Terms of Reference

Ratified by Full Governing Body on 4 July 2022

1.     Full Governing Body Terms of Reference

1. To set the strategic direction for the school.
2. To monitor and review Safeguarding arrangements.
3. To ensure the aims and objectives in the School Development Plan (SDP) supports the strategic direction of the school.
4. To ensure that the school maintains its Christian distinctiveness through the work of both the ethos committee and FGB permeating all aspects of school improvement.
5. To monitor and evaluate progress in the school towards the aims and objectives set and regularly review the strategic framework for the school in light of that progress.
6.  To agree constitutional matters, including where the Governing Body has discretion.
7. To recruit new members as vacancies arise and to appoint new governors where appropriate.
8. To hold at least six Full Governing Body meetings per year.
9. To have regular written or verbal reports from student council and Ethos committee.
10. To appoint or remove the Chair and Vice Chair.
11. To appoint or remove a clerk to the Governing Body.
12. To establish the Committees and Groups of the Governing Body and their terms of reference.
13. To appoint the chair of any committee or delegate this to the committee.
14. To appoint or remove a clerk to any committee.
15. To suspend a governor.
16. To receive reports from any individual or committee to whom a decision has been delegated and to consider whether any further action is necessary.
17. To approve the first formal budget of the financial year.
18. To keep the Health and Safety Policy and its practice under review and to make revisions where appropriate.
19. To review the delegations annually.

Quorum: One-half of the number of Governors in post.

2.     Education Committee Terms of Reference

1. To support and challenge the school to improve or maintain, the highest levels of achievement for all pupils.
2. To support and challenge the school to improve or maintain the highest quality of teaching and learning and provide focused professional development for all staff.
3. To support and challenge the school to ensure the curriculum promotes the school vision and values.
4. To support and challenge the school to ensure the highest standards of safety, well-being, behaviour and attendance for all pupils.
5. To support and challenge the school to ensure highly successful strategies for engaging with parents to the benefit of students.
6. To oversee arrangements for individual governors to take a leading role in specific areas of provision.
7. To take reports from Named Governors and advise the Full Governing Board where appropriate.
8. To agree the school's Inclusion Policy and monitor the school's success in promoting Inclusion in all its facets: SEN, gender, ethnicity, pupil premium and disability.
9. To agree and monitor the school's equality policies and implementation of the related equality action plans.
10. To agree the Whole School Behaviour Policy 
11. To report to the Full Governing Body at least three times a year on the work of the committee.

Quorum: Minimum of three.

3.     Business Committee Terms of Reference

1. To draft the first formal budget plan of the financial year.
2. To establish and maintain a 3-year financial plan.
3. To consider a budget position statement including virement decisions at least three times a year and to report significant anomalies from the anticipated position of the Governing Body.
4. To ensure the school operates within the Financial Regulations of South Glos. Council.
5. To monitor expenditure of all voluntary funds kept on behalf of the Governing Body.
6. To annually review charges and remissions policies as well as expense policies.
7. To review school funds and purchase card at each meeting.
8. To make decisions in respect of service agreements.
9. To make decisions on expenditure following recommendations from other committees.
10. To ensure that Health and Safety issues and risk management issues are appropriately prioritised.
11. To continually maintain the School's Financial Value Standard and re-assess annually to ensure the school is meeting that standard.
12.  To review the staffing structure in consultation with the Head.
13.  To be responsible for the administration and review of the Pay Policy that applies to all staff.
14.  To oversee the appointment procedure for all staff.
15.  To review the Performance Management policy for all staff.
16.  To oversee the process leading to any or potential staff reductions.
17.  To keep under review staff work/life balance, working conditions and well-being, including the monitoring of absence.
18.  To make recommendations on personnel related expenditure.
19.  To monitor and review the staff development policy. 
20.  To monitor and review all policies relating to personnel matters.
21.  To report to the Full Governing Body at least three times a year on the work of the committee with specific focus on the following areas:
    • School income including the top 5 income streams that make this up
    • School expenditure including the top 5 school costs represented as a percentage
    • The surplus/deficit between the two and the main factors driving this
    • Budget allocated to the top priorities highlighted in the School Development Plan

       

Quorum: Minimum of three.