Clerk to Governors

Job Purpose

• Provide professional advice andadministrative support to the Governing Body.
• Help ensure that governance arrangements arelawful, effective and properly recorded.
• Manage governance information accurately,securely and confidentially.

Key responsibilities

1. Governanceadvice

• Advise the Governing Bodyon governance legislation, constitutional requirements and meeting procedures.
• Act as the main point of contactfor governors on procedural and governance matters.
• Keep governors informed ofrelevant legal, regulatory or school-status changes and seek specialist advicewhere needed.
• Promote effectivegovernance practice, including self-evaluation, succession planning and skillsdevelopment.
• Support the review andapproval of statutory policies and the annual governance calendar.
• Provide inductioninformation and guidance for new governors and governors taking on additionalroles.

2. Meetingadministration

• Maintain an annual meetingand work planner, including required agenda items and governance deadlines.
• Work with the Chair,Headteacher and School Business Manager to prepare focused agendas forGoverning Body and committee meetings.
• Circulate agendas andsupporting papers at least seven days before meetings, unless exceptionalcircumstances apply.
• Confirm that meetings arequorate and record attendance, apologies and declarations of interest.
• Produce clear and accuratedraft minutes, including decisions, actions, responsible persons andtimescales.
• Send draft minutes forreview, circulate approved drafts to relevant people and follow up agreedactions.

3. Membership,compliance and development

• Maintain accurate recordsof governor membership, terms of office, categories, appointments andvacancies.
• Alert governors andappointing bodies before terms of office expire and support parent and staffgovernor elections.
• Provide procedural supportfor the election of the Chair and Vice-Chair, including chairing the relevantpart of the meeting where required.
• Maintain registers ofbusiness and pecuniary interests and support appropriate Disclosure and BarringService checks.
• Maintain records ofattendance and training, issue reminders and advise the Chair of any potentialdisqualification or compliance concern.
• Coordinate skills auditsand identify training or recruitment needs.

4. Informationand records management

• Maintain accurategovernance records, including contact details, terms of office, committeemembership, terms of reference and nominated governor roles.
• Keep the Key Governors Hub,Get Information about Schools (GIAS) record and relevant governance informationup to date.
• Maintain signed minutes,correspondence, approved policies, guidance and archive records in line withretention and confidentiality requirements.
• Publish or share governanceinformation with the school website, local authority or other bodies asrequired or agreed.

5. Additionalduties

• Respond appropriately togovernance enquiries from staff, families and external contacts, referringoperational matters to the correct person.
• Clerk statutory appealcommittees or panels where this forms part of the agreed role; otherwisesupport the Governing Body to arrange suitable clerking.
• Prepare briefing papers andcontribute to governor training where appropriate.
• Undertake other reasonablegovernance-related duties agreed with the Governing Body.

6. Professionaldevelopment

• Keep up to date witheducation, governance and legislative developments.
• Complete relevant trainingand participate in performance management.