There are three key roles of the governing body

· To provide the strategic direction for the school

· To act as a critical friend to the school

· To be accountable to parents, diocese, LA and other stakeholders

In practice this means that a governor may get involved in

· Deciding how the budget is spent and ensuring good value for money

· Making sure the curriculum provides for and stretches all pupils

· Making sure the school buildings are welcoming, safe and well used

· Setting and monitoring the school’s values, aims and policies

· Appointing staff and making sure the right development and rewards arrangements are in place

What is the structure of a governing body?

The Governing Body of a Catholic school consists of a combination of the following:

Local Authority Governor(s)

Appointed by the Local Authority, LA governors can come from local political parties, while others are volunteers from the local area with no political affiliation who would like to be a governor. All such governors are primarily appointed with a view to their commitment to raise standards at the school concerned.

Parent Governors

Elected by parents, parent governors must (usually) have a child at the school when elected. They are representatives of parents, not delegates of the parent body. This means that they should be well aware of parental feelings and concerns but should follow their own convictions when taking a line at meetings.

Staff Governors

Elected by the staff body, staff governors must be employed by the school. They are representatives of staff, not delegates of the staff body. This means that they should be well aware of staff feelings and concerns but should follow their own convictions when taking a line at meetings.

Foundation Governors

Appointed by the Bishop specifically to ensure that the religious character of the school is preserved; that the school is conducted in accordance with its trust deed (ie the diocesan trust deed); and that the religious education curriculum is in accordance with the bishop’s policy for his diocese, based on the Bishops’ Conference Curriculum Directory. Amongst other responsibilities, they should:

• understand and promote the distinctive nature of Catholic education
• secure the long term future of Catholic education
• ensure that the whole curriculum, including religious education, is taught 'in the light of gospel values and actively promotes the spiritual and moral development of the pupils’.