Code of Practice for Governors

The governing body has adopted the following principles and procedures:

General

• We have responsibility for determining, monitoring and keeping under review the broad policies, plans and procedures within which the school operates;
• We recognise that the headteacher is responsible for the implementation of policy, day-to-day management of the school and the implementation of the curriculum;
• We accept that all governors have equal status, and although appointed by different groups (eg parents, staff, LEA) our overriding concern will be the welfare of the school as a whole;
• We have no legal authority to act individually, except when the governing body has given us delegated authority to do so;
• We have a duty to act fairly and without prejudice, and in so far as we have responsibility for the employment of staff, we will fulfil all that is reasonably expected of a good employer;
• We will encourage openness and transparency in the workings of the governing body;
• We will consider carefully how our decisions may affect other schools.

Commitment

• We acknowledge that accepting office as a governor involves the commitment of appropriate amounts of time and energy;
• We will each involve ourselves actively in the work of the governing body, attend regularly, accept our fair share of responsibilities, including service on committees or working groups;
• We will get to know the school well and respond to opportunities to involve ourselves in school activities;
• We will consider seriously our individual and collective needs for training and development.

Relationships

• We will strive to work as a team;
• We will seek to develop effective working relationships with the head, staff, parents and the LEA and other relevant agencies and the community.

Confidentiality

We recognise that, in certain circumstances, notwithstanding our commitment to openness, the proceedings of the governing body and its committees may need to be kept confidential. This may arise in relation to matters affecting individual staff or students, under the Data Protection Act, for reasons of commercial confidentiality, or where matters under discussion are unusually sensitive for other reasons. We shall respect the need for confidentiality where it arises, in any contact with other members of the school community, in private conversation, or in any other circumstances.

Conduct

• We will encourage the open expression of views at meetings, but accept collective responsibility for all decisions made by the governing body or its delegated agents;
• We will only speak or act on behalf of the governing body when we have been specifically authorised to do so;
• In making or responding to criticism or complaints affecting the school we will follow the complaints policy established by the governing body;
• Our visits to the school will be undertaken within the framework established by the governing body and agreed with the headteacher;
• In discharging our duties we will always be mindful of our responsibility to maintain and develop the ethos and reputation of our school.