Instrument of Government
Governing Body Sub Committee Roles and Responsibilities
Finance Committee
- In consultation with the Headteacher, to draft the first formal budget plan of the financial year
- To establish and maintain an up to date 3 year financial plan
- 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 ensure that the school operates within the Financial Regulations of the Local Authority
- To monitor expenditure of all voluntary funds kept on behalf of the Governing Body
- To annually review charges and remissions policies and expenses policies
- To make decisions in respect of service agreements
- To make decisions on expenditure following recommendations from other committees
- 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 Performance Management Group’s recommendations, to determine whether sufficient funds are available for increments
Premises Committee
- To advise the Governing Body on priorities, including Health and Safety, for the maintenance and development of the school’s premises
- To oversee arrangements for repairs and maintenance
- To make recommendations to the Finance Committee on premises-related expenditure
- In consultation with the Headteacher/Diocese (VA schools only) and the Finance Committee, to oversee premises-related funding bids
- To oversee arrangements, including Health and Safety, for the use of school premises by outside users, subject to governing body policy
- To establish and keep under review a Building Development Plan
- To establish and keep under review an Accessibility plan
Head Teacher's Performance Management
- To arrange to meet with the External Adviser to discuss the Headteacher’s performance targets
- To decide, with the support of the External Adviser, whether the targets have been met and to set new targets annually
- To monitor through the year the performance of the Headteacher against the targets
- To make recommendations to the Finance Committee in respect of awards for the successful meeting of targets set
Curriculum Committee
- To consider and advise the governing body on standards and other matters relating to the school’s curriculum, including statutory requirements and the School’s Curriculum Policy
- To consider curricular issues which have implications for Finance and Personnel decisions and to make recommendations to the relevant committees or the Governing Body
- To make arrangements for the Governing Body to be represented at School Improvement discussions with the LA and for reports to be received by the Governing Body
- To oversee arrangements for individual governors to take a leading role in specific areas of provision, eg SEN, Literacy, Numeracy. To receive regular reports from them and advise the Governing Body
- To oversee arrangements for educational visits, including the appointment of a named co-ordinator
Personnel Committee
- To draft and keep under review the staffing structure in consultation with the Headteacher and the Finance Committee
- To establish a Salary Policy for all categories of staff and to be responsible for its administration and review
- To oversee the appointment procedure for all staff
- 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 Finance Committee
- To consider any appeal against a decision on pay grading or pay awards
Admissions Committee
- To determine within statutory provisions/Diocesan guidance and the governing body policy whether a child should be admitted to the school
- To determine within governing body policy whether a child should be admitted to the nursery provision
- To review admissions arrangements and to make recommendations for changes to the governing body in time for the policy to be determined each year
Complaints Panel
- To consider and deal with any complaint having regard to the School/LA Complaints Policy and conforming to the principles of natural justice
- To hear representations from all involved parties and to make an informed decision
- To report their decision which is binding on all parties
Distinctiveness
- To consider and advise the governing body on matters relating to the Christian character of the school
- To support and monitor links between school, parish and Diocese
- To consider curricular issues; how well the Christian character contributes to academic achievement and personal development of all learners
- To consider the effectiveness of the curriculum in RE and especially the teaching of Christianity also the effectiveness of leadership and management of RE
- To consider how well Collective Worship enables participants to develop an understanding of Jesus Christ and of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit
- To consider how well Collective Worship reflects the distinctive values of the school as a Christian community
- To make arrangements for the Governing Body to be represented at School acts of Collective Worship where possible
- To receive regular reports on RE and Collective Worship
- To oversee arrangements for educational visits, including visits to places of worship
- How well does the school, through its distinctive character, meet the needs of all learners?
- What is the impact of collective worship on the school community?
- How effective is Religious Education?
- How effective are the leadership and management of the school as a Church school?
Staff Dismissal Committee
To consider and to make any initial decisions.
- a) about matters relating to the dismissal of staff should the Headteacher be tainted;
- b) staff grievances, in accordance with LA/Diocesan procedures; and
- c) redundancy
Staff Dismissal Appeals
- To consider any appeal against a decision to dismiss a member of staff made by the Hearings Committee
- To consider any appeal against a decision short of dismissal under the Governing Body’s personnel procedures e.g. disciplinary, grievance, capability
- To consider any appeal against selection for redundancy*
Pupil Discipline
- To consider representations from parents in the case of exclusions of 5 days or less (Committee may not re-instate)
- To consider representations from parents in the case of exclusions totalling more than 5 but not more than 15 school days in one term (meeting to be held between 6th and 50th school days after receiving notice of the exclusion)
- 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 (meeting to be held between 6th and 15th school days after receiving notice of the exclusion)
- To ensure that the guidance contained in the ’Improving Attendance and Behaviour’ document is practised in the school, with specific reference to the role assigned to the Governing Body
- To review the School Behaviour and Discipline Policy, and make recommendations on changes to the Governing Body or relevant committee