Governing Body Code of Conduct 2022-23

Role & Responsibilities

• We understand the purpose of the board and the role of the leaders.
•  We accept that we have no legal authority to act individually, except when the board has given us delegated authority to do so, and therefore we will only speak on behalf of the governing board when we have been specifically authorised to do so.
• We accept collective responsibility for all decisions made by the board or its delegated agents. This means that we will not speak against majority decisions outside the governing board meeting.
• We have a duty to act fairly and without prejudice, and in so far as we have responsibility for staff, we will fulfil all that is expected of a good employer.
• We will encourage open governance and will act appropriately.
• We will consider carefully how our decisions may affect the community and other schools.
• We will always be mindful of our responsibility to maintain and develop the ethos and reputation of our school. Our actions within the school and the local community will reflect this.
• In making or responding to criticism or complaints we will follow the procedures established by the governing board.
• We will actively support and challenge the leaders
• We will accept and respect the difference in roles between the board and staff, ensuring that we work collectively for the benefit of the organisation;
• We will respect the role of the leaders and their responsibility for the day to day management of the organisation and avoid any actions that might undermine such arrangements;
• We agree to adhere to the school’s rules and polices and the procedures of the governing board as set out by the relevant governing documents and law
• When formally speaking or writing in our governing role we will ensure our comments reflect current organisational policy even if they might be different to our personal views;
• when communicating in our private capacity (including on social media) we will be mindful of and strive to uphold the reputation of the organisation

Commitment

• We acknowledge that accepting office as a governor involves the commitment of significant amounts of time and energy.
• We will each involve ourselves actively in the work of the governing board, and accept our fair share of responsibilities, including service on committees or working groups.
• We will make full efforts to attend all meetings and where we cannot attend explain in advance why we are unable to.
• We will get to know the school well and respond to opportunities to involve ourselves in school activities.
• We will visit the school, with all visits arranged in advance with a headteacher and undertaken within the framework established by the governing board.
• When visiting the school in a personal capacity (i.e. as a parent or carer), we will maintain our underlying responsibility as a governor.
• We will consider seriously our individual and collective needs for induction, training and development, and will undertake relevant training.
• We accept that in the interests of open governance, our full names, date of appointment, terms of office, roles on the governing board, attendance records, relevant business and pecuniary interests, category of governor and the body responsible for appointing us will be published on the school’s website.
• In the interests of transparency we accept that information relating to governors will be collected and logged on the DfE’s national database of governors (Edubase).

Relationships

• We will strive to work as a team in which constructive working relationships are actively promoted.
• We will express views openly, courteously and respectfully in all our communications with other governors, the clerk to the governing board and school staff both in and outside of meetings.
• We will support the chair in their role of ensuring appropriate conduct both at meetings and at all times.
• We are prepared to answer queries from other board members in relation to delegated functions and take into account any concerns expressed, and we will acknowledge the time, effort and skills that have been committed to the delegated function by those involved.
• We will seek to develop effective working relationships with the leaders, staff and parents, the local authority and other relevant agencies and the community.

Confidentiality

• We will observe complete confidentiality when matters are deemed confidential or where they concern specific members of staff or pupils, both inside or outside school.
• We will exercise the greatest prudence at all times when discussions regarding school business arise outside a governing board meeting.
• We will not reveal the details of any governing board vote.
• We will ensure all confidential papers are held and disposed of appropriately.

Conflicts of interest

• We will record any pecuniary or other business interest (including those related to people we are connected with) that we have in connection with the governing board’s business in the Register of Business Interests, and if any such conflicted matter arises in a meeting we will offer to leave the meeting for the appropriate length of time.
• We accept that the Register of Business Interests can be published on the school website.
• We will also declare any conflict of loyalty at the start of any meeting should the situation arise.
• We will act in the best interests of the school as a whole and not as a representative of any group, even if elected to the governing board.

Ceasing to be a governor

• We understand that the requirements relating to confidentiality will continue to apply after a governor leaves office