School closure - do Governors have a say?

[CanAnyMother]

Reading about schools closing, against government guidance, I was wondering who makes that decision - is this something that governors should be discussing?

Asking because I am a governor at my DC’s primary school and we haven’t had any discussions whatsoever about school starting! Kids due back on Tuesday. I have messaged the Chair a couple of times to ask what is going on, and to offer support/help, but have been politely told not to get involved...

I only joined last year, so still trying to work out when I can/should express my views outside of the scheduled meetings.

Would be very grateful for advice! Feels a bit negligent to just sit back and do nothing - but on the other hand I appreciate the Head is super stressed and may not want Governors chipping in left, right and centre...

I would assume the governors can't get involved if education staff do a section 44. You cannot influence their decision any more than a HT is allowed.

You maybe asked to get involved if it means school closes for Face to face for all and reverts to KW and vulnerable and remote learning for the rest. Mainly to support timetables etc.

The role of governors is strategic not operational. They hold school leaders to account for but would not routinely be involved in this sort of decision making. Our HT will update governors tomorrow after SLT have “met” over Teams.

I am a school Governor. We have been consulted with regards to our primary school closure but ultimately the decision was taken out of our hands as lots of staff handed in the union letters so we have had to close KS1 and reception as not enough staff to run safely.

We're strategic oversight, remember? The decision lies with the headteacher, our position is to scrutinise how that decision was made and, crucially, offer the maximum support. No headteacher closes a school on a whime.

Or a whim. Bloody auto correct, why would it change that?

It's an operational matter for the Head Teacher. Not one for Governors.

Useful to be updated but I would imagine the HT has more pressing issues to deal with

My husband is a governor for our school and has had no communication regarding closures.

They are opening in full though. Our next closest school is closed. We’re a 1 form entry though and they’re 3, so we have an advantage numbers wise. Our rate per 100k is 203, and we’re in tier 3. As pointed out in an email earlier, our rates are lower now than in October.

Our Chair of Governors is a GP so would hope his opinion about the local rates might be asked when the SLT make their decision

OK thank you - that is very helpful.

For what it is worth I would support the teachers doing a section 44 (but clearly it isn’t my place to get involved).

If the school does close I am keen to make sure that decent remote learning provision is delivered (which might be operational but surely the standard of education provided IS a matter for the Governing body?)

The decision on running the school is down to the HT not governors. The governors can support the HT but shouldn’t get involved in the day to day operations of the school. Including whether they remain open or closed.

I’m a governor too, our HT is keeping us all in the loop but it’s her call and that if the staff, not ours, we can voice or raise concerns but none of us have as we know she’s doing her best for the staff and children and don’t see any reason why we should make her job even harder.

Governors should be asking the right questions about remote education and holding school leaders to account. It is definitely their role to ask tough questions and push for the best possible provision but they would not be involved in the process of planning the remote provision or deciding what form it should take.

Completely agree about not making life harder for the HT - that is why I haven’t contacted them! Just feels strange not to have heard anything from them (for context we are Tier 4 and Gov has closed schools in neighbouring areas).

However the consensus is pretty clear, so I will stop worrying that I should be doing more. Grateful for the advice.