This code sets out the expectations, commitment and behaviour required from our governors to enable the Governing Board to effectively carry out its work within our school and the community. These standards can be upheld by using the Seven Principles of Public Life. The Governing Board adopted this code of practice on: 24th September 2019
The purpose of our Board
The Board is our school’s accountable body. Our Board has 3 core functions:
- Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
- Holding the head teacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils and the performance management of staff
- Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.
As a corporate body in the eyes of the law:
Strategic Leadership – As Governors, we will:
- Not act on our own without proper authority from the full Board. We will only speak or act on behalf of the Board when we have been specifically authorised to do so.
- Encourage the open and constructive expression of views at meetings and will make decisions in a timely manner, supported by the evidence available.
- Take collective ownership of all decisions, acknowledging we carry equal responsibility for those decisions.
- Not speak against majority decisions outside Board meetings.
- Have equal status, regardless of the appointment route
- Ensure our decisions will be made in the best interests and wellbeing of the pupils to ensure that every child receives the best possible education.
- Be constructively curious to actively support and challenge the head teacher
- Develop and maintain effective working relationships with the head teacher, staff, parents, the local authority (LA), the Education Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), other relevant agencies and the local community.
- Act fairly and without prejudice, always following agreed processes and procedures.
- Fulfil all that is reasonably expected of a good employer.
Selflessness – As Governors, we are:
- Committing to significant amounts of time and energy.
- Accepting our fair share of responsibilities, including service on committees, working groups and visiting the school.
Accountability – As Governors, we will:
- Discuss and agree our individual and collective training and development needs regardless of experience.
- Will attend or take part in on-line training termly, regardless of experience, to be an effective governor and to maximise our impact on school improvement.
- Attend all meetings, including formal school visits that have been allocated to us. Where we cannot attend, we will explain in advance and in full, why we are unable to.
Openness – As Governors:
- Where concerns, which are in the public interest, have been brought to the Board’s attention, but have not been effectively addressed, we have a duty to report these concerns to the appropriate body e.g. the LA, ESFA, Ofsted. Concerns would include:
- Financial fraud;
- Health and safety issues;
- Non-compliance with statutory requirements; or
- Someone is covering up wrongdoing.
Integrity – At all times, as Governors we will:
- Work as a team in which constructive working relationships are actively promoted. This means:
- Acknowledging and accepting that every member has different skills, experiences and qualities.
- All views are sought, actively listened to and respected, despite whether or not they are agreed with.
- Asking for clarification and rationale behind views expressed.
- Communicating and listening politely, in a professional and courteous manner, including in all written correspondence / emails.
- Being prepared to identify and challenge inappropriate behaviour in a timely fashion.
- Never saying anything publicly that would damage the school’s, the Board’s, the Head Teacher’s or staff reputation.
- Being an ambassador for the school, publicly supporting its aims, values and ethos.
Honesty – As governors, we will:
- Be open and honest in our business.
- Refrain from using any social media platform e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Whats App, to discuss Board or personal views regarding the school, staff and its community.
- Observe complete confidentiality when matters are deemed confidential or where they concern specific members of staff, parents or pupils, both inside and outside the school.
- Always exercise the greatest prudence when discussions regarding school business arise outside of a Board meeting.
- Not reveal the details of any Governing Board vote.
- Provide personal information, e.g. conflict of interests, as required, to ensure that the Governing Board fully meets its statutory responsibilities and accept that some of this information is required, by statute, to be published on the school website and Get Information About Schools (GIAS).
- Complete all paperwork required by law and the Board, whether to be published on the school website or kept elsewhere, in the stated timeframe.
Objectivity – As governors, we will:
- Record any pecuniary interests that we have in connection with the Board’s business in the Register of Business Interests.
- Declare any personal or pecuniary interest – or personal interest which could be perceived as a conflict of interest – in a matter under discussion at a meeting and leave the meeting for the appropriate length of time.
- Declare any new interests throughout the year to the clerk immediately.
- Ensure that our personal information is correct on the statutory websites and will provide updates as when information is changed.