Clerk to Governors

Woodlands School; West Alvington; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

Woodlands School is seeking a Clerk to the Governing Body to provide professional governance advice and administrative support. This role ensures that governance arrangements are lawful, effective and properly recorded, while maintaining confidential governance information.

You will manage meeting administration, maintain records, and support induction and development for governors. The post offers full-time hours and on-site engagement at the school in the United Kingdom.

Responsibilities

• Governance advice for the Governing Body.
• Act as main point of contact for governors on procedural and governance matters.
• Keep governors informed of legal, regulatory or school-status changes and seek specialist advice.

Job description

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.