The Work of the Governing Body

The Department for Education (DfE) is responsible for the provision of statutory procedures and regulations that govern the work of Governing Bodies.

• See the DfE's list of statutory guidance publications for schools and local authorities.
• Read the DfE's advice on statutory policies for schools.

In addition to those publications there are many resources and support tools available for governors, both nationally and locally in Waltham Forest, to support governing bodies to be effective in their work.

This high level of support is necessary given the level of responsibility that governors and governing bodies have in shaping the strategic direction of the school whilst holding school leaders to account for the school's performance.

WF Traded Services has provided a wide array of guidance and resources for governing bodies to support them in ensuring robust effectiveness and accountability.

Download below a number of documents and other resources to help governing bodies. 

• Application to be a School Governor form
• LA Governors - Recruitment, nomination and appointment process for LBWF - July 2014
• LBWF Recommended Academy Policies Review Cycle
• LBWF Recommended Maintained Schools Policies Review Cycle

Governing Bodies have a statutory responsibility to review, implement and monitor some of the school's policies linked to education.

In addition to those education-focused statutory policies, there are other school policies, documents and procedures that are deemed statutory by other legislation or indeed referenced in other statutory documentation.

Where Governing Bodies subscribe to Governor Services support, statutory and good practice policy reviews are built into the Governing Body's annual cycle.

Policies Required in relation to Governors

In terms of the policies required specifically in relation to 'governors', schools must have a policy/written documentation on:

• A Sealed Instrument of Governance;
• Governors' allowances (schemes for paying);
• Minutes of, and papers considered at, meetings of the governing body and its committees; and
• Register of business interests of headteachers and governors.

In addition to statutory documentation, it is considered good practice for governing bodies to:

• review its own performance regularly;
• publish an annual statement to explain how it has fulfilled its responsibilities, particularly referencing the core functions of the governing body;
• publish on their website information about their members and their register of interests; and
• publish on their website information about their members. The information they should publish should, as a minimum include for each governor: their name, category of governor, which body appoints them, their term of office, the names of any committees the governor serves on and details of any positions of responsibility such as Chair or Vice-Chair.