School Governing Body
Terms of Reference 2016-2017
Reviewed: Autumn 2016
1
General Guidance – Terms of reference
Most governing bodies carry out much of their business through committees. The governing
body decides the constitution, membership and terms of reference of all committees, and
must review these annually. Common committees include premises, staffing, finance (often
combined in one resources committee as per our template below) and curriculum (sometimes
called progress and attainment or standards committee).
It is a good idea for new governors to attend a meeting of each committee so that they can
get a good overall picture of how the governing body works.
Each committee must have a chair and a clerk – the governing body will decide whether to
appoint the chair or whether the committee should do this. The headteacher cannot be the
clerk to a committee but a governor can. However, NGA strongly recommends that it is better
practice to have an independent, professional clerk.
The membership of a committee may include associate members, provided that a majority of
members of the committee are governors. Even if they are not a member, the headteacher is
entitled to attend all committee meetings.
Quorum
For committee meetings, the quorum is a minimum of three governors who are members of
the committee. The governing body can however specify its own higher limit. If a governing
body does specify a higher limit, it is important to not set this too high - this may result in an
increased likelihood of meetings not being able to take place where quorum is not met.
Meetings
Governing bodies are free to determine how often their committees meet – this may be left to
the discretion of the individual committees and may depend on the circumstances of the
school at any given time. Committee meetings will not be open to the public but minutes shall
be made available – attendees can be invited to attend a committee meeting where
appropriate.
Information relating to a named person or any other matter that the committee considers
confidential does not have to be made available for inspection. 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 (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 will be presented at that meeting by the chair (or in
his/her absence another member of the committee). Any decisions taken must be determined
by a majority of votes of committee members present and voting – but no vote can be taken
unless a majority of those present are governors.
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Full Governing Body
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To determine the vision and strategic direction for the school
To monitor and evaluate the performance of the school by receiving reports and
information from the head teacher
To agree constitutional matters, including procedures (Standing Orders) where the
governing body has discretion
To consider whether or not to exercise delegation of functions to individuals or
committees
To agree committees terms of reference and membership
To receive reports and ratify recommendations from committees working parties or
individual governors
To consider business provided by the LA and other sources
To investigate financial irregularities (head suspected)
To agree selection panel for head teacher and deputy head appointments and ratify
the appointment
To suspend or end suspension of head teacher
To draw up the instrument of government and amendments thereafter
To elect or remove the chair and vice chair
To appoint/dismiss the clerk
To hold at least 3 governing body meetings a year
To set up a register of governors’ business interests
To recruit/appoint new governors
To appoint the chair of any committee (if not delegated to the committee itself)
To suspend or remove (where eligible) a governor
To manage the budget and consider proposed revisions
To approve the school development plan / school improvement plan
To receive updates and evaluate progress of School Development Plan
To decide whether to delegate power to spend the delegated budget to the head
teacher and if so establish financial limits of delegated authority
To approve the first formal budget plan of the financial year
To ensure all statutory policies are in place and there is an effective policy review
cycle
To review and agree the Governor Code of Conduct
Make arrangements to undertake the governor self-review
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Resources Committee (including staffing, finance and premises)
Finance
 To review, adopt and monitor all financial policies, including charging and remissions
policy.
 To consider at least three budget monitoring reports each year monitoring the income
and expenditure against the annual budget plan.
 To draft and propose the first formal budget plan of the financial year to the governing
body for approval
 To establish and maintain a three year financial plan, taking into account priorities of
the School Improvement Plan, roll projection and signals from central government and
the LA regarding future years’ budgets.
 Make decisions in respect of service level agreements.
 To annually review staff salaries.
 Review benchmarking information.
 To report back to each meeting of the full governing body and alert them of potential
problems or significant anomalies at an early date.
 Determine lettings and charging policies for users of the school grounds and premises.
 Subject to the delegation scheme, approve spending.
 Review and complete the SFVS (Schools Financial Value Standard), undertake any
remedial action identified as part of SFVS
 Receive and act upon any issues identified by the local authority audit report
 Consider future number of pupils on roll.
 Consider the use and impact of the Sports Premium, Pupil Premium, EY Premium and
Year 7 Catch Up Premium.
Staffing
 Review staffing structures.
 Ensure that the school is staffed sufficiently for the fulfilment of the School
Improvement Plan and the effective operation of the school.
 Establish and oversee the operation of the school’s Appraisal Policy – including the
arrangements and operation of the schools appraisal procedures for the Head
Teacher
 Establish and review the school’s Pay Policy for all categories of staff.
 Annually review procedures for dealing with staff discipline and grievance.
 To monitor approved procedures for staff discipline and grievance and ensure that
staff are kept informed of these.
 In consultation with staff, to oversee any process leading to staff reduction.
 Review the Single Central Record
 To consider pay discretions
Premises
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To establish, review and monitor the Health and Safety Policy
To provide support and guidance for the governing body and the Headteacher on all
matters relating to the maintenance and development of the premises and grounds,
including Health and Safety.
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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 body of the report
and set out a proposed order of priorities for maintenance and development, for the
approval of the governing body.
To arrange professional surveys and emergency work as necessary.
- The headteacher 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
headteacher would normally be expected to consult the committee chair at the
earliest opportunity.
To create a project committee / working party where necessary to oversee any major
developments.
To establish and keep under review an Accessibility Plan and a Building Development
Plan
To ensure that actions are taken in respect of relevant health and safety legislation
To make recommendations to the Finance and Staffing Committee on premises
related expenditure
To receive health and safety reports
To approve high risk educational visits
Conduct agreed arrangements for recruitment and selection
Receive reports and monitor levels of staff absence
Consider requests made in line with staffing policies (secondment, flexible working,
leave of absence, compressed hours)
Approve Staff Code of Conduct
Review and approve annually the Appraisal Policy ensuring that all staff have been
consulted
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Curriculum and Standards Committee
Curriculum Planning and Delivery
 To review, monitor and evaluate the curriculum offer
 To recommend for approval to the full governing body:
 Self-evaluation form
 School Improvement Plan
 Targets foe school improvement
 To review policies identified within the school’s policy review cycle and in accordance
with delegated powers.
 To ensure that the requirements of children with special educational needs are met, as
laid out in the Code of Practice, and receive termly reports from the head teacher /
SENCO
Assessment and Improvement
 Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of leadership and management
 Monitor ad evaluate the impact of quality of teaching on rates of pupil progress and
standards of achievement
 To monitor and evaluate rates of progress and standards of achievement by pupils,
including any underachieving groups
 To monitor and evaluate the impact of continuing professional development on
improving staff performance
 To set priorities for improvement, and monitor and evaluate the impact of improvement
plans which relate to the committee’s area of operation.
 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 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.
 Review pupil attendance and exclusion information
 Review impact of Sports Premium, Pupil Premium, Early Years Premium and Year 7
Catch Up Premium
Engagement
 To monitor the school’s publicity, public presentation and relationships with the wider
community.
 To identify and celebrate pupil achievements
 To oversee arrangements for educational visits, including the appointment of a named
co-ordinator.
 To ensure all statutory requirements for reporting and publishing information are met
and the school website content is fully compliant and presented in an accessible way.
 Ensure the school website is reviewed and monitored and holds all of the necessary
statutory information.
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Pupil Discipline Committee
 Consider representations from parents in the case of fixed term exclusions, in line with
statutory guidance.
 To consider the appropriateness of any permanent exclusion or any exclusion where
one or more fixed period exclusions total more than 15 school days in one term or
where a pupil is denied the chance to take a public examination in line with statutory
guidance.
 To attend training as required in line with guidance.
Appeals & Complaints Committee
 To consider appeals against the decision of the Headteacher or committees
(No fewer members than the original committee who made the decision being
appealed against)
 To consider any complaints against the school in accordance with the agreed
Complaints Procedure
 To approve a Complaints Policy / Procedure
 To attend training as appropriate
Head Teacher Performance Management
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To discuss and agree the annual head teacher’s performance management targets
To decide whether the targets have been met
To monitor through the year the performance of the head teacher against the targets
To make recommendations to the Finance & Staffing Committee in respect of pay
awards for the successful meeting of targets in line with the Pay Policy
To attend training were appropriate
Admissions Committee (VA/VC Schools only)
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To determine within statutory provisions and the Admissions Criteria whether any
child should be admitted to the school
To review admissions arrangements and to make recommendations for changes to
the governing body
To review Admissions Policy
To attend training were appropriate
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DELEGATION PLANNER
Governing bodies are accountable in law for all major decisions about the school and its future. However,
this does not mean that they are required to carry out all the work themselves. Many of the tasks can and
should be delegated to individuals and committees. It is vital that the decision to delegate a
task/responsibility to an individual is made by the full governing body and recorded – without such a
formula, the individual/committee has no power to act.
The table below sets out the major areas of responsibility for governing bodies and who they can
delegate each task to; it also records where the NGA does not think that, even if a
task/responsibility can be delegated, this would be good practice.
There is also space for notes relevant to your governing body – for example, you should specify which
committee or individual a particular task will be delegated to.
The governing body is responsible for the strategic direction of the school
Committees can be given delegated authority to make decisions, monitor, evaluate and review
particular plans, policies and targets. The head and staff play the major role in formulating plans, policies
and targets to bring to committees or to the governing body for discussion prior to adoption by the full
governing body.
The head is responsible for internal organisation, management and control of the school and is
accountable to the governing body.
Although decisions may be delegated, the governing body as a whole remains responsible for any
decision made under delegation.
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Level
C
o
m
m
Function
FGB
Area
Budgets
Staffing
G
o
v
H
T
In our school, this
responsibility is
delegated to:
To approve the first formal budget plan each
financial year (whether this can be delegated to a
committee of the governing body depends on
your local authority’s scheme of financial
delegation)
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To agree annual action plans and monitor how
school premiums are spent (i.e. PE and sports
premium, Year 7 numeracy and maths catch up
premium, service premium and the pupil
premium)

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X
X
Curriculum and
Standards Committee
To monitor monthly expenditure
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X
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To establish a charging and remissions policy
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X
X
To enter into contracts (GB should agree financial
limits)

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x

Resources
Committee
Resources
Committee
FGB / Resources
committee
Appoint selection panel for Headteacher
Appoint selection panel for deputy head
Full Governing Body
Full Governing Body
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Full Governing Body
Appoint selection panel for other members of the
senior leadership team

Ratify or reject decisions of appointed selection
panels
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Appoint other teachers
x
x
x

Head Teacher
Appoint non-teaching staff
x
x
x

Head Teacher
To put in place a pay policy


x
To make pay decisions in line with the pay policy
and legal requirements1
x

x
Dismissal of headteacher
x

x
Initial dismissal of other staff
x
x
x
Suspending head
x
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Suspending staff (except head)
Ending suspension(head)
Ending suspension (except head)
Setting the overall staffing structure
x
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x
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x
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
x
x
x
x
Resources
Committee
Full Governing Body



Resources
Committee
Resources
Committee
Head Teacher
Resources
Committee / Chair
Head Teacher
As necessary
As necessary
Resources
Committee
9
Area
Staffing
Curriculum
Function
F
G
B
G
o
v
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C
o
m
m
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In voluntary and foundation schools to agree
whether or not the Chief Education
Officer/diocesan authority should have
advisory rights
H
T
x
Resources committee
Determining dismissal payments/ early
retirement

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x
Resources committee
To produce and maintain a central record of
recruitment and vetting checks
x
x
x
Establish and review procedures for
addressing staff discipline, conduct and
grievance

Ensure National Curriculum (NC) taught to all
pupils

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x

Standards and Curriculum
committee
x
x
x

Head Teacher
To decide which subject options should be
taught having regard to resources, and
implement provision for flexibility in the
curriculum (including activities outside school
day)


x
x
Curriculum and Standards
Committee
Establish and review a sex and relationships
education policy (including in primary schools
where the GB must decide whether to teach
sex education) and ensure that parents are
informed of their right to withdraw their
children
x
x
x

Head Teacher
Provide clear advice, informed by statutory
guidance, on which a strategy for careers
advice and guidance can be based


Responsibility for ensuring that provision of
religious education (RE) meets statutory
requirements and/or the requirements of any
trust deed
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
In our school, this
responsibility is
delegated to:
Head Teacher
Full Governing Body
To consider any disapplication for pupil(s)
Curriculum and Standards
Committee
x

Head Teacher
10
Area
Function
F
G
B
C
o
m
m
G
o
v
To ensure that all pupils take part in a daily act
of collective worship in line with statutory
requirements
Extracurricular
provision
H
T
In our school, this
responsibility is
delegated to:

Head Teacher


x
x
Curriculum and Standards
Committee
x
x
x

Head Teacher


x
x
Curriculum and Standards
Committee
To adopt and review teacher appraisal policy


x
x
Full Governing Body
To appoint the panel to carry out the appraisal
of the head teacher


x
To decide whether to offer additional
activities and what form these should take
place
To put into place the additional services
provided
To decide whether to stop providing
additional activities
Performance
management

To carry out appraisal of other teachers (or
delegate to line managers in the school)
To review all permanent exclusions and fixed
term exclusions where the pupil is either
excluded for more than 15 days in total in a
term or would lose the opportunity to sit a
public examination
Full Governing Body
Head Teacher


Pupil Discipline
Committee


Curriculum and
Standards Committee
(can be delegated to Chair / Vice Chair in cases
of urgency)
Discipline /
Exclusions
To produce a set of written principles for the
school behaviour policy and present these to
the headteacher, parents, staff and students
for consultation

To draft the content of the school behaviour
policy and publicise it to staff, students and
parents.
Admissions
Head Teacher
To annually determine admission
arrangements (VA and foundation schools)


Admissions Committee
To carry out consultation where changes to
admission arrangements are proposed, or the
governing body has not consulted on their
arrangements in the last seven years (VA and
foundation schools)


Full Governing Body
11
Area
Function
F
G
B
Admissions: application decisions (Governing
bodies of VA and foundation schools must
establish a dedicated admissions committee to
allocate places, where they choose to delegate
authority to committee level)
x
C
o
m
m

G
o
v
H
T
To appeal against LA directions to admit
pupil(s) (voluntary, foundation and special
schools; also community and VC schools
where LA is the admissions authority)
x

Premises and
Insurance
Buildings insurance and personal liability– GB
to seek advice from LA, diocese or trustees
where appropriate

x
Health and
Safety
To ensure a health and safety policy and
procedures are in place


x
x
x

School
Organisation
To ensure that health and safety regulations
are followed
To publish proposals to change category of
school


x
x

x
x
x
Propose to alter voluntary foundation or
foundation special school

x
x
x
Propose to discontinue voluntary foundation
or foundation special school


x
x
To ensure that school lunch nutritional
standards3 are met
x
x
x

To establish a data protection policy and
review it at least every two years and register
with the Information Commissioner’s Office
x

x

Maintain a register of pupil attendance
x
x
x

In our school, this
responsibility is
delegated to:
x
To decide whether to convert to academy
status2
To set the times of school sessions and the
dates of school terms and holidays (except in
community, special and VC schools where this
is the LA’s role)
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Area
Information
for Parents
Function
F
G
B
G
o
v
H
T
x
C
o
m
m
x
To ensure provision of free meals to those
pupils meeting the criteria, including Universal
Infant Free School Meals (if applicable)
x

To determine whether to publish a homeschool agreement (no longer a statutory
requirement)


x

Overall responsibility for ensuring that
statutory requirements for information
published on the school website, including
details of governance arrangements, are met


To establish, publish and review a complaints
procedure


x
x
To establish and publish a Freedom of
Information scheme and ensure the school
complies with it
Ensure focus on three core strategic functions:


x


x
x

x
In our school, this
responsibility is
delegated to:
x
1. Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and
strategic direction
2. Holding the headteacher to account for the
educational performance of the school and its
pupils, and the performance management of
staff
3. Overseeing the financial performance of the
school and making sure its money is well spent
GB roles,
procedures
and
development
To draw up an instrument of government and
any amendments thereafter

To appoint (and remove) the chair and vicechair of a permanent or a temporary
governing body

To appoint and dismiss the clerk to governors

To appoint and remove co-opted governors

To appoint local authority governors

To set up and publish a register of governors’
business and pecuniary interests

13
Area
Function
F
G
B
GB roles,
procedures
and
development
To set and publish the structure and remit of
the governing body and any committees
including governor appointment details, term
of office and attendance record

To approve and set up a governors expenses
scheme

To consider whether or not to exercise
delegation of functions to individuals or
committees

To regulate the GB procedures (where not set
out in law)

To agree governor induction and training
programme

To review progress against strategic plan and
evaluate governing body performance

To consider forming or joining a group of
schools
To consider approach and time scale to
academy conversion

Review of structure including any subsequent
conversion to MAT status

To consider forming or joining an existing
Multi-academy-trust (MAT)

Federations
To consider forming a federation or joining an
existing federation

Inclusion and
equality
To establish and review a special educational
needs (SEN) policy

To publish and update at least annually a SEN
information report (meeting requirements set
out in the Special Educational Needs and
Disability Regulations 2014)
To designate a qualified teacher to be
responsible for co-ordinating SEN provision
(the SEN co-ordinator or SENCO)
Formal
collaboration
Academies
C
o
m
m
G
o
v
H
T

x
x


x

x
x
x

In our school, this
responsibility is
delegated to:

14
Inclusion and
equality
Safeguarding
To appoint a designated teacher for lookedafter children
x
x
x

To establish an accessibility plan and review it
every three years


x

To have due regard to the need to prevent
people from being drawn into terrorism and to
oversee the incorporation of the necessary
procedures and practices outlined in the
Prevent duty into the child protection policy

To adopt and review annually a child
protection policy and relevant procedures

Notes
1. In some schools, particularly larger ones, it may be appropriate to delegate deciding pay discretions to the
headteacher. However, in this case it is a good idea for the governing body to quality assure the decisions
made, for example by spot checking a selection.
2. Regulation 18 of the School Governance (Roles, Procedures and Allowances) (England) Regulations 2013
permits the governing body to delegate any of its functions, subject to the restrictions listed in Regulation 19.
Academy conversion is not included on this list and the Academies Act 2010 explicitly restricts the functions of
the discontinuance of schools provisions in the Education and Inspections Act 2006. Therefore legally the
Regulations permit delegation of the decision to convert to an academy. However, it would be bad practice for
any decision affecting the future of the school to be decided by anything other than the full governing body.
Furthermore, it is unlikely that the Department for Education would accept an application to convert which
had not been signed off by the full governing body.
3. Set out in the School Food Regulations which came into force on 1 January 2015.
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