Meetings

• The committee will meet at least once a term following dates agreed by the full Governing body to allow for co-ordination of meetings across sites.
• The agenda for each meeting shall be derived from the annual Governing body calendar as agreed by the full Governing body including items of delegated responsibility.
• The committee will receive reports from the school in sufficient detail to enable it to undertake its strategic responsibilities for planning, monitoring and evaluation.
• Whenever possible, reports will be shared in a common format across the three schools to support comparative analysis and investigation.
• The Chair from the committee will agree four key outcomes from the meeting to be shared with the full Governing body.

Rules for membership

The membership will consist of:

• Four voting members who will additionally be members of, and report to, the full Governing body.
• Up to three associate (co-opted) members who do not hold post on the full Governing body or voting rights except where agreed by the full Governing body. This includes the Headteacher/Head of School..
• The number of voting governors must exceed the number of associate (non-voting) governors on the committee.
• The Executive Headteacher, as a member of the full Governing body, is entitled to attend any meeting of the committee and holds voting rights.

Governors will be made up of:

• A staff representative (voted by staff) and or a parent representative (voted by parents)
• A local authority representative (proposed by the Local Authority)
• A co-opted representative who holds the skills/qualities deemed desirable by the full Governing body (below)

Up to three associate Governors (including the Headteacher) can be co-opted and hold the skills/qualities deemed desirable by the full Governing body. Governors are particularly interested in the following skills or experience:

• Knowledge of the local community
• Proven communication skills
• Knowledge and understanding of the role and responsibilities of Governing Body.
• A proven commitment to school governance (and the time to attend most Governing Body meetings) and be willing to acquire the knowledge, understanding and skills by attending training.
• Knowledge of, or experience in, Information Technology.
• Knowledge and understanding of premises/ project management
• Legal skills or experience
• An educational specialism
• Experience of school or corporate finance
• Ability to speak a second language

Quorum

Three governors including a member of the School Strategic Team.

To vote on any delegated responsibilities there must be at least 3 voting Governors and a member of the schools strategic team present.

Purpose of the Schools Committees

• To oversee the strategic implementation of strategies to build, foster and develop effective parental partnerships with the school
• To monitor the development of a range of community services and extended school activities to help meet the needs of its pupils, their families and the wider community.
• To consider community matters specifically referred to the committee.
• To ensure that community services and activities do not interfere with pupil education or promotion of standards of achievement.
• To consider the effectiveness of the schools approach to promoting good attendance and punctuality.
• To monitor and evaluate progress on school development priorities, initiatives & interventions in order to feedback to the full Governing body.
• To ensure that pupil assessment and record keeping systems are in place and working and that assessment data is used effectively.
• To monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of provision and the attainment of all pupils including that for SEN and disadvantaged pupils using results and comparative assessment information and ensure that target setting and statutory reporting is undertaken.
• To ensure that school policies on curriculum subject areas and on such matters as safeguarding, sex education, religious education, Special Educational Needs & Ethnic Minority Achievement are implemented and reviewed.
• To ensure that the school has a robust approach to safeguarding and the well-being of all pupils
• To consider the effectiveness of the school’s approach to health and safety and disability access and make recommendations to the full Governing body.

Powers of the committee

The committee has full decision making powers in regards to the above other than for decisions below which should be referred to the full governing body.

• Additional expenditure in excess of funds delegated to it
• Budget setting and monitoring
• Changes to staffing structures, staff appraisal, employment and recruitment
• Changes to the curriculum outside of those required statutorily
• Communications with parents on behalf of the Governing body
• Changes to the structure or terms of reference for the Governing body or Subcommittees.
• Changes to any of the above related to overall strategic school improvement other than recommendations to the full Governing body.

No vote on any matter may be taken unless the majority of the members present are voting governors. The Chair has a casting vote provided s/he is a governor.

All decisions to be voted on should be first agreed by the full Governing body to ensure that all schools confer the same rights and the outcome reported to the full Governing body.

Election of chair

The Chair and Vice Chair will be elected at the first meeting of each academic year by the committee.

Recording and reporting of meeting

The clerk to the committee, and will produce minutes of all meetings to be circulated before the full governing body meeting following the committee meeting.

Review of terms of reference

Annually, by the full governing body