What is a school Governing Body?

What are school Governing Bodies?

Governing bodies are responsible for the strategic management of a school and will make decisions about a wide range of issues.

Their core responsibilities involved are:

  • Ensuring accountability
  • Acting as a ‘critical friend’ to the Head Teacher
  • Monitoring and evaluating the school’s progress
  • Budgetary allocation and control
  • Planning for the long term future of the school
  • Setting the school’s aims and values
  • Appointing senior members of staff including the Head Teacher

The governing body is usually split in to a small number of committees, each responsible for one area such as finance or health and safety. These committees will meet separately from the main governing body to discuss relevant issues in more detail. Discussion is then fed back at a full governing body meeting.