3. Accountability

Holding school leaders to account for the school’s educational and financial performance and ensuring money is well spent.

3.1 Relationship with the headteacher

The governing body must hold the headteacher to account for the day-to-day running of the school, including the:

  • performance management of staff
  • implementation of the governing board’s strategy for the school and whose responsibility it is to implement the strategic framework

In a federation, there may be more than one headteacher in post. More information about the ex-officio role can be found on Federations: guidance on the governance processes.

The governing body has a strategic role and avoids routine involvement in operational matters. However, it may need to intervene in operational matters if the school is or may be in breach of a duty.

The accountabilities of the executive leader to governance is set out in Headteachers’ standards and The School Governance (Roles, Procedures and Allowances) (England) Regulations 2013 Part 2.

The governing body must assure itself that the headteacher reports to it as required, including on matters relating to:

  • delegated duties
  • providing advice
  • complying with any reasonable direction it gives

An effective governing body independently evaluates the information it receives from the school leadership team and makes its decisions accordingly.

For the relationship to be effective, the chair of the governing body and the headteacher need to understand each of their respective roles and duties. The chair can act as a sounding board and provide effective support to the headteacher as long as it does not interfere with:

  • the chair’s and governing body’s responsibility for providing constructive challenge to the headteacher and their leadership team
  • making decisions that are in the best interest of the school

The governing body will take reasonable steps to ensure the wellbeing of the headteacher and the school leadership team and to support sensible health and safety management. More information is available in guidance from Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

The National Governance Association, National Association of Headteachers and the Association for College and School Leaders have published joint guidance on what governing boards and school leaders should expect from each other.

3.1.1 Performance managing the headteacher

The governing body’s appraisal and performance management of the headteacher is a key part of their role and it will want to ensure that the headteacher’s development is part of the process.

Headteacher performance: effective management describes how to appraise a headteacher.

School governance regulations guidance contains more information on the relationship between the governing body and its school leadership.

3.2 How data is provided

The governing body:

  • agrees with school leaders on how data will be provided, which will help it stay focused on its strategic functions while being mindful of the impact on workload
  • identifies ways to validate and cross-reference the data provided by the executive leadership

3.3 Accountability for educational performance

An effective governing body holds its school leadership to account for improving pupil and staff performance by asking the right questions, informed by data.

3.3.1 Rigorous analysis of education data

The governing body will:

  • have at least one person with the skills to interpret the full detail of educational performance data
  • understand the limitations of performance data and be clear about what the data implies
  • have access to objective, high quality and timely data and know the questions that need to be asked of school leaders
  • identify issues of priority that need to be addressed and discussed
  • seek explanations from school leaders where performance is below expectations

There is more information on understanding your data: a guide for school governors and trustees.

To reduce data burdens, consider the recommendations in:

Guidance and tools to help governing bodies understand and analyse school performance is available in school and college performance measures collection page.

3.3.2 Sources of education data

The school leadership team helps the governing body access:

  • data published by the Department for Education (DfE) and Ofsted
  • management information
  • information on priorities for improvement

This could include data, anonymised where appropriate, on:

  • pupil learning and progress
  • pupil admissions, attendance and suspension and permanent exclusions
  • safeguarding and child protection
  • staff deployment, absence, recruitment, retention, morale and performance
  • the quality of teaching

School leaders are not the only source of information on educational data. The governing body can also consider data from parent views and staff surveys, for example.

Governing bodies can use Analyse School Performance (ASP) to look into their school’s performance and identify its strengths and weaknesses.

Governors who lead on attainment data will want to analyse the full ASP report. The ASP summary report presents data that governing bodies can focus on as the starting point for understanding school performance.

The school’s DfE Sign-in approver can provide the governing body with a ‘governor’ account for ASP. This does not allow access to any named pupil data.

Find and check school performance data on the school performance tables.

Refer to Ofsted’s Inspection Data Summary Report (IDSR) which covers 16 to 18 provision and includes key stage 5 data.

3.3.3 School visits

Occasional visits to schools enable governors to:

  • fulfil their statutory responsibility for the conduct of the school
  • see whether the school is implementing their policies and improvement plans
  • see how their policies and improvement plans are working in practice

Individual governors do not have an automatic right to enter the school whenever they wish.

Focused governor monitoring visits should be:

  • in line with SIP priorities
  • for an identified purpose linked to the governing body’s responsibilities, such as safeguarding
  • pre-arranged with the headteacher or executive headteacher

It is not the governing body’s role to assess teaching and learning or to interfere in the day-to-day running of the school.

Many local authorities provide their own guidance on governor visits to schools and schools may have their own policies.

3.4 Accountability for financial performance

The governing body must oversee financial performance and ensure public money is well spent (as outlined in The School governance (Roles, Procedures and Allowances) Regs 2013).

It will have at least one individual with relevant financial skills and experience, who can interrogate detailed financial data and who:

  • builds a relationship with the school business professional (SBP) responsible for finance, such as the finance manager or school business manager
  • acts as the link between the SBP and the governing body
  • ensures the governing body has a correct understanding of the school’s finances and financial performance

It is important that everyone on the governing body has:

  • a basic understanding of their school’s financial cycle and legal requirements on accountability and spend
  • an oversight of school spending
  • an understanding of the school’s financial position

The governing body must:

Governing bodies of foundation schools, voluntary-aided and voluntary-controlled schools are also charity trustees. They must comply with:

  • charity law
  • any requirements placed upon them by their local authority

They may also have to work with a separate foundation that holds the land and buildings in trust for educational or religious purposes.

3.4.1 Financial tools

Governing bodies can use the following financial tools and resources to help achieve value for money: