The Role & Responsibilities of the Governing Body
The Department for Education (DfE) sets out information on the role of governing bodies in its Governance Handbook. The Handbook states that the key role of the governing body is to ‘provide confident, strategic leadership and to create robust accountability, oversight and assurance for educational and financial performance’.
The Handbook also sets out the three core functions of the governing body:
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Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction.
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Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the effective and efficient performance management of staff.
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Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.
In practice, day-to-day management of the school is the responsibility of the Headteacher.
Contacting the Governing Body
Anyone wishing to contact the Governing Body should write to:
Mr T. Gardner, Chair of Governors, Marjory Kinnon School, Hatton Road, Bedfont, Middlesex, TW14 9QZ.
Publication of information about the Governing Body
The DfE requires all schools to publish up-to-date details online about their governing body. This includes details of the structure and remit of the governing body and its committees; information about each governor (including their full name, date of appointment, term of office, date they stepped down if applicable, who appointed them, and any relevant business or pecuniary interests); and their attendance record at governing body and committee meetings.
Details for the academic year 2023-24 are set out below.
2022-23 Governance Statement
The structure and remit of the Governing Body and its committees
The Governing Body is the strategic body for the school. As such it upholds the main elements of good governance:
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Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction.
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Holding the Headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its students, safeguarding and wellbeing.
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Overseeing the financial performance of the school and ensuring its money is well spent.
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Ensuring the school maintains a safe working environment for staff and visitors.
FGB Terms of Reference
The Governing Body has sub-committees: Resources, Health & Safety, Teaching & Learning and Children, Families & Community. Specific Governing Body Panels are convened as required for school complaints, teachers pay, staff grievance and discipline, and pupil discipline. This structure is reviewed annually. Further information about the sub-committees is included below:
Resources Committee Terms of Reference
Remit: Finance, Financial Authority, Human Resources and Strategic Planning.
Health &Safety Committee Terms of Reference
Remit: To provide guidance for the Governing Body and support to the Headteacher on all matters relating to Health & Safety, including premises, grounds and security.
Teaching & Learning Committee Terms of Reference
Remit: The Governing Body has general responsibility for the conduct of the school with a view to promoting high standards of educational achievement. The Govering Body will want to ensure that in all its activities the school is enabling every child or young person to achieve his or her full potential and maximise his or her life chances, choices and opportunities.
Child, Family & Community Committee Terms of Reference
Remit: The Children, Families & Community Committee will monitor and evaluate the extent to which the school engages with the whole school community, retaining a focus on our pupils as children and the family/care arrangements that supports them. The Committee will actively seek the views of learners and parents/carers as well as stakeholders in the wider school community to help inform the Full Governing Body and Headteacher in their decision making.