step governors' handbook, 2013-2014

Introduction This handbook outlines the structure of The STEP Academy Trust and sets out the expecta ons and commitment required from governors in order for Local Governing Bodies (LGBs) to effec vely carry out their work. It has been developed to ensure a consistently high level of governance across The STEP Academy Trust. This document should be read in conjunc on with the STEP Scheme of Delega on, which defines the responsibili es delegated to STEP Academies by directors.

Members (max 4) Chair of Directors, Vice‐Chair of Directors, Academy

Directors (LGBs) The members or trustees are the named owners of the STEP

Academy Trust, registered at Companies House. All are directors.

Board of Directors Execu ve Principal (appointed by Directors) Academy Directors (2 elected Chairs of LGBs),

Headteacher Directors (1 elected, 1 appointed by Directors), Community Directors (no max, appointed by Directors)

The Board of Directors are supported in their work by the

Company Secretary and Company Clerk.

DL Academy LGB

Gonville Academy LGB

The Structure of the STEP Academy Trust

Applegarth Academy LGB

The Purpose of the Board of Directors The STEP Academy Trust Board of Directors has overall responsibility for the strategic direc on of the Trust, which includes Applegarth Academy, David Livingstone Academy and Gonville Academy. The Board of Directors operate according to the terms laid out in the Ar cles of Associa on. Key responsibili es include: • Se ng the values, aims and objec ves of The STEP Academy

Trust; • Agreeing a policy framework for achieving the agreed aims and

objec ves; • Appoin ng the Execu ve Principal and Headteachers of the

STEP Academies; • Defining and delega ng responsibili es to the Local Governing

Bodies (LGB) in the STEP Scheme of Delega on.

The Board of Directors meet at least once a term. The Purpose of the Local Governing Body The LGB is a commi ee of The STEP Academy Trust and is delegated responsibility for the conduct of the Academy and for promo ng high standards—these responsibili es are defined in the STEP Scheme of Delega on. The LGB aims to ensure that children are a ending a successful Academy which provides them with a high quality educa on and supports their well‐being. LGBs have a range of key responsibili es.

Challenges and supports the Academy by monitoring, reviewing and evalua ng:

• The implementa on and effec veness of the policy framework;

• Progress towards targets; • The implementa on and effec veness of the Academy

improvement strategy; • The budget and the staffing structure.

Ensures accountability by: • Monitoring the Academy’s self evalua on

documenta on; • Responding to Ofsted reports when necessary; • Holding the Headteacher to account for the performance

of the Academy; • Ensuring parents and pupils are involved, consulted and

informed as appropriate; • Making available informa on to the community.

In addi on, the LGB performance manages the Headteacher who will deliver the aims (through the day to day management of the Academy, implementa on of the agreed policy framework and Academy improvement strategy, and delivery of the curriculum) and report appropriately to the LGB.

Se ng the strategic direc on of the Academy by: • Ensuring the values, aims and objec ves

for the Academy are aligned to those of The STEP Academy Trust;

• Implemen ng the policy framework for achieving the agreed aims and objec ves;

• Se ng statutory targets; • Agreeing the Academy improvement

strategy which includes approving the

Annually, The STEP Academy Trust Board of Directors review the cons tu on of its Local Governing Bodies. Currently when full, Applegarth Academy’s LGB comprises of twelve members, David Livingstone Academy LGB consists of ten governors and Gonville Academy eleven. There are three categories of governor, each equal in status.

1. Parent Governors (Applegarth 2, DL 3, Gonville 2) 2. Staff Governors (Applegarth 3, DL 3, Gonville 3) 3. Community Governors (Applegarth 7, DL 4, Gonville 6)

Associate Members may be appointed to the LGB. They are typically senior members of staff who are not Staff Governors. Associate Members do not have vo ng rights at mee ngs of the LGB. At the beginning of each academic year, the LGB elects a Chair and Vice‐Chair. These appointments are then ra fied by the Board of Directors. All governors are elected to serve for four years, except the Headteacher who is ex officio and consequently serves on the Academy’s LGB for the dura on of his/her appointment. Governors are required to sign an undertaking to uphold the values of the Trust before appointments are ra fied by the Board of Directors. Each LGB employs a Clerk to support them in their work. All mee ngs are minuted by the Clerk. Within ten days of mee ngs having taken place, minutes are emailed by the Clerk to all governors and uploaded by the Headteacher to the Academy Governors’ Room on Fronter.

The STEP Academy Trust Local Governing Bodies

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Because The STEP Academy Trust Board of Directors has an overarching remit, all specific ma ers rela ng to the running of the Academy are handled by the LGB. There are typically two full LGB mee ngs each term; however, extra‐ordinary mee ngs may be called as required. Commi ees are arranged when needed to deal with specific issues, for example pupil discipline.

All governors are expected to assume a specific monitoring role which is assigned by the LGB. Using The STEP Academy Trust Governor’s Profile (completed by all governors on appointment) and through discussions, the Chair and Vice‐Chair of Governors match the skills/interests of governors to an agreed area of focus. For example, a governor with a financial professional background might be offered the role of Finance Governor. Where there are notable areas of weakness in a LGB, efforts are made recruit appropriately skilled governors.

Monitoring by Governors

A key role of the Local Governing Body is to monitor what is going on in the Academy. It is essen al governors can show that what they are being told is happening in the Academy, is actually taking place. Informal monitoring is possible through Fronter, the Academy’s managed learning environment (MLE). All governors are expected to login regularly using their unique username and password. As well as keeping up‐to date with the latest Academy developments, it allows

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Governor Training

On appointment, new governors are assigned a mentor to help them get to grips with the role. An experienced governor, the mentor will provide support and guidance. Governors are encouraged to a end regular training. Increasingly, The STEP Academy Trust will organise training sessions for governors across the Trust; however, governors are expected to be proac ve and take advantage of online and external training opportuni es. In addi on, each STEP Academy organises an annual

governors to easily communicate with members of staff and other governors. Governors are asked to make regular contribu ons on the MLE so that their presence becomes known across the Academy community. Any governor who experiences technical difficul es, is asked to contact the Academy office.

Governors not employed by the Academy are expected to make at least one formal visit each academic year. By the end of the autumn term, the Chair of Governors in consulta on with the Headteacher organises a manageable “Schedule of Visits” las ng un l the end of the academic year. Following a visit, a wri en report should be emailed to the LGB Clerk. In addi on, brief feedback should be posted on the “2013‐2014 Governor Visits/Feedback Forum”. This is located in the Academy Governors’ Room on Fronter. The STEP Academy Trust Governor Visits Policy has been agreed to provide guidance for governors and staff.

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Governors’ Day. This is an opportunity for governors to visit their Academy as a group and undertake focused training. The day, organised by the Chair of the LGB and the Headteacher, usually takes place in the summer term. Where training is not provided “in‐house”, governors may wish to a end courses delivered externally, for example by the Local Authority. Should a governor wish to a end an external course, they should discuss their training needs with the Chair of Governors. The Chair of Governors will determine whether or not to proceed with the booking using the following criteria:

• Whether the course will enable the a endee to be more effec ve in their role as a governor;

• Whether it will support the Academy’s improvement agenda;

• Whether the Academy Governor Training Budget can cover the cost of the course.

Once approval has been given by the Chair of Governors, details of the course should be emailed to the Academy office. A member of the admin team will then proceed with the booking.

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The STEP Academy Trust Governor’s Code of Conduct General

• We understand the purpose of the LGB and the role of the Headteacher as set out above;

• We accept that we have no authority to act individually, except when the LGB has given us delegated authority to do so, and therefore we will only speak on behalf of the LGB when we have been specifically authorised to do so.

The Role of a Governor

The Board of Directors has defined the role of STEP Academy governors. All governors should be mindful of the following:

• No governor can act on her/his own without proper authority from the full LGB;

• All governors carry equal responsibility for decisions made, and although appointed through different routes (i.e. parents, staff, community etc), the overriding concern of all governors has to be the welfare of the Academy as a whole.

To ensure there is consistency in the way governors of STEP Academies undertake their roles, all are expected to maintain The STEP Academy Trust Governor’s Code of Conduct and Mee ngs Charter.

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• 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 government and will act appropriately.

• We accept collec ve responsibility for all decisions made by the LGB or its delegated agents. This means that we will not speak against majority decisions outside LGB mee ngs.

• We will consider carefully how our decisions may affect the Academy community, member STEP Academies and other schools.

• We will always be mindful of our responsibility to maintain and develop the ethos and reputa on of The STEP Academy Trust and our Academy. Our ac ons within the Academy and the local community will reflect this.

