Guidance of School Governance and Info on Foundation Governors
The Appointment of Foundation Governors
Foundation governors are each required to be practising Catholic and to accept the need to foster and maintain the interests of the Bishop and the Directors of the Diocese in educational matters. They must clearly demonstrate an understanding and acceptance of the distinctive nature of Catholic schools and Catholic education. In a Voluntary Aided school, the foundation governors make up the majority of the Governing Body.
The Clerk to the Governing Body will have received an update on the number of foundation governors who have been re-appointed by the Bishop at this time. Schools are informed of any gaps in the numbers appointed. All foundation governors are appointed for a four year term of office. Where a governor is appointed at a date after the start of a new four-year cycle, their term of office still finishes at the end of that four-year term. At this time, most governors can apply for re-appointment for a new term of office. The current four-year term of office is September 2016 to 31 August 2020.
Where a school serves more than one parish, there should be governors from each parish. If this is not possible, several governors should be nominated to link the school with some of the contributory parishes.
Members of Staff
Members of staff who are employees of the governing body cannot be nominated as foundation governors of the school in which they are employed.
Out of date foundation governors
It is the responsibility of the school to ensure that foundation governors return their forms for renewal or resignation to the Diocese, care of Dominique Gresty either by letter or by email to: pa@wrexhamdiocese.org.uk. It is important to note that foundation governors whose term of office has expired are not eligible to vote at governor meetings and so the return of their completed forms is urgently required.
All forms must be fully completed. Incomplete forms will be returned to the school and will delay appointment.
Completion of appointment
Upon completion of appointment the nominee will receive a letter confirming their appointment. The school and the local authority will receive an updated list of all governors by email.
Number of foundation governors
Details about the number of governors required in each category can be found in the school’s Instrument of Government. The extract, attached overleaf, explains this structure and is taken from ‘The Governors Guide to the Law’. Clerks are advised that Governors Wales allow the appointment of some additional governors for a specific purpose or with a specific skill. The extract explains how in the Voluntary Aided School, as in this Catholic School, the foundation governors make up the majority of the governing body.
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Extract: Governors Guide to the Law: The Constitution of the Governing Body.
Voluntary Aided (VA) Schools
VA secondary school with 600 or more pupils (column a)
VA secondary school with fewer than 600 pupils (column a or b)
VA primary school with 100 or more pupils (column c or d)
VA primary school with fewer than 100 pupils (column c, d, e or f)
A governing body can adopt the model from these options below which best suit its purpose. The exception to this is for secondary schools with 600 or more pupils and primary schools with 100 or more pupils, which have no choice of model
Foundation governors are each required to be practising Catholic and to accept the need to foster and maintain the interests of the Bishop and the Directors of the Diocese in educational matters. They must clearly demonstrate an understanding and acceptance of the distinctive nature of Catholic schools and Catholic education. In a Voluntary Aided school, the foundation governors make up the majority of the Governing Body.
The Clerk to the Governing Body will have received an update on the number of foundation governors who have been re-appointed by the Bishop at this time. Schools are informed of any gaps in the numbers appointed. All foundation governors are appointed for a four year term of office. Where a governor is appointed at a date after the start of a new four-year cycle, their term of office still finishes at the end of that four-year term. At this time, most governors can apply for re-appointment for a new term of office. The current four-year term of office is September 2016 to 31 August 2020.
Where a school serves more than one parish, there should be governors from each parish. If this is not possible, several governors should be nominated to link the school with some of the contributory parishes.
Members of Staff
Members of staff who are employees of the governing body cannot be nominated as foundation governors of the school in which they are employed.
Out of date foundation governors
It is the responsibility of the school to ensure that foundation governors return their forms for renewal or resignation to the Diocese, care of Dominique Gresty either by letter or by email to: pa@wrexhamdiocese.org.uk. It is important to note that foundation governors whose term of office has expired are not eligible to vote at governor meetings and so the return of their completed forms is urgently required.
All forms must be fully completed. Incomplete forms will be returned to the school and will delay appointment.
