TBC
Independent Experts: ……………. TBC
Foundation Governor: …………… David Martin
Parent Governors: …………………. Zahra Muddassir
Guy Farnfield
Ambika Tyagi
Deputy Parent Governors: …….. Fadi Bayoud
Matthew Slight
Teaching Staff Governor: ………. Victoria Cooper
Non-Teaching Staff Governor: .. Lena Gaitanou (LSA)
Head Teacher: ………………………. Patrick Affley
Clerk: ……………………………………… Vidhyalakshmi Ramesh
Date reviewed and adopted:……………………………………………………………..
Date of next review:……………………………………………………………………….
Signature of Chair of Governors:…………………………………………………………
