School Governors - whats the protocol?

[bacon]

I have a list of issues I have with our "satisfactory" church school which I want to address to the next school governors meeting yet I have no idea when these meetings are.

I have read that they are supposed to meet up once a term and surely issue minutes. Yet we haven't received anything since the last parent rep was appointed over one year ago.

Surely these people are accountable to the parents and what's said and agreed. Are the minutes supposed to be on the school website????

Just would like the facts of what the School governors are supposed to do please.

Littlefish - it is considered best practice for the minutes of GB meetings to be held in school rather than off the premises.

First of all you are inspected by Estyn, this is not Ofsted but a separate and imho not as politically accountable as Ofsted... as far a Estyn are concerned satisfactory still means that, it has not lost status as it has with Ofsted.

Next, you have a complaint, therefore you need to ask for a copy of the complaints policy from the school. This will explain the procedure, if you escalate directly to the Chair, they will ask you to go through the procedure, this is for your benefit and the school to ensure that everyone is properly heard and due process is undertaken.

Some of the issues which you have mentioned will not come under a school policy, parking for example will not have a policy however there may well be local good practices which is observed.

Minutes have to be accessible but they do not have to be published once they are agreed, although that would be considered to be good practice. If you ask at the school office they should be able to provide a copy of the Part 1 minutes... Part 2 or confidential minutes are also available however the copy my need to be redacted should a child or member of staff be identifiable.

You also have the right to ask for physical or electronic copy of any of the school policies.

Finally you have no right to ask for any item to be added to the agenda, this decision rests between the CoG and the Clerk.

Magdelene - I realise that, but our school secretary would not provide copies of them. To get copies, you would put in a request to the clerk (or check the website).

Side issues: what don't you like about Forest school status?

I'm trying to figure out what OP means with putting satisfactory in quotes, does OP mean that it's a terrible school that doesn't even deserve a satisfactory rating?

Op you could write a letter to your head summarising the issues you have. You could c.c. this to chair of governors and he/she can discuss this with the head or take any issues that they feel are relevant to the g.b. I would also arrange a meeting with the head to discuss your concerns.

You could also raise issues with the Parent Governor as he/she is your elected representative.

That is not the case - the parent governor is simply a governor who is a parent.

You should be able to see the policies and minutes if you ask at the school office. Many schools have copies on their website together with a list of the governors.

You could ask for a meeting with the chair to address your questions - or maybe send them a written list to start with.

I have a meeting with my sons school next week (governors) i have asked to sound record for my records. Is this allowed please?

Why are you meeting with the governors paulcoz33?

If the governors are agreeable, then you may record, however I think it unlikely that they will agree, not sure that I would agree to it, if I am honest. I am assuming that they are hearing a complaint that you have raised and as such there will be a minute taker at the meeting who is usually the clerk to the governors and is there to advise the governors on due process.

Such meetings are not usually reported verbatim... am at a loss as to why you would want to record, if you are not happy with the school's minute taker, bring your own.

Can someone clarify something for me please, I have gone into the school to take a copy of the last and released to public minutes from the governors meeting. But I was told the "rules" state I'm not allowed to copy them I am only allowed to read them in school. Issue is my husband who wanted to read them with me works 6 days a week and his day off is when the school is shut. Is this a real rule or not?

I think the minutes have to be available for inspection to pretty much anyone who asks. This doesn't however mean that you can insist that whoever's behind reception drops everything to make you a photocopy, as the office won't necessarily hold multiple copies. You could ask the clerk to the governors to email you the minutes, perhaps. Might be easier than wrestling with school admin who probably don't have anything to do with governor activity, and possibly doesn't feel comfortable with letting this info out of the building.

Hi there I have recently sent an email of concern asking for advise to the governers the admin team forwarded my email. I have received an email back from The vice gov advising me that I need to follow the correct procedure and it is advised that 1st I need to speak to head about concerns.. I would like to ask if the admin team can see this email or if it comes directly to me?

We have no way of knowing your schools email set up. You say the the admin team forwarded your mail, which would suggest they did see your first email?

Generally, the office staff in a school wouldn't be privy to governor matters. However there will be a designated clerk to the governors, who takes minutes etc, who would be in attendance at all meetings.

I am a school governor. Schools are obliged to put policies and governor meetings dates on their website. If they are not doing that then they should be taken to task.

The actual minutes of the meetings are not usually there as sometimes there are confidential issues discussed, but you can ask to see them at the school office.

Contact the head and find out why the policies are not there. If your concerns are about issues specific to your child, then the head is the first port of call; if it is about more general issues then you should write to the head and the governors, who can, if they choose, invite someone to address the governors in a specific time slot.

The response I received was via email just advising that I haven't followed the appropriate steps and I should always take it up with HT first. I haven't emailed back as in not sure if school can see my emails

I figure because I haven't followed correct steps it's not being logged as a complanit I am going to just follow advise and have a meeting with the head. I'm assuming they responded back directly to me via email because it's not being treated as a complaint due to me not taking appropriate steps first.

Hi there mishaps
Could you advise whether when replying via email the school are cc into the email or if it's a direct email to the sender

Another zombie

Anyone trying to answer the OP, don't bother. Probably all done and dusted in the 3 years since it was started.

Tinribs84 you will get more responses if you start a thread of your own.