The Governing Body is an integral part of any school structure. The Body works with the Headteacher and school staff to ensure it provides high quality education for all its pupils, and constantly strives to improve. However, the Governing Body is not expected to make day-to-day (operational) decisions about how the school is run, this is left to the experts – the Headteacher and senior leadership team.
The Governing Body helps shape the vision and direction of the school and ensures that it fulfills its statutory duties. Governors are expected to have a good understanding of the strengths and any weaknesses of the school so that the Senior Leadership Team can be challenged and supported through decisions that arise. Through this, the school is then able to evaluate its performance and plan strategically to improve all aspects of school life.
There are 4 core functions of a governing body: