The Priors School Trust
Governing Body Scheme of Delegation
The Governing Body have agreed this Scheme of Delegation, established as a formal schedule that distinguishes between matters reserved exclusively for Governors’ approval or decision, and matters delegated to committees and individuals. The Scheme of Delegation includes the financial limits.
To be read in conjunction with:
1. The School Governance (Roles, Procedures and Allowances) (England) Regulations 2013
2. Financial Regulations for Schools
3. Scheme for the Financing of Schools
1. The Scheme has been developed in order to clarify the responsibilities and powers of Governors and members of staff employed at the school in respect of key aspects of the management of the school, and to ensure compliance with legal requirements and, where appropriate, LA policies.
2. The Scheme sets out the delegations for the specified committees of the Governing Body and post holders employed in the school. A committee may delegate tasks to an individual member, but responsibility and accountability may not be delegated.
3. Delegations may not be exercised other than by the designated person or committee, unless otherwise directed or agreed by the Governing Body.
4. In the absence or incapacity of the Head teacher, the delegations stand delegated to the Senior Teacher unless otherwise directed or agreed by the Governing Body. In the absence or incapacity of a post‐holder other than the Head teacher, the delegations remain delegated to the Head teacher unless otherwise directed or agreed by the Governing Body.
5. Instead of exercising his/her delegated powers a post‐holder or committee may refer a matter to the appropriate committee or Governing Body.
6. Powers to be exercised only by the Full Governing Body:
• co‐opt or appoint persons to the Governing Body or committee
• elect the Chairman and Vice‐chairman of the Governing Body
• appointment/dismissal of Clerk to the Governors
• ratify School Policies
• approve the school budget
7. The Chair of Governors is permitted to act in cases of urgency where a delay in exercising the function would be likely to be seriously detrimental to the interests of the school, a pupil, parent or member of staff.
8. The Full Governing Body also has a Duty to:
• hold a meeting at least once a term
• ensure that the National Curriculum is implemented
9. None of the responsibilities under Points 6 and 8 may be delegated.
10. This scheme of delegation is reviewed annually by the Governing Body.
Key
P | Action can be taken at this level |
---|---|
| Not recommended for action to be taken at this level (this is a recommendation only, you can choose not to follow this if that works for your board) |
| Action cannot be carried out at this level |
Full Governing Body | Chair – Shelagh Moore |
Audit and Finance Committee | Chair – Robert Holland |
Function | Task | FGB | Committee | Individual governor | Headteacher | We have delegated this to: |
Admissions | Determine the school’s admissions arrangements annually, including the published admission number (PAN) and the oversubscription criteria | P | P |
|
| FGB |
Make sure the school’s admissions arrangements comply with the School Admissions Code and are fair, clear and objective | P | P |
|
| FGB | |
Establish an independent appeals panel when there are admissions appeals | P |
|
|
| FGB | |
Behaviour and exclusions | Arrange for suitable full-time education for any pupil of compulsory school age who has a fixed-term exclusion of more than five school days |
|
|
| P | Head Teacher |
Convene a meeting to consider reinstating an excluded pupil and consider parents’ representations about an exclusion in some circumstances | P | P | P |
| This task can be delegated to the chair or vice-chair in cases of urgency. | |
Arrange an independent review panel to consider permanent exclusions, where requested by parents | P |
|
|
| This task can be delegated to the chair or vice-chair in cases of urgency. | |
Curriculum | Make sure the school teaches a broad and balanced curriculum to the age of 16 |
|
|
| P | Head Teacher |
Finance and budgets
| Make day-to-day spending decisions under the amount of £2,500 |
|
|
| P | Head Teacher |
Appoint a senior executive leader as the accounting officer for the trust and a chief financial officer | P |
|
|
| Chair of the Trust | |
Participate in annual accounts consolidation exercises as communicated by the Department for Education | P | P |
|
| Audit and Finance Committee | |
Refer potentially novel and contentious transactions to Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) for explicit prior authorisation | P |
|
|
| FGB | |
Appoint a registered statutory auditor and prepare annual financial statements in line with the ESFA’s academies accounts direction | P | P |
|
| FGB | |
Make sure that the trust has adequate insurance cover or has opted into the academies risk protection arrangement | P | P |
|
| FGB | |
Establish an audit committee, or committee with an audit function, if annual income exceeds £50 million | P |
|
|
| FGB | |
Approve a balanced budget each financial year and submit to the ESFA | P |
|
|
| FGB | |
Maintain a published register of interests, including the business and pecuniary interests of members, trustees and local governors | P |
|
|
| FGB | |
Monitor impact of pupil premium funding | P | P |
| P | Head to report back to governors | |
Monitor impact of PE and sport premium funding | P | P |
| P | Head to report back to governors | |
Governing body procedures | Hold full governing board meetings at least 3 times a year | P |
|
|
| FGB - Clerk |
Elect a chair and vice-chair of trustees | P |
|
|
| FGB | |
Appoint a clerk | P |
|
|
| FGB | |
Determine the constitution, membership and terms of reference of any committee it decides to establish and review this annually. Appoint or elect a chair for each committee | P |
|
|
| FGB | |
Check that all statutory policies and documents are in place | P |
|
|
| FGB – supported by Head | |
Delegate functions to committees and individuals | P |
|
|
| FGB | |
Health & Safety | Monitor the implementation of the health and safety policy | P | P |
|
| FGB |
Make sure there is an appointed person in charge of first aid | P | P |
| P | Head Teacher | |
Parents and the community | Make sure the required information is published on the school website | P | P |
| P | Head Teacher |
Approve a complaints procedure | P |
|
|
| FGB | |
Establish a complaints panel to consider formal complaints about the school and any community facilities or services it provides | P |
|
|
| FGB | |
Make sure the school complies with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 | P | P |
|
| Head Teacher | |
Pupil wellbeing | Make sure the provision of free school meals to those pupils meeting the criteria | P | P |
| P | Head Teacher |
Appoint a designated teacher to promote the educational achievement of looked after children (LAC) and post-LAC and that they undertake appropriate training | P | P |
| P | Head Teacher | |
Make sure the school complies with the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duty and publishes equality objectives and information about how it is doing this | P |
|
|
| FGB | |
Make arrangements for supporting pupils with medical conditions | P | P |
| P | Head Teacher | |
Safeguarding | Check that the school complies with statutory guidance on safeguarding | P | P |
|
| FGB – Safeguarding governor to monitor |
Make sure that safeguarding arrangements take into account the procedures and practice of the LA, as part of inter-agency safeguarding procedures set up by the Local Safeguarding Children Board | P | P |
| P | Head Teacher | |
Make sure a member of the board is nominated to liaise with the designated officer(s) from the relevant local authority and partner agencies if allegations are made against the headteacher | P | P |
|
| This task can be delegated to the chair or vice-chair in cases of urgency. | |
Monitor the implementation of the child protection policy | P |
|
|
| FGB | |
Appoint a member of staff to be the designated safeguarding lead |
|
|
| P | Head Teacher | |
Make sure that effective support is provided for any employee facing an allegation | P | P |
| P | Head Teacher | |
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) | Designate a member of the governing body or a committee to have oversight of the school’s arrangements for SEND | P |
|
|
| FGB |
Make sure that the necessary special education provision is made for any pupil who has SEN, and monitor its effectiveness |
| P | P | P | Head Teacher | |
Make sure that parents are notified by the school when special educational provision is being made for their child |
|
|
| P | Head Teacher | |
Make sure the school produces and publishes online its school SEN information report | P | P |
| P | Head Teacher | |
Co-operate with the local authority in developing the local offer |
| P |
| P | Head Teacher | |
Make sure the school follows the statutory SEND Code of Practice | P |
|
| P | Head Teacher | |
Make sure that there is a qualified teacher as the special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) for the school | P | P |
| P | Head Teacher | |
Make sure that the teachers in the school are aware of the importance of identifying pupils who have SEN and providing appropriate teaching |
|
|
| P | Head Teacher | |
Staffing matters | Appoint a principal or chief executive | P |
|
|
| FGB |
Make sure safer recruitment procedures are applied (for example, disclosure and barring checks) | P |
|
|
| FGB | |
Make sure employment law and guidance is being followed | P | P |
|
| FGB | |
Approve staffing structure changes | P | P |
|
| FGB | |
Dismiss the headteacher | P |
|
|
| FGB |
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