What's it like to be a Governor?
Governing Bodies DO:
Set the overall budget for the school
Decide on the level of pay for its school’s teachers
Decide on the number of staff
Help to decide the priorities for improving the school when the school improvement plan is being drawn up
Ensure the National Curriculum is taught to all pupils
Set targets for pupil achievement
Publish national tests and exam results
Compare the performance of their school to similar schools
Receive information about the quality of teaching in the school
Have a published strategy for dealing with parental complaints and concerns
Ensure health and safety issues are addressed
Set the times of school sessions
Need to consult the head when making decisions
Governing bodies DON’T
Inspect the school
After visiting the school report back on the quality of teaching
Authorise all expenditure
Share concerns about staff capability
Decide on how pupils are taught different subjects
Have the right to exclude a pupil
Write the school’s policies on their own
‘Rubber stamp’ recommendations from the headteacher
Automatically approve all apologies sent by governors
Need to be aware of the performance objectives which have been set for individual teachers
Write the Ofsted Action Plan on their own