St Francis Catholic Primary School a Voluntary Academy

Governing Body 2020-2021

Named Governors:

Safeguarding : Mrs J Reynard

Looked After Children: Mrs J Reynard

Pupil Premium: Mrs J Reynard

SEND:  Mrs R Clarke

Catholic Life, Parish and Communities: Fr A Jackson

Leadership and Management: Mrs R Clarke

Standards and Achievement: Mrs R Clarke

Business, Finance and Health & Safety: Mrs S Laptew

Behaviour and Attendance: Mrs S Laptew

Teaching, Learning and Staffing: Mrs R Clarke

St Francis Catholic Primary School

Resources Committee

Remit and Terms of Reference:

Finance, Staffing, Premises and Health & Safety

September 2019

Role of the Committee

• To assist the governing body in directing the management of the school budget in support of the school development plan.
• To assist the governing body in fulfilling its statutory responsibilities for all staff employed in school and to generate the best professional environment within which all staff contribute to raising the attainment of pupils.

Terms of Reference

• To ensure the annual budget plan is prepared in support of the school development plan and presented with any options for consideration by the governing body.
• To monitor overall expenditure and the budget position and provide an outline budget statement for the governing body each term.
• To advise other committees and the governing body of the financial implications of matters they are considering.
• To advise the governing body on ways of maximising school income.
• To ensure that a register of governors’ interests is maintained and regularly updated.
• To review the school staff establishment in relation to the school development plan whenever a vacancy occurs, and at least annually.
• To make recommendations about the school staff establishment to the governing body for school budget planning and other purposes.
• To determine in accordance with the school pay policy the level of salary for new appointments to all posts.
• To advise the governing body on the level of governor involvement in the recruitment and selection of staff. Any appointments panel (excluding the appointment of Headteacher) to include the Headteacher or his/her representative.
• To ensure that all decisions about staff pay comply with national performance management regulations and the governing body’s ‘whole-school’ pay policy.
• To ensure that each member of staff has a clear job description and contract of employment.
• To consider applications from staff for leave of absence outside any scheme adopted by the governing body, early retirement, or other matters not covered by school management arrangements or governing body policies.
• To recommend and review the procedures for dealing with staff discipline and grievance and ensure all staff are informed of them.
• To review the ‘in-service’ training needs of all staff with the Headteacher, and in relation to the school development plan, and to monitor how well these are being met.
• To ensure that in regard to equal opportunities the requirements of legislation relating to gender, race and disability are met, and to consider matters relating to age.
• To ensure that in regard to health & safety the requirements of legislation are met and guidelines/standards are strictly adhered to.
• To ensure that arrangements exist for the deployment of non-governing body employees at the school

Level of Delegation

1. Financial

The head teacher has delegated powers to spend up to £5000 at any one time on non-recurring items without prior reference to the Resources Committee.
The Resources Committee has delegated powers to approve:

• Decisions on all other expenditure and on any question of money being vired between budget headings

The governing body retains its powers:

• To consider and approve the school annual budget plan
• To consider audit reports on the school

2. Personnel

Powers of decision making on school personnel matters are delegated to the committee as described in the Terms of Reference. The following functions are retained by the governing body:

• to approve the school staff establishment
• to review the salary of the Executive Headteacher and Head of School in line with national performance management regulations and the governing body’s whole-school pay policy;

The following functions are delegated to the head teacher:

• to authorise any leave of absence for staff within any scheme adopted by the governing body
• to appoint temporary supply staff
• to make all necessary arrangements for the appointment of staff which have been agreed by the committee or governing body
• to approve the working of overtime
• to take necessary urgent action on staffing issues in consultation with the chair of the committee.

3. Premises/Health and Safety

Powers of decision making on premises matters are delegated to the committee, with the exception of the following functions which are retained by the governing body:

• to consider recommendations from the committee for improvements or alterations to the school premises not contained within the agreed budget
• to approve tenders and expenditure for all building or civil engineering contracts in excess of £25,000 which is to be funded from the schools delegated budget

The following functions are delegated to the head teacher:

• to be responsible for day to day minor repairs and maintenance
• to manage the arrangements for letting school premises
• to liaise with contractors where such work is funded from the school budget
• to manage the day to day health and safety arrangements on school premises

This Committee will deal with any other item outside of its usual remit at the direction of the Governing Body or in cases of urgency by the Chair/Vice chair in consultation with the Headteacher with full delegated responsibility

Reporting

The minutes of all committee meetings will be made available to the clerk to the governors for circulation with the governing body agenda.

The chair of the committee will report to the governing body at one meeting each term.

Membership

• Three to six governors (named) and the head teacher

• Voting rights restricted to governors only

• The Chair of the Committee will be a member of the Committee and is appointed by the Committee at its first meeting in the school year 
• Each committee must appoint a clerk, which cannot be the head teacher, to arrange meetings, take notes and ensure that minutes are drawn up for approval by the Chair of the Committee

Quorum

• A minimum of three governors, this can include the Head Teacher.

External Advisers

• Other people employed by the School, or otherwise, may be invited to attend the committee to give expert advice. These people do not have voting rights.

Review

• All the above to be reviewed by the Resources Committee at its first meeting in the school year.

Chair of the committee ……………………………………………………………………………….

Clerk to the committee ………………………………………………………………………………..

Date committee established …………………………………………………………………………...

Terms of reference agreed on …………………………………………………………………………