Governance

School Governance

We are hugely grateful for the work of school governors across our Diocese. There are 236 Church of England schools within the Diocese of Leeds.  All of our schools have a Christian foundation and their Instrument of Government requires that this is upheld by maintaining the Christian distinctiveness of the school through its vision, values and leadership, of which the Governing Board is an important part

We support our governors through the Enhanced Service Plan, our annual service level agreement with our schools and academies. This provides access to:

• A termly online briefing for all senior leaders, including governors
• A termly governor briefing on a current issue facing schools
• Two termly networking opportunities, one for governors and the other for chairs of governors
• A termly newsletter
• Access to a range of courses, some of which are governor-specific, at a 40% discount.

Each church school has a named adviser who can also offer in-school training and advice for governing boards.

What is the role of the governing body?

Governors are the strategic leaders within schools and are responsible for promoting high educational achievement standards, ensuring every child and adult in their school flourishes. The governing board of a Church of England school will usually consist of the headteacher, the local vicar or his/her substitute, parent governors, staff governors, local authority governors and foundation governors. Except for the ex-Officio governors who remain in the role for the duration of their post, all other governors will usually have a term of four years. For more information on the role of foundation governors click here. According to the DfE Governors' Handbook*, the governing body has three strategic functions;

1. Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction

2. Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils and the performance management of staff

3. Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent​​​​​​

What are foundation governors?

In the Diocese of Leeds, we have three types of foundation governors:

• The Principal Officiating Minister, or the local vicar, is appointed by virtue of their role.
• The foundation governor appointed by the DBE
• The foundation governor appointed by the PCC

It is a requirement of the Trust under which Church of England Schools were established to have foundation governors. They have a special responsibility:

• To ensure that the guiding principles of the founding church are incorporated into all aspects of the governance of the school
• The Christian character of the school is preserved and enhanced in line with the trust deed

Foundation Governors can bring a wide range of skills and aptitudes to the board and are responsible for upholding the faiths and beliefs of the Church of England within the school. Our foundation governors are encouraged to have a strong Christian commitment, although it is not mandatory, as each application is assessed according to the school's needs. Primarily, it is the responsibility of foundation governors to ensure that the board is cognizant of the Church of England's principles and its distinctive Christian ethos across all three strategic governance functions mentioned above.

What difference do governors make?

Governors can make a huge difference to a school, pupils, their families and the community. Effective governing boards work collectively to make their schools a place of Christian welcome where adults and children flourish. Boards are central to strategic decision-making, setting a clear Christian vision, and agreeing on underlying values and long-term priorities. The board is also vital in supporting and challenging the headteacher who is responsible for the operational management of successfully achieving these aims. As with all successful ventures, creating a strong, trusting and compassionate relationship between the headteacher and governors will promote a successful venture.

How do I become a governor?

To become a governor you don't need previous experience of being a governor and you don't need to be a parent.  The Diocesan Board of Education (DBE) which oversees the appointment of foundation governors within our church schools ask that you value the education taught within our Church of England schools, share our passion for making our schools the best they can be and have the commitment and desired skills needed to be a governor. A board with a wide variety of transferable skills will be an asset to the school's vision, values and leadership.

Our school leaders, the local vicar and the chair of governors are always looking for volunteers to serve as governors across our primary, and secondary schools and our academy trusts across the Diocese. To volunteer as a school governor, please get in touch with the school directly for further information. Some school's Instrument of Government will provide an allowance for PCC governor appointments, in such cases the PCC at the school's local church will need to approve the appointment.

Please be aware that application forms for foundation governors are sent directly to the applicants via email. The nomination and application forms for both new and returning foundation governors must be completed online through a link supplied by the Diocese's Department of Education Team. Initially, the applicant must be nominated by the relevant nominating authority to obtain the online application form click here.  For information on whether you can get time off for public duties click here. 

What if we have a vacancy?

At the Diocesan Education Team, we are regularly asked if we can supply a foundation governor when a vacancy arises. Unfortunately,  we do not hold a list of prospective governors as useful as that might be.

If you have a vacancy for a foundation governor here are some useful tips:

So you have a vacancy for a Foundation Governor? What next?