Governing Body Policies and Documents
POLICY / SCHEME /Statutory**
/ Responsible Committee / Date approved by Governors / Date for review / NotesAdmissions policy/arrangements - VA, Foundation schools and Academies, / ü / To see a list of Westminster schools’ policies, use following link and insert admissions: http://www3.westminster.gov.uk/publications/ .
Also, see WCC Admissions website:
http://www.westminster.gov.uk/services/educationandlearning/schoolsandcolleges/schooladmissions/
For RC Diocesan Admissions follow link:
http://www.rcdow.org.uk/education/default_view.asp?parent_ref=229&library_ref=8&category_ref=246;
For London Diocesan Board for Schools follow link:
http://schools.london.anglican.org/60/admission-policies
Allegations of abuse against staff - procedures can be incorporated into other policies such as Safeguarding/Child Protection/Safer Recruitment / ü / Click on Safeguarding title on Areas of Responsibility tab of Governor website: http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors
Also, DfE website:
http://www.education.gov.uk/aboutdfe/advice/g0076914/dealing-with-allegations-of-abuse-against-teachers-and-other-staff
Attendance Policy
Schools are no longer required to set targets for attendance, but the DfE expects a continued focus on reducing absence and Ofsted would expect to see that absence is being appropriately monitored and addressed / See Model Policy under Guidance tab of governor website: http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors. DfE guidance:
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/pupilsupport/behaviour/attendance
Charging and remissions policy / ü / See guidance on charging for school activities on governor website:
http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors/mnu6.html
Regulations: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1999/19992255.htm
DfE guidance:
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/financialmanagement/goodpractice/b0011770/charging-school-activities/
Child protection policy / ü / To be reviewed annually.
See WCC Model Child Protection Policy on Governor and WCC website:
http://www.westminster.gov.uk/services/healthandsocialcare/familycare/safeguardingchildren/safeguarding-in-education/
Collective worship policy
All maintained schools must provide religious education (RE) and a daily act of collective worship for their pupils. Parents have the right to withdraw their child from RE and collective worship / Teachernet guidance on model policy:
http://tna.europarchive.org/20110202103730/http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/atoz/c/collectiveworshippolicy/
Also, see Westminster SACRE website: http://webfronter.com/westminster/RE
Complaints policy / procedure / ü / See Complaints Procedure under Guidance / Other guidance & useful documents on Westminster Governor Website:
http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors/mnu6.html
Curriculum policy (including teaching and learning policy)
No longer statutory from Sept 2012 but schools must publish details on-line on curriculum provision, content and approach, by year and by subject. There may be other non statutory policies that the school may have, eg, homework and e-safety policies. / Draft School Information Regulations:
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/toolsandinitiatives/cuttingburdens/b0075738/reducing-bureaucracy/requirements/changestoschoolinformationregulations
Finance Scheme of Delegation* / See Westminster sample scheme of delegation on Westminster Governor Website: http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors/mnu6.html
Also SFVS:
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/financialmanagement/schools%20financial%20value%20standard/a00192114/schools-financial-value-standard-sfvs
Freedom of Information Act (FOI), Model Publication scheme and Data Protection Policy / ü / http://www.ico.gov.uk/tools_and_resources/document_library/freedom_of_information.aspx
DfE guidance and link to Data Protection:
http://www.education.gov.uk/aboutdfe/foi/a00300/about-the-freedom-of-information-publication-scheme
The Data Protection Policy should ensure compliance with current data protection legislation and should be reviewed every two years (Data Protection Act 1998, with consideration to the 8 data protection principles in Schedule 1)
Equality information and objectives (Public Sector Equality Duty)
Under specific duties governing bodies are required to draw up equality objectives every four years and annually publish information demonstrating how they are meeting the aims of the public sector equality duty / ü / DfE guidance:
http://www.education.gov.uk/aboutdfe/policiesandprocedures/equalityanddiversity/a0064570/the-equality-act-2010
See Accessibility Plan below for additional info & Model Disability Equality Scheme: Westminster Governor Website under guidance/policies: http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors/mnu6.html
A model policy can be found on the Insted Consultancy website:
http://www.insted.co.uk/equalities.html
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) – those delivering the EYFS are required to have policies and procedures on a range of issues covering learning and development, safeguarding and welfare. This will be covered by such policies so do not require a specific EYFS policy. / EYFS Profile Assessment / Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage:
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/curriculum/a0068102/early-years-foundation-stage-eyfs http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/e/eyfs%20statutory%20framework%20march%202012.pdf
Governors’ Allowances Scheme (where the GB has agreed to pay) / ü / See NGA’s Paying Governors’ Allowances Model Policy under Guidance/Model Policies on Westminster Governor Website:
http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors; DfE guidance:
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/governance/a0056710/governor-allowances-and-expenses-an-overview
Health and safety policy - including risk assessments, school visits/off-site activities policy and procedures, emergency evacuation procedures, first aid, administration of medication and premises management (some aspects eg, asbestos, fire safety, statutory testing). / ü / H&S documents and links can be found on the governor website under Area of Responsibility tab, H&S: http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors
DfE guidance:
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/healthandsafety
DfE Guidance on Compliance Monitoring for Council Buildings:
www.fedps.org.uk/compliance_monitoring.pdf (Academies and free schools have sole responsibility for buildings. For maintained schools, both the LA and school have responsibility for repair and maintenance of premises.)
Performance Appraisal and Capability Policy / Policies / ü / DfE Model Policy:
http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/model%20policy%20january%202012%20pdf%20version.pdf
Behaviour Policy, including pupil discipline and anti-bullying policy, plus a written statement of behaviour principles / ü / DfE ensuring good behaviour in schools:
http://www.education.gov.uk/aboutdfe/advice/f0076882/ensuring-good-behaviour-in-schools . Anti-bullying guidance:
http://www.education.gov.uk/aboutdfe/advice/f0076899/preventing-and-tackling-bullying
Anti-bullying Alliance: http://www.abatoolsforschools.org.uk/default.aspx
Special Educational Needs policy / ü / Latest DfE information: http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/pupilsupport/sen
Sex education policy / ü / See DfE website:
http://www.education.gov.uk/aboutdfe/statutory/g00214676/sex-and-relationships-education-guidance
Staff discipline, conduct and grievance procedures - there may be other staff related policies which the school may wish to adopt such as Dignity at work Bullying & Harassment procedure and Code of Conduct / ü / Contact your HR provider
See Dignity at Work and Harassment, Model Policy, on Westminster Governor Website under guidance/model policies:
http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors and Code of Conduct info on Governor Website under guidance / code of conduct and practice:
http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors
Teachers’ pay policy / ü
Whistle blowing policy * / See Westminster Governor Website, guidance/model policies:
http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors
Governor Visits Policy / See Westminster Governor Website, guidance/self evaluation:
http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors
Lettings Policy *
DOCUMENTS
Accessibility PlanSee also Equality Information with reference to disability / ü / Refer to Equality Policy for meeting the needs of disability in schools. Also:
https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/publicationDetail/Page1/LEA%200168%202002 . To be reviewed every three years.
Annual report to parents (nursery schools only) / ü
Committee Terms of Reference / ü / See Westminster Governor Website, guidance/self evaluation:
http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors/mnu6.html
Contingency / Emergency Plan – for responding to emergencies / See WCC Governor website under Guidance, Model Policies:
http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors/ and WCC Emergency website: http://webfronter.com/westminster/emergency/
Consistent Financial Report * / ü / Still required under the new CFR regulations:
http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/c/consistent%20financial%20reporting%20regulations%202012.pdf
Governing body (and committees) agendas, papers and minutes* / ü
Home-school agreement / ü / http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/pupilsupport/parents/involvement/hsa/a0014718/home-school-agreements
Instrument of government / ü / Instruments can be found on the Governor Website under Guidance/ Instruments of Government: http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors/
Ofsted report / ü / http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/
Parenting Contracts and Orders for Behaviour and Attendance if school proposes to use these / http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/pupilsupport/behaviour/parents/a0010301/parental-measures-for-behaviour-and-attendance
Register of Business Interests * / ü / See Governor Website under Guidance / Other Guidance & Useful Documents: http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors/
Register of pupils/ attendance / ü
Staffing structure (linked to pay policy) / ü
Central Record of Recruitment and Vetting checks (CRB Register and register of staff qualifications)* / ü / See Governor Website under Guidance / Other Guidance & Useful Documents: http://webfronter.com/westminster/governors/
School Development / Improvement Plan / Ofsted will expect to see the school’s SIP and will look for links in it to the budget and performance management.
School Self Evaluation / Ofsted will expect to see evidence of the school’s self evaluation. This is no longer prescriptive but up to individual schools to produce.
Target setting - end of key stage and attendance: No longer a statutory requirement but Ofsted will expect to see challenging targets set by the school for pupil performance and attendance / DfE guidance:
http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/2/2012%20target%20setting%20guidance.pdf
ON-LINE DOCUMENTS
School Information to be available on-line from September 2012Schools are required to publish certain the following information for parents online:
· Pupil Premium allocation, use and impact on attainment
· curriculum provision, content and approach, by academic year and by subject
· admission arrangements
· the school's policy in relation to behaviour, charging, and SEN and disability provision
· links to Ofsted reports and to the Department’s achievement and attainment performance data; and details of thee school’s latest Key Stage 2 and 4 attainment and progress measures. / ü / http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/toolsandinitiatives/cuttingburdens/b0075738/reducing-bureaucracy/requirements/changestoschoolinformationregulations
* Key policies & documents required for achieving the SFVS
** Statutory Requirements apply to all Local Authority maintained schools. Academies and Free Schools have greater freedoms than maintained schools in relation to school policies and other documents. Arrangements relating to these schools are outlined in legislation or in their funding agreements, which may vary between individual Academies and Free Schools
See also: DfE Guidance: Policies and other Documents that Governing bodies and Proprietors are required to have by Law
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/toolsandinitiatives/cuttingburdens/a00201669/statutory-policies-for-schools-
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December 2012