What is the role of the Governing Body?
The Governing Body carry out their functions with the aim of taking a largely strategic role in the running of the school. The Government defines three core functions of the Governing Body. These are to:
- set the vision and strategic direction of school;
- hold the Headteacher to account for its educational performance;
- ensure financial resources are well spent.
The Governing Body should act as a “critical friend” to the Headteacher by providing advice and support. At the same time, the Governing Body has the responsibility to provide challenges to the Headteacher - as appropriate - to ensure that the school is meeting common and agreed aims and objectives in the pursuit of the school’s development priorities and to ensure that the school is performing to it’s very best and identify areas for continued improvement and growth.
The Headteacher is responsible for the internal organisation, management and control of the school on a day-to-day basis; and for advising on and implementing the School’s strategic framework. In particular, the Headteacher formulates the aims and objectives, policies and targets for the governing body to consider and approve. The Headteacher has to report to the Governing Body on the progress the school has made at least three times during the school year.
The Governing Body is made up of people who can provide different perspectives and experiences to the group. An elected Staff Governor and the Headteacher represent the school staff and parents are represented by elected Parent governors whose children attend St. Gilbert’s. As a Catholic school, the Diocese is represented through Foundation Governors who are appointed by the Parish Priest and the Diocese. We also have Governors who represent the Local Authority. Each year there may be associate members added to the Governors or specific committees who have an interest and play a role in leading the strategy of the Governors or who can provide useful third party evidence. The Clerk to the Governors ensures that all meetings are recorded and the relevant documents are shared. At present, at St. Gilbert’s, this is arranged through Salford City Council. From time-to-time, other people may be present for part or the whole meeting as necessary to what is being discussed and these will be recorded in the minutes.
The Governors do their work primarily through committees that run throughout the year. These committees then feed-forward their work to the Full Governing Body which meets three times per year.