WHAT IS EXPECTED OF A GOVERNOR?

Introduction

When someone is appointed or elected as a governor at whatever type of school, they not only assume a number of collective corporate legal responsibilities, but also a range of personal commitments and responsibilities. These will vary somewhat according to the phase, type, size and circumstances of the school, but broadly they can be outlined as follows.

The Role of a Governor

• All Governors, especially the Chair and Vice-Chair, should make sure that they understand their statutory responsibilities and duties, including those related to equality, community cohesion, sustainable development and safeguarding.
• A governor is not an inspector or judge.
• No governor has any individual power or authority (except the chairman under certain circumstances).
• Authority is vested corporately in the governing body as a whole.
• All governors have equal status.
• Governors must subscribe to the principle of open government.
• Governors are not representatives or spokespersons. They are appointed or elected as full governors in their own right and need not feel they MUST vote at the behest of any interest group. Rather they should weigh all factors and make decisions according to what they believe to be the best interests of the school.
• They should however, when appropriate, make the governing body aware of the views and feelings of the people who elected them.
• Governors must always keep parents informed and take account of their views.
• Governors are involved in the strategic direction of the school and should not interfere in its day to day operations which are the responsibility of the head teacher.
• Governors are, however, responsible for determining monitoring and keeping under review the broad plans, policies and procedures of the school.
• They should not meddle in the implementation of the curriculum.
• Governors have no automatic right of entry to the school.

Commitment

• Being a governor does involve giving up significant amounts of time and energy.
• Governors are not ciphers- they must be active and involved, attend regularly and share tasks such as serving on committees and working parties.
• Governors must take every opportunity to get to know ‘their’ school, and try to attend as many activities as possible.
• Governors must take responsibility for their own learning and development as governors, and should attend training whenever possible.
• It is crucial to read all paperwork and prepare properly for meetings.
• Governors need to be broadly aware of the contents of seminal documents, such as the School Improvement Plan, RAISE on –line and the Prospectus.
• All governors must be prepared to undertake regular self evaluation and be involved in whole school Self Evaluation.
• Governors should be loyally supportive to the head teacher, but at the same time be prepared to challenge and act as a critical friend.

Confidentiality

• It is vital that governors observe complete confidentiality when required to do so by the governing body, especially matters related to individual pupils or staff.
• Governors must not divulge information about members of staff or pupils.
• It is important that governors exercise great discretion if a potentially contentious issue concerning the school arises outside the governing body.
• Governors are expected to declare an interest if an item under discussion at any full or committee meeting of governors impinges on their personal, family or financial position.
• Governors must remember that matters raised at governors’ meetings must not be discussed until minutes have been produced and agreed.
• Confidential un-minuted items should never be divulged outside the meeting.

Conduct

• Governors must work as a team at all times and be loyal to collective decisions.
• It follows that governors will not speak out against majority decisions in public or private outside the governing body.
• Governors should not feel they can act on behalf of the governing body unless they have delegated authority to do so.
• When responding to or making criticism or complaints affecting the school, governors must follow agreed procedures as agreed with the school leadership and management.
• School visits should conform to the code of conduct agreed between the Headteacher and the governing body.
• It is the duty of governors always to be mindful of their responsibility to maintain and develop the ethos and reputation of the school.
• It is incumbent on governors to seek to develop effective working relationships with the Headteacher, staff and parents, the LA (except for Academies) and other service providers as well as the local community.