The Law says that:

The governing body has general responsibility for the conduct of the school with a view to promoting high standards of educational achievement (Section 21 of the Education Act 2002).

The governing body is accountable for the performance of the school and it fulfils this by setting the aims of the school and its priorities for improvement.  It agrees, monitors and evaluates the policies, targets and actions by which the school will move forward, including setting and monitoring the school budget.  

The governing body’s role is strategic.  Governors are not expected to be involved in the detail of the day-to-day management of the school.  The headteacher has responsibility for the internal organisation, management and control of the school and for implementation of the strategic framework established by the governing body.

The governing body works in partnership with the headteacher and the senior leadership team.  Acting as ‘critical friends’, the governing body has a role to support and challenge the work of the school.

Governors must act corporately.  Individual governors do not have the power to act alone unless the corporate governing body has given them the authority to do so.  Individual governors have a broadly representative role but they are part of a team.  They are not delegates and do not have any kind of mandate from the body who elected or appointed them.  

Queries and concerns about any aspect of school life should, in the first instance, be directed to the appropriate member of the school staff rather than to individual governors.  It is important that governors are not involved in issues which may become formal complaints as this prevents governors from dealing with the matter impartially at a later stage.  Should you wish to pursue a matter further, having first attempted to resolve the issue with the relevant school staff, then please put your concern in writing to the chair of governors.