Statutory guidance

Constitution of governing bodies of maintained schools

Statutory guidance setting out the arrangements for the constitution of governing bodies of all local-authority-maintained schools.

From:

Department for Education

Published:

15 May 2014

Last updated:

29 August 2017

Show all updates

29 August 2017
Updated with guidance on new powers to remove elected governors.
7 October 2016
Updated to include changes to law, including Disclosure and Barring Service checks and supplying information to the Secretary of State about those involved in governance. Also clarified information on governors’ access to training and parent governors.
14 August 2015
Replaced statutory guidance document to revise information on governing bodies; governors; 2007 constitution regulations; the model instrument of government.
27 March 2015
Updated information about terms of office, the publication of information about governors and the publication of a register of interests.
15 May 2014
First published.

Applies to England

Ref: DFE-00406-2014

PDF, 286 KB, 31 pages

This statutory guidance is for:

It covers:

the description of the different categories of governor
priorities in deciding the constitution and membership of the governing body
the skills governing bodies need
governor elections
publication of governors’ details and the register of interests
terms of office
removal and disqualification of governors
instruments of government (setting out the governance structure of the governing body)
all aspects of the School Governance (Constitution) (England) Regulations 2012

The guidance contains a table showing the constitution of governing bodies by category of governor (annex B).

There is also a model instrument of government (annex C).

Statutory guidance sets out what schools must do to comply with the law. You should follow the guidance unless you have a very good reason not to.