Governing body policies
Every Governing Body must have in
force, as a minimum, all those policies which they are legally
obliged to have, and to review them regularly. A list of the
legally required policies is in the Annex to A
Guide to the Law for School Governors which you
can access from the home page of GovernorNet or obtain a copy
from your Clerk.
GovernerNet also includes
some model policies, although not for all those that are legally
required.
Safeguarding children
Governing bodies are accountable for ensuring that their school
has in place effective child protection policies and procedures
that are in accordance with guidance issued by the Department of
Children, Schools and Families [DCSF] and by Tower Hamlets council.
This will include having a senior member of the school’s leadership
team designated to take lead responsibility for dealing with child
protection issues. However, neither the governing body nor any
individual governor has any automatic role in dealing with
individual cases of abuse, or a right to know the details of such
cases.
Procedures should be in place for dealing with allegations of
abuse against members of staff and volunteers who work with
children. Chairs of governing bodies are expected to work with the
head teacher (unless the allegation concerns the head teacher) and
Tower Hamlets officers are to confirm the facts of individual cases
and to reach a joint decision on the way forward in each case.
Governing bodies should have in place policies on Physical
Interventions, Health and Safety, Anti-Bullying, Racist Incidents,
and should receive regular reports from the head teacher on
bullying and racist incidents.
Governing bodies must also ensure that safe recruitment policies
and procedures for staff and volunteers are in place. Governing
bodies should be aware that a new scheme for vetting staff and
volunteers working in schools, including school governors, is being
phased in from the autumn of 2009 under the Safeguarding Vulnerable
Groups Act 2006. The scheme will be operated by the government
Independent Safeguarding Authority [ISA].
More information can be found on
Teachernet.
Special Leave Guidance
For information on staff taking leave outside of school
closure time, please read the Special
Leave Guidance.
Anti-Bullying Policy
For guidance on how to deal with bullying in Tower Hamlets
schools, please read the Anti-Bullying
Policy.
For further information contact:
Governor services
Mulberry Place
5 Clove Crescent
London, E14 2BG
Tel: 020 7364 5000
Email: governors@towerhamlets.gov.uk