Terms of Reference

Park View Primary School

Terms of Reference for Full Governing Body and Committees

September 2026

Introduction

This document is provided to outline the working structure for the Governing Body (GB) for the next school year. It is reviewed annually.

Constitution and Authority

The GB is set up as referred to in the Instrument of Government dated 1^st January 2018.
The GB abides by the regulations laid down in the Education Act 2011, The School Governance (Constitution) (England) Regulations 2016, The School Governance (Roles, Procedures and Allowances) (England) Regulations 2013, The School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009 and all associated Regulations, Guidance and Acts.
All information received by the school is disseminated to the GB via the chair as relevant. Issues are discussed and decisions taken at Full Governing Body (FGB) meetings where minutes are recorded, approved and adopted following each meeting.
A copy of the formal minutes from GB meetings are, once approved, kept in the head teacher’s office.

Agenda and Minutes of Governing Body Meetings

A calendar of dates of all GB meetings is drawn up at the last FGB of the academic year for the coming year.
Agendas are produced two weeks before the meeting, where possible, and circulated at least one week before meeting.
Suggested agenda items should be logged via the clerk who will inform the chair.
Relevant documents will be circulated with the agenda or as they become available.
Minutes will be produced and circulated as soon as possible after a meeting.

Meeting Content

Each FGB meeting shall include the following;

Head teacher’s report - given at each meeting, in writing once a term.
Governor Training - governors are given the opportunity to discuss course content, value etc.
Formal governor contact with the school – governor visit reports
Reports from committees

Committees and their Reports

General

Committee meeting dates are scheduled with the FGB meetings.
Each committee shall elect at the first meeting of the autumn term, a chair and vice chair if deemed necessary, for the ensuing year.
Each committee shall meet at least once a term unless otherwise instructed by the governing body.
The agenda and any relevant papers will be distributed seven days before a meeting of a committee.
Each meeting shall present written minutes to the next available meeting of the GB; and shall clearly indicate which matters (if any) have been resolved, and which are recommended to the GB for approval.
The chair of the GB is an ex officio member of every committee with voting rights.
The head teacher has the right to attend every meeting of all committees.
Membership is agreed at an FGB meeting.
The quorum and other membership requirements, where applicable, are approved by the FGB.
- Quorum of the Resources and Finance committee: At least three Governors (including the Head Teacher), or three Governors plus the Head Teacher’s representative, must be present for meetings to take place.
- Governors’ Discipline Committee will consist of at least three governors.
- The Headteacher Appraisal Panel (HAP) will consist of three governors. Interim reviews can proceed with two of the three governors.
- Discipline and Dismissal Panel – as per Manual of Personnel Practice guidance document.
- Appeal Panel – as per Manual of Personnel Practice guidance document.
All committees may invite members of the school staff and/or others, as appropriate, to attend one or more meetings to provide advice or to contribute to discussion.
Associate members and those “in attendance”, including the head teacher if not a member, have no voting rights.
Each full member of a committee, including the head teacher (where a governor and a member of the committee) and the Chair of the GB, has a single vote.
Each committee will include the obligation to consider the relevant parts of the School Improvement Plan
Committees will be responsible for the maintenance and approval (or recommendation to the FGB if necessary

