GOVERNANCE PROFESSIONAL

Core Responsibilities

Knowledge and Understanding

• Know the features of effective governance and the board’s governance structure and core functions.  Understand how their role fits in to this
• Understand key national education policies and the local education context in which the board is operating
• Know the board’s duties under legislation and statutory guidance
• Understand the importance of the board adhering to and promoting the school’s internal procedures
• Understand the school’s governance structure, including legal structure and constitution
• Understand the principles of records management and have working knowledge of the Data Protection Act and Freedom of Information Act
• Understand the board’s accountability to and relationship with other bodies (e.g., the Department for Education, ESFA and Ofsted)
• Know the board’s code of conduct and strategic priorities 
• Understand the school’s culture, values and ethos
• Know which information about pupil performance and financial management will be used by the board to hold leaders to account
• Know the requirements of charity and company law
• Know the trust’s funding agreement(s) and articles of association

Administration

• Check that meetings are quorate, and if not, provide appropriate advice on how to proceed
• Establish and maintain efficient procedures for meetings, sharing documents in a timely manner
• Promote the use of project management tools (including risk registers) to support the chair
• Ensure that board papers are clear and accurate, and that minute’s capture discussion points, decisions and actions 
• Submit draft minutes to the Chair and Head Teacher within agreed timeframes
• Challenge the board if meetings are not conducted in a proper or orderly manner
• Support the chair in identifying priorities and upcoming issues when planning meetings and work with the Chair and Head Teacher to prepare agendas
• Evaluate administrative procedures to ensure effectiveness, adapting these where necessary
• Prepare thoroughly for meetings and ensure that outstanding action points are acted on
• Maintain or help maintain accurate registers (e.g., register of interests / database of names, addresses and category of governors / members and their terms of office)
• Coordinate the on-boarding of new governors, including ensuring that sufficient checks have been conducted (e.g., DBS / references)
• Keep a record of core documents (e.g., signed minutes, Terms of reference and membership of committees)
• Ensure the safe custody of any corporate seals
• Establish and administer procedures for filling vacancies on the board
• Keep a record of governors’ attendance 
• Chair that part of the meeting at which the Chair of Governors is elected
• Create and maintain a list of statutory policies and their review status, flagging items requiring review in a timely manner
• Clerk any statutory appeal committees / panels the governing body is required to convene
• Perform other relevant duties as agreed with the Chair of Governors / Head Teacher
• Understand the principles of confidentiality and apply this to their own work and that of the board
• Have an eye for detail and excellent proofreading skills
• Use technology effectively to streamline the board’s processes (e.g., GovernorHub)
• Communicate information clearly, logically and impartially by using a range of presentation methods as appropriate
• Have a systematic approach to managing documentation and other records that meets legal requirements for records management
• Have excellent time management and interpersonal skills 
• Remain calm and maintain a high standard of work under pressure
   

Advice and Guidance

• Provide appropriate information for the board and check the credibility of sources
• Update the board on changes to legal or statutory requirements / procedural matters
• Access third-party guidance on behalf of the board where necessary
• Inform the board about training and development opportunities
• Provide clear, logical and impartial advice to the board
• Clearly explain difficult concepts, including information on the board’s legal duties
• Understand the principles of conflicts of interest, and can advise the board on managing these
• Understand how and when to escalate concerns where there is non-compliance or suspected misconduct
• Speak out where the board is overstepping its strategic role or is not following the code of conduct
   

People and Relationships

• Build effective professional relationships with the board, external contacts and others
• Use appropriate influencing skills to gain the board’s confidence
• Establish effective channels of communication with the board, the wider school and any external contacts and partners
• Contribute to discussions about the design of governance committees and structures
• Advise the board when governors’ terms of office end in a timely manner, and assess the effect this will have on the board’s skills mix
• Establish and facilitate transparent procedures to fill vacancies
• Help the board to create a culture in which challenge is welcomed
• Support the board when conducting self-evaluation exercises
• Remain committed to improving own performance and that of others involved in governance, taking advantage of opportunities to attend training and development
• Inform the Board of Governors and the EFA of any changes to the membership.
   

The School

"Hoe Valley School is an inspiring environment at the heart of its community where every student's experience is personalised. Our students will learn to think independently, pursue their ambitions and achieve to their highest potential."

Hoe Valley School is:

• An oversubscribed secondary school that opened in September 2015 to serve the local community of South Woking
• Rated 'Outstanding' by Ofsted in March 2024
• Delivering innovative and exciting lessons to Years 7 - 13
• Committed to ensuring our students leave us with excellent academic outcomes, the skills to be 'work-ready' and the traits of excellent global citizens
• Following the National Curriculum, where Maths and English are taught everyday
• A Google School with ICT fully embedded in all curriculum areas
• Continuing to build a STEAM-focussed academic Sixth Form, which opened September 2023
• Committed to learning which is relevant with links to the 'real world' of business, higher education and the local community
• In a state of the art, new School completed in September 2018 on Egley Road, Woking
• Committed to supporting our staff to have a good work/life balance by offering longer school holidays, bespoke CPD programmes, minimising paperwork and meetings, and ultimately by trusting our staff to deliver excellent outcomes