Categories of School Governor

In the current educational landscape, there are many different types of schools. It follows that there are different categories of governance boards and different types of governors. However, governance at all levels should ensure that Church Schools develop, embed and live out their own Christian vision for the education of the whole person, embracing excellence and academic rigor within the wider framework of spiritual, physical, intellectual, emotional, moral and social development. Click here to read the DBE vision for education.

Types of Governance Boards

Maintained Schools
If a school is maintained by the local authority (also known as a maintained school), it will have one governance board. Sometimes, maintained schools formally group together into a federation. In this case, there may be one federation governance board for all the schools in the federation.

Academy Trusts (ATs)
All schools in the Exeter Diocese that are Academies are a part of an Academy Trust. Academy Trusts will have layers of governance with the directors as the accountable body. Academy Trusts have the legal status of companies and are also charitable trusts.This means directors have the responsibilities of both company directors and charity trustees. In Academy Trusts there is usually a local committee for each academy or group of academies. Each Academy Trust will have a scheme of delegated authority that determines which responsibilities lie with which level of governance.

The Academy Trust will also have Academy Trust members. Members’ main responsibilities are normally to further the trust’s charitable objects; appoint directors and hold directors to account for the successful governance of the trust. The role of members is analogous to that of shareholders in a commercial company, although Academy Trusts do not have shares. Members of an Academy Trust do not have rights of ownership in the company like shareholders because the profits of the company cannot be distributed to them.  However, the members can control changes in the constitution (subject to DfE approval) and other fundamental decisions relating to the Academy Trust.

Categories of Governance
The composition of the governance boards varies from school to school and is determined by the schools Instrument of Government or the Academy Trusts Articles of Association. Governance boards have a combination of appointed or elected governors or directors.

Parent (maintained schools): Elected from among parents of children and young people at the school or across the federation.

Staff (maintained schools): Elected from among the teaching and non-teaching staff at the school.  The headteacher is an ex-officio member of the governance boards of a maintained school.

Local Authority: (maintained schools). Nominated by the governance board and appointed by local authorities (Devon, Torbay and Plymouth).

Co-opted: Appointed by members of the governance boards/board of directors.

Foundation: Foundation governors and directors represent the historic link with the original foundation of the school and its distinctive religious character. All Church of England Schools and Academy Trusts that include CofE schools are required to have foundation governors or directors.

Foundation governors (maintained schools): Appointed by the Diocesan Board of Education or other organisations as specified in the Instrument of Government.  One of the foundation governors is ex-officio (has the right of office) and the position is usually undertaken by the incumbent of the parish.

Foundation directors in Academy Trusts: Members appoint foundation directors in academies, as specified in the Articles of Association. Directors appoint foundation governors on local academy committees.

Associate members (maintained schools): Appointed by the governance boards to add the right skills and expertise to committees of the governance boards. Associate members are non-voting for decisions of the full governance boards but can vote at committee level.

Before matching prospective governors with a vacancy, the school/Academy Trust and/or the diocese will talk with them to find out what skills they have and what they are looking for. We will always do our best to match a position which best suits the circumstances and preferences of an individual.