Individual committees and usual subject matter

Resources and Finance Committees

To consider in detail the draft budget prepared to cover the ensuing financial year.
To determine whether the proposed expenditure can be contained within the forecast allocation of funds to the school and any other funds available.
To consider the proposed spread of expenditure.
To present the draft budget for agreement at an FGB meeting.
To monitor expenditure against the approved budget, using financial information provided by the school and the Local Authority.
To meet as necessary to discuss any marked divergence from the planned expenditure and recommend to the head teacher action to be taken to recover the situation. If this action involves a major revision of the budget, or the use of money earmarked for particular projects, then appropriate recommendations will be made to the FGB.
Overall monitoring and costing of the School Improvement Plan.
Review annually all policies as delegated to the committee.
To approve revisions to the teaching staff structure and associated salary levels.
To approve revisions to the non-teaching staff structure and associated salary levels.
To consider, with the head teacher, the number of staff which should be employed to meet the needs of the school within the constraints of the available budget.
To monitor the appointment of all staff below the level of deputy head teacher.
To review, as necessary, the Local Authority’s Manual of Personnel Practice and make recommendations to the GB about such matters.
To act on behalf of the GB in all matters of staff discipline and professional support.
To act on behalf of the GB in respect of any grievance issues.
To review the school’s Pay Policy and approve any special payments.
To consider any representation from the staff representatives of any recognised trade union body.
To complete the annual SFVS return.
To draft and review annually a programme of planned maintenance of the building fabric, services and grounds and for replacement furniture and equipment.
To consider the budgetary requirements for repair and maintenance.
To advise the GB on improvements and alterations to the premises and, where appropriate, to receive estimates, consultants, contractors, etc. undertaking approved works.
To monitor approved programmes and expenditure.
To prepare for the approval of the GB a policy on Health and Safety with regard to matters included in the committee’s remit and to monitor such policy.
To review the accident book each term.
To review the Single Central Records each term.
To take responsibility for governance requirements for school food, on behalf of the governing body

Working Parties and Statutory Committees

These meet as and when required.
A meeting may be called by the FGB or the chair acting on behalf of the FGB
A Chair will be elected at each sitting of the committee from those present.
Quorum and other membership requirements where applicable, are listed in the committees’ terms of reference.

Governors' Discipline Committee (GDC)

To consider parents’ representations about a suspension or permanent exclusion
To review an exclusion whenever any of the following apply: it is a permanent exclusion; it is a suspension which would bring the pupil's total number of school days out of school to more than 15 in a term; or it would result in the pupil missing a public examination or national curriculum test.
Act as another ‘set of eyes’ to review the headteacher’s decision to suspend or exclude, including reviewing whether the action taken has been carried out correctly and takes account of the needs of the child.
Decide whether to uphold the suspension or permanent exclusion, or allow the pupil to return to school immediately or on an agreed date (reinstatement)
To follow the Department of Education’s statutory guidance on suspensions and permanent exclusions and Hampshire County

Appeals Panel

To hear representations concerning an employee’s appeal against the decision of the Headteacher or governor panel and determine whether or not to uphold that appeal.
To act as the Governors’ Grievance Panel hearing representations concerning an employee’s grievance where this has not been resolved earlier in the Grievance Procedure, and in respect of disputes regarding pay where an employee disputes a decision made by the school’s pay Panel.
To follow the guidance in the Manual of Personnel Practice ‘Guidance – Governors Appeal Panel’ (attached).

Governors’ Discipline and Dismissal Panel

To hear representations concerning the potential dismissal of an employee or the imposition of a lesser sanction and determine an appropriate outcome within their delegated powers.
To follow the guidance in the Manual of Personal Practice ‘Guidance – Governors discipline – dismissal panel’ (attached).

Headteacher Appraisal Panel (HAP)

To appraise the headteacher via reviewing their performance against objectives and standards.
To follow the Manual of Personnel Practice ‘Guidance for the Headteacher Appraisal Panel (HAP) – (attached)

Delegation

The Governing Body delegates to the Head Teacher:

Operational day to day management of the school
the appointment of all teaching and support staff below the level of Deputy Head Teacher, within the present staffing structure, whilst reserving the right for a governor to be involved in interviewing panels
decisions on the remission of charges whilst reserving the right to hear appeals from parents on such decisions
management of the budget and alterations to the budget, including virements, which do not exceed £5,000 and which neither increase nor decrease total net expenditure.
the power to spend up to £5,000 on purchases in accordance with existing budget plans which have been discussed at a governors meeting. The head teacher will report to the next FGB on any such expenditure.
in principle, the authority to make contract renewal, termination and dismissal decisions in accordance with the Manual of Personnel Practice although acknowledging that there may be instances

The Governing Body delegates to the Resources Committee:

the ability to vire between the major heads of expenditure
the responsibility to consider individual items of non-staffing expenditure not exceeding £5,000 except where these have been specifically agreed by the GB as part of its approval of the budget for the year.
revisions to the teaching and non-teaching staff structures and salary levels associated therewith
all matters

Next Review Date: September 2027