Completion of appointment
Upon completion of appointment the nominee will receive a letter confirming their appointment. The school and the local authority will receive an updated list of all governors by email.
Number of foundation governors
Details about the number of governors required in each category can be found in the school’s Instrument of Government. The extract, attached overleaf, explains this structure and is taken from ‘The Governors Guide to the Law’. Clerks are advised that Governors Wales allow the appointment of some additional governors for a specific purpose or with a specific skill. The extract explains how in the Voluntary Aided School, as in this Catholic School, the foundation governors make up the majority of the governing body.
________________________________________
Extract: Governors Guide to the Law: The Constitution of the Governing Body.
Voluntary Aided (VA) Schools
VA secondary school with 600 or more pupils (column a)
VA secondary school with fewer than 600 pupils (column a or b)
VA primary school with 100 or more pupils (column c or d)
VA primary school with fewer than 100 pupils (column c, d, e or f)
A governing body can adopt the model from these options below which best suit its purpose. The exception to this is for secondary schools with 600 or more pupils and primary schools with 100 or more pupils, which have no choice of model
*The Head teacher may choose whether or not to be a governor.
The number of foundation governors to be appointed to be such that they outnumber the total number of governors in all the other categories by:-
o three for a secondary school governing body and
o by two for any other school.
For a secondary school governing body established in line with column a, the foundation governors must include at least three governors who at the time of their appointment are parents of registered pupils at the school. For all other options, this number to be at least two.
An ‘ex-officio’ governor is a governor by virtue of their office in relation to the school, for example, the Head Teacher and, or, the parish priest, who might also be a foundation governor, or not. A Governing Body can also appoint ‘associate governors’ for special purposes, including associate pupil governors from years 11, 12 or 13 and a ‘sponsor governor’ who provides services to the school.
A governing body of a voluntary primary school serving an area for which there is one or more community councils must provide for the governing body to include one additional community governor place to be nominated by the community council(s).
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Election of Chairs, Vice Chairs and Members of Committees
Regulation 39 of The Government of Maintained Schools (Wales) Regulations 2005 state that the Governing Body must elect a Chair and Vice-Chair from among their number annually. A governor who is paid to work at the school or who is a pupil at the school is not eligible to be chair or vice-chair of the governing body of that school.
The process of appointment is the responsibility of the Clerk to the governors who will accept the nominations for Chair and Vice Chair of governors prior to the first full meeting of the Governing Body.
A Governing Body is required also to have certain statutory committees but may also wish to establish other committees if it is to operate effectively and efficiently. The full governing body is responsible for establishing committees and determining their constitution, membership, terms of reference and delegated powers; and reviewing these annually.
The Role of the Chair
The Chair of the Governing Body (elected annually) plays a key pivotal role in the effectiveness of the governing body. The Chair leads the governing body but does not have any power to act on the governing body’s behalf without instructions, except in certain cases of urgency.
The role of the Chair is primarily:
· to ensure that meetings are conducted efficiently following the correct governing body procedures;
· to consider and approve the agenda for each meeting and to ensure that it is manageable;
· to maintain communication with the Head Teacher and governors between governing body and committee
meetings;
· to act as a spokesperson on behalf of the governing body where necessary;
· to ensure that information and documents received are shared with the governing body.
From 20th September 2013, chairs of governors will need to complete mandatory chair training. The training for chairs of governors focuses on leadership and maintaining effective relationships with key partners i.e. head teachers, clerks to governing bodies and the Local Authority as well as providing chairs of governors with the necessary skills to run an efficient and effective governing body and to work with and provide challenge to head teachers to raise standards.
Governors Code of Conduct
All governors must respect and adhere to a Code of Conduct that befits the ethical standards of those who hold public office. A separate copy of this is available.
The number of foundation governors to be appointed to be such that they outnumber the total number of governors in all the other categories by:-
o three for a secondary school governing body and
o by two for any other school.
For a secondary school governing body established in line with column a, the foundation governors must include at least three governors who at the time of their appointment are parents of registered pupils at the school. For all other options, this number to be at least two.
