Clerk to the Governing Body

We are looking to recruit a part time Clerk to the Governing Body for September 2022.  Hours are negotiable but will include some evening work.  

The Clerk to the Governing Body will be:

• Responsible to the Secretary of the Academy Trust, who will be their Line Manager, working effectively with the Chair of Governors and with the Headteacher and other Governors;

• responsible for advising the Governing Body on constitutional matters, duties and powers and the broad current legislative framework;

• responsible for securing the  continuity of Governing Body business and observe confidentiality requirements.

The Clerk to the Governing Body will be responsible for the following duties:

Meetings 

• work effectively with the Chair, Headteacher and committee Chairs  before full Governing Body meetings and Governors’ committee meetings to prepare a purposeful agenda which takes account of government issues and is focused on school improvement;

• ensure the Headteacher and others produce agenda papers on time;

• produce, collate and distribute agenda papers for full Governing Body meetings and committee meetings within agreed time frame;

• prepare briefing papers for the Governing Body as necessary;

• produce termly planner of meetings and cycle of agenda items for meetings of the Governing Body and its committees;

• record the attendance of Governors at the meeting and take appropriate action re absences;

• advise the Governing Body on governance legislation and procedural matters where necessary;

• take minutes at all Governing Body meetings, including committee meetings, indicating who is responsible for any agreed action;

• record all decisions accurately and objectively with timescales for actions;

• send draft minutes to the Chair and Headteacher for amendment/approval by the Chair;

• email the approved draft to all Governors within the timescale agreed with the Governing Body and include hard copies with agenda papers for the next meeting;

• advise absent Governors of the date of the next meeting and ensure they receive any tabled papers;

• keep a minute book or file of signed minutes as an archive record;

• liaise with the Chair and Headteacher prior to the next meeting to receive an update on progress of actions agreed previously by the Governing Body;

• Help the secretary of the Trust to organise the part of the meeting at which the Chair is elected.

General

• manage the elections of parents and staff Governors;

• be the named person in exclusion letters for parents/carers to contact if necessary and in case of appeals;

• clerk Exclusions, Complaint ,Disciplinary and Appeal Panels;

• maintain a file of relevant DfE and other relevant documents;

• maintain archive materials;

• To ensure compliance, organise and collate the declarations of interest register.

Membership

• advise the Governing Body on procedural issues;

• have access to appropriate legal advice, support and guidance;

• ensure that new Governors have copies of the Governing Body’s Articles of Association, the Academy Trust Handbook and any other relevant information;

• participate in and contribute to the training of Governors in areas appropriate to the clerking role;

• ensure that statutory policies are in place and revised regularly and that an up to date file is kept in school of policies and procedures approved by the Governing Body;

• send an updated list of policies to all Governors at least annually, ensuring that those policies on the school website are the most current;

• deal with any correspondence that the Chair may require eg response to parents’ complaints or queries and maintain records of Governing Body correspondence;

• maintain an up to date contact list of governing body members.

Professional Development

• Undertake appropriate professional development;

• keep up-to-date with current educational developments and legislation affecting school governance.