• In making or responding to cri cism or complaints affec ng the Academy we will follow the procedures established by The STEP Academy Trust Board of Directors.

Commitment

• We acknowledge that accep ng office as a governor involves the commitment of significant amounts of me and energy. For that reason, it is important governors think carefully whether they are in a posi on to commit the necessary me before undertaking the role.

• We will each involve ourselves ac vely in the work of the LGB, and accept our fair share of responsibili es, including service on commi ees or working groups.

• We will make full efforts to a end all mee ngs and where we cannot a end, explain in advance in full why we are unable to. Where a governor’s a endance falls to 50% or below in an academic year, a mee ng will be arranged with the Chair to discuss the non‐a endance.

• We will get to know our Academy well and respond to opportuni es to involve ourselves in Academy ac vi es.

• Visits to our Academy will be conducted in accordance with the STEP Governor Visits Policy, agreed by the Board of Directors.

• We will consider seriously our individual and collec ve needs for training and development, and will undertake relevant training. This will include a ending an annual Academy Governors’ Day.

• We are commi ed to ac vely suppor ng and challenging the Academy Headteacher.

Rela onships • We will strive to work as a team in which construc ve

working rela onships are ac vely promoted. • We will express views openly, courteously and respec ully

in all our communica ons with other governors. • We will support the Chair in his/her role of ensuring

appropriate conduct both at mee ngs and at all mes. • We are prepared to answer queries from other governors in

rela on to delegated func ons and take into account any concerns expressed.

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• We will seek to develop effec ve working rela onships with the Headteacher, staff and parents, the Local Authority and other relevant agencies and the community.

Confiden ality • We will observe complete confiden ality when ma ers are

deemed confiden al or where they concern specific members of staff or pupils.

• We will exercise the greatest prudence at all mes when discussions regarding Academy business arise outside a LGB mee ng.

• We will not reveal the details of any LGB vote.

Conflicts of interest • We will record any pecuniary or other business interest that

we have in connec on with the LGB’s business in the Register of Business Interests.

• We will declare any pecuniary interest ‐ or a personal interest which could be perceived as a conflict of interest ‐ in a ma er under discussion at a mee ng and offer to leave the mee ng for the appropriate length of me.

Breach of this code of conduct • If we believe this code has been breached, we will raise this

issue with the Chair of the LGB who will inves gate. The LGB should use suspension as a last resort a er seeking to resolve any difficul es or disputes in more construc ve ways.

• We understand that any allega on of a material breach of this code of conduct by any governor shall be raised at a mee ng of the LGB. If agreed to be substan ated by a majority of governors, a recommenda on of removal may be made to The STEP Academy Trust Board of Directors. The recommenda on will then be considered at the next STEP Academy Trust Board of Directors’ mee ng.

Mee ngs Charter

As a governor I expect: • People to a end regularly and be punctual; • An agenda and relevant documents to be available at least

seven days before the mee ng (as well as being emailed, these are downloadable from Fronter);

• An agenda that makes clear the purpose of each item; • A Chair who keeps to the agenda, paces the mee ng so that

me is given to each ma er in propor on to its importance, draws on all members for contribu ons and keeps discussions to the point;

• My contribu on to be heard and others to contribute to the discussion;

• The decision making process to be clear; • Governors to work together and not to be stubbornly

par san; • Governors to take collec ve responsibility for decisions; • Minutes that summarise views succinctly, record decisions

accurately and are made available, in dra form, within a week following the mee ng.

Others can expect me to:

• A end regularly and be punctual; • Download the agenda, minutes and other papers before the

mee ng and note items I want to say something about; • Bring my relevant papers to the mee ng; • Make relevant and posi ve contribu ons; • Listen to and consider what other people want to say; • Accept my share of collec ve responsibility, even for those

decisions that I do not personally agree. • Ask if jargon is used and I don’t know what it means

(page 14 contains a list of commonly used terms).

Abbrevia ons o en used: AIP ‐ Academy Improvement Plan

SEN ‐ Special Educa onal Needs

EAL ‐ English as an Addi onal Language

EMA ‐ Ethnic Minority Achievement MLE ‐ Managed Learning Environment (Fronter) PM ‐ Performance Management

NQT ‐ Newly Qualified Teacher

ASED ‐ Academy Self Evalua on Document

step governors' handbook, 2013-2014

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