Frequently Asked Questions for school governors and clerks

Training for School Governors

Qutie often many of the questions asked by school governors can be easily answered / addressed if they attend an Induction Training Course which are usually run by the Local Authority.

The governing body has an allocated budget to pay for governing body meetings and training courses.

If you are a school governor then at the next governing body meeting ask the clerk to the governing body to organise regular training courses (one per term or as required), particularly in the following areas:

a) Induction on Roles and Responsibilities

b) RaiseOnLine

c) Finance

d) Recruitment of Senior Leadership

Without training Governors will struggle to be effective, measure performance, set targets and ensure the school complies with all its legal obligations.

Governing Body Meetings

Meetings are convened by the clerk who takes directions from the governing body and the chair. Any three members of the governing body can request a governing body meeting by giving written notice to the clerk that summarises the business to be conducted. The clerk must convene a meeting as soon as is practicable.

The clerk must give each governor, associate member and the headteacher (if not a governor) written notice of a meeting, a copy of the agenda and any papers to be considered at the meeting at least seven days before the meeting.

The quorum for any governing body meeting and vote must be one half (rounded up to a whole number) of the complete membership of the governing body, excluding vacancies. For example, if the full membership is 15 and there are three vacancies, then the quorum for a governing body meeting is six governors (one half of 12).

If there are an equal number of votes, the chair (or the person acting as chair provided that they are a governor) has a second, or casting vote.

Proxy voting is only allowed to change the name of a school. This is the only occasion where a proxy vote can be accepted. 

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