The governing body has key responsibilities in relation to reviewing headteachers’ exclusion decisions and must arrange suitable full-time education for excluded pupils from the sixth school day of a fixed-period exclusion. Academy trusts are also responsible for arranging an independent review panel to consider permanent exclusions, where requested by parents. For maintained schools, this duty rests with the local authority. Governing bodies have a wider role to hold headteachers to account for the lawful use of exclusion. Exclusion must be for disciplinary reasons and all exclusions must be done in line with the legal requirements. Where a pupil is removed from the school premises without being excluded there needs to be a lawful basis for this decision, for example, under the powers of a maintained school to direct a pