The role of the Governing Body is to ensure high standards of achievement for all children and young people in the school. It does this by:

• Setting the school’s vision, ethos and strategic direction
• Setting clear and ambitious strategic priorities and targets
• Holding the Headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school
• Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.

The role of a Governor is largely a thinking and questioning role and not a doing role. It is strategic not operational. The Governing Body operates under its own Terms of Reference and has created three separate committees to support its aims, each with its own aims and objectives:

• the Finance & General Purposes Committee
• the Education Committee, and
• the Admissions Committee.

Full Governing Body Terms of Reference

• To agree constitutional matters, including procedures where the Governing Body has discretion
• To recruit new members as vacancies arise and to appoint new governors where appropriate
• To hold at least three Governing Body meetings a year
• To appoint or remove the Chair & Vice Chair
• To appoint or remove a Clerk to the Governing Body
• To establish the committees of the Governing Body and their terms of reference
• To appoint the Chair of any committee (if not delegated to the committee itself)
• To appoint or remove a Clerk to each committee
• To suspend a governor
• To decide which functions of the Governing Body will be delegated to committees, groups and individuals
• To receive reports from any individual or committee to whom a decision has been delegated and to consider whether any further action by the Governing Body is necessary
• To approve the first formal budget plan of the financial year
• To review the delegation arrangements annually
• To approve the academy Risk Management Strategy and to ensure that all severe risks are being addressed.
• To receive a termly child protection report.
• To receive and approve the annual financial accounts and statements

Finance & General Purposes Committee Terms of reference

• In consultation with the Headteacher and School Business Manager, to draft the first formal budget plan of the financial year
• To establish and maintain an up to date 3 year financial plan and share with the Governing Body
• To consider a budget position statement including virement decisions at least termly and to report significant anomalies from the anticipated position to the Governing Body
• To monitor auditing arrangements for school fund and other voluntary funds to ensure funds are properly audited
• To annually review Charges and Remissions policies, Financial Regulations, Scheme of Delegations and Expenses policies
• To make decisions in respect of Service Level Agreements
• To ensure that educational outcomes, cost effectiveness criteria and financial implications inform decision making
• Consider reports on the school budget and ensure compliance with DfE Financial requirements
• To ensure, as far as is practical, that Health and Safety issues are appropriately prioritised
• To determine whether sufficient funds are available for pay increments as recommended by the Headteacher
• In the light of the Headteacher’s Performance Management Group’s recommendations, to determine whether sufficient funds are available for increments
• To evaluate spending decisions and budgetary performance
• To consider salary structure within the school and recommendations of the Pay Committee
• To consider and make recommendations to the Governing Body on the annual accounts which have been independently audited for submission to Companies House

Support the Headteacher and School Business Manager to:

• Consider where it is appropriate to use contract services or in-house services
• Undertake the setting up of contracts for services as determined by the Governing Body
• Oversee the production of any capital bid, the allocation and claim of any formula allocation grant, the planned maintenance programme for both the premises and the site, and the progress and standard of work being undertaken by building contractors advised by the Premises Manager through the School Business Manager
• Oversee the production and maintenance of the Premises and Site Maintenance Plan and funding applications for buildings and site to meet any curriculum, capacity, and health and safety requirements
• Consider and monitor any project to improve existing or to provide new facilities
• To keep the Health and Safety Policy and its practice under review and to make revisions where appropriate
• To draft and keep under review the staffing structure in consultation with the Headteacher
• To establish a Pay Policy for all categories of staff and to be responsible for its administration and review
• To oversee the appointment procedure for all staff complying with statutory obligations
• To establish and review a Performance Management Policy for all staff
• To oversee the process leading to staff reductions
• To keep under review staff work/life balance, working conditions and well-being, including the monitoring of absence
• To make recommendations on personnel related expenditure to the Governing Body
• Risk Management – identify major risks as appropriate and report on severe risks to the Governing Body

Education Committee Terms of Reference

• To monitor and evaluate the Academy’s curriculum provision including its spiritual, moral social and cultural provision in any one year so as to ensure it is fit for purpose i.e. prepares students for the next stage of their development
• To discuss any aspect of school life which relates to learning and teaching including the management of teaching and learning at middle leadership level
• To evaluate on an annual basis the school’s public exam performance
• To discuss the Academy’s response to proposed curriculum developments from the Secretary of State and make appropriate recommendations to the Governing Body including on curriculum policy
• To provide specific provision for students who have special education needs and/or disability including children who are looked after
• To monitor the progress of disadvantaged pupils in particular.
• To review specific provision for students deemed Gifted or Talented
• To keep under regular review the Academy’s Improvement Plan
• To review bi-annually the Terms of Reference

Admissions Committee Terms of Reference

• To determine, in accordance with the relevant admissions policy/criteria, the allocation of places in the school and thus to which girls an offer of a place will be made. After the initial allocation of places has been made for a place in Year 7 or in any year above year 7, this task, will, however, normally be carried out by the Headteacher in consultation with the Chair of the committee in the case of a vacancy arising.
• To review annually, and to advise the full body of governors on admissions policy / criteria and procedures.
• Any other appropriate issues.

Becoming a Governor

To enquire about becoming a Governor, please contact Mrs Kerry Herbert, P A to the Headteacher, by telephone: 020 8554 1995 (extension 103) or by email: KHerbert@uai.org.uk