An ‘ex-officio’ governor is a governor by virtue of their office in relation to the school, for example, the Head Teacher and, or, the parish priest, who might also be a foundation governor, or not. A Governing Body can also appoint ‘associate governors’ for special purposes, including associate pupil governors from years 11, 12 or 13 and a ‘sponsor governor’ who provides services to the school.
A governing body of a voluntary primary school serving an area for which there is one or more community councils must provide for the governing body to include one additional community governor place to be nominated by the community council(s).
____________________________________
Election of Chairs, Vice Chairs and Members of Committees
Regulation 39 of The Government of Maintained Schools (Wales) Regulations 2005 state that the Governing Body must elect a Chair and Vice-Chair from among their number annually. A governor who is paid to work at the school or who is a pupil at the school is not eligible to be chair or vice-chair of the governing body of that school.
The process of appointment is the responsibility of the Clerk to the governors who will accept the nominations for Chair and Vice Chair of governors prior to the first full meeting of the Governing Body.
A Governing Body is required also to have certain statutory committees but may also wish to establish other committees if it is to operate effectively and efficiently. The full governing body is responsible for establishing committees and determining their constitution, membership, terms of reference and delegated powers; and reviewing these annually.
The Role of the Chair
The Chair of the Governing Body (elected annually) plays a key pivotal role in the effectiveness of the governing body. The Chair leads the governing body but does not have any power to act on the governing body’s behalf without instructions, except in certain cases of urgency.
The role of the Chair is primarily:
· to ensure that meetings are conducted efficiently following the correct governing body procedures;
· to consider and approve the agenda for each meeting and to ensure that it is manageable;
· to maintain communication with the Head Teacher and governors between governing body and committee
meetings;
· to act as a spokesperson on behalf of the governing body where necessary;
· to ensure that information and documents received are shared with the governing body.
From 20th September 2013, chairs of governors will need to complete mandatory chair training. The training for chairs of governors focuses on leadership and maintaining effective relationships with key partners i.e. head teachers, clerks to governing bodies and the Local Authority as well as providing chairs of governors with the necessary skills to run an efficient and effective governing body and to work with and provide challenge to head teachers to raise standards.
Governors Code of Conduct
All governors must respect and adhere to a Code of Conduct that befits the ethical standards of those who hold public office. A separate copy of this is available.
*The Head teacher may choose whether or not to be a governor.
The number of foundation governors to be appointed to be such that they outnumber the total number of governors in all the other categories by:-
* three for a secondary school governing body and
* by two for any other school.
For a secondary school governing body established in line with column a, the foundation governors must include at least three governors who at the time of their appointment are parents of registered pupils at the school. For all other options, this number to be at least two.
An ‘ex-officio’ governor is a governor by virtue of their office in relation to the school, for example, the Head Teacher and, or, the parish priest, who might be also be a foundation governor, or not. A Governing Body can also appoint ‘associate governors’ for special purposes, including associate pupil governors from years 11, 12 or 13 and a ‘sponsor governor’ who provides services to the school.
A governing body of a voluntary primary school serving an area for which there is one or more community councils must provide for the governing body to include one additional community governor place to be nominated by the community council(s).
The number of foundation governors to be appointed to be such that they outnumber the total number of governors in all the other categories by:-
* three for a secondary school governing body and
* by two for any other school.
For a secondary school governing body established in line with column a, the foundation governors must include at least three governors who at the time of their appointment are parents of registered pupils at the school. For all other options, this number to be at least two.
An ‘ex-officio’ governor is a governor by virtue of their office in relation to the school, for example, the Head Teacher and, or, the parish priest, who might be also be a foundation governor, or not. A Governing Body can also appoint ‘associate governors’ for special purposes, including associate pupil governors from years 11, 12 or 13 and a ‘sponsor governor’ who provides services to the school.
A governing body of a voluntary primary school serving an area for which there is one or more community councils must provide for the governing body to include one additional community governor place to be nominated by the community council(s).
