Code of Practice for Governors

This code sets out the expectations of, and commitment required from, governors in order for the Local Academy Board to properly carry out its work within the academy and the community.

The Local Academy Board:

 For the Local Academy Board to carry out its role effectively, governors must be:

• Prepared and equipped to take their responsibilities seriously;
• Willing and able to monitor and review their own performance.

The role of a governor

 As a sub-committee of the trust Board the Local Academy Board is a corporate body, which means:

• No governor can act on her/his own without proper authority from the Local Academy Board ;
• All governors carry equal responsibility for decisions made, and 
• Although appointed through different routes (i.e. parents, staff, community, co- option), the overriding concern of all governors has to be the welfare of the academy as a whole.

General

• We understand the purpose of the Local Academy Board and the role of the Headteacher as set out in these Terms of
• We are aware of and accept the Nolan seven principles of public life.
• We accept that we have no legal authority to act individually, except when the Local Academy Board has given us delegated authority to do so, and therefore we will only speak on behalf of the Local Academy Board when we have been specifically authorised to do so.
• We have a duty to act fairly and without prejudice, and in so far as we have responsibility for staff, we will fulfill all that is expected.
• We will encourage open governance and will act appropriately.
• We accept collective responsibility for all decisions made by the Local Academy Board or the Trust Board. This means that we will not speak against majority decisions outside Local Academy Board meetings.
• We will consider carefully how our decisions may affect the community and others.
• We will always be mindful of our responsibility to maintain and develop the ethos and reputation of our Our actions within the academy and the local community will reflect this.
• In making or responding to criticism or complaints affecting the academy we will follow the procedures  established by the Trust.

 Commitment

• We acknowledge that accepting office as a governor involves the commitment of significant amounts of time and energy.
• We will each involve ourselves actively in the work of the Local Academy Board, and accept our fair share of responsibilities, including service on committees or working groups.
• We will not go beyond our duties or act outside of the powers of authority  conveyed on us through the Scheme of Delegation, and acknowledge that were we to do so we could be held liable to the Trust and/or third parties.
• We will make full efforts to attend all meetings and where we cannot attend provide apologies in advance.
• We will get to know the academy well and respond to opportunities to involve ourselves in academy activities.
• Our visits to academy will be arranged in advance with the staff and undertaken within the framework established by the Local Academy Board and agreed with the Headteacher.
• We will consider seriously our individual and collective needs for training and development, and will undertake relevant agencies.
• We are committed to actively supporting  and challenging the Headteacher.

Relationships

• We will strive to work as a team in which constructive working relationships are actively promoted.
• We will express views openly, courteously and respectfully in all our communications with other governors.
• We will support the chairperson in their role of ensuring appropriate conduct both at meetings and at all times.
• We are prepared to answer queries from other governors in relation to delegated functions and take into account any concerns expressed, and we will acknowledge the time, effort and skills that have been committed to the delegated function by those involved.
• We will seek to develop effective working relationships with the Headteacher, staff and parents, the local communities, including local schools and other relevant agencies.

 Confidentiality

• We will observe complete confidentiality when matters are deemed confidential or where they concern specific members of staff or students, both inside or outside of the academy.
• We will exercise the greatest prudence at all times when discussions regarding academy business arise outside a Local Academy Board meeting.
• We will not reveal the details of any Local Academy Board vote.

Conflicts of interest

 We will record any pecuniary or other business interest that we have in connection with the Local Academy Board or Trust’s business in the Register of Business Interests, which will subsequently be published on the Academy’s website.

• We will declare any pecuniary interest, or a personal interest which could be perceived as a conflict of interest in a matter under discussion at a meeting and offer to leave the meeting for the appropriate length of time.

Breach of this code of practice

• If we believe this code has been breached, we will raise this issue with the chairperson and they, or their nominee, will investigate; the Trust will only use suspension as a last resort after seeking to resolve any difficulties or disputes in more constructive ways;
• We understand that any allegation of a material breach of this code of practice by any governor shall be raised with the Trust Board, and, if agreed to be substantiated by a majority of Trustees, shall be recorded in the minutes of said meeting and can lead to consideration of suspension and/or removal from the Local Academy Board.

Undertaking:

As a member of the Local Academy Board I will always have the well-being of the children and the reputation of the Academy and the Trust at heart; I will do all I can to be an ambassador for the academy and Trust, publicly supporting its aims, values and ethos; I will never say or do anything publicly that would embarrass the academy, Trust, the Local Academy Board, the  Headteacher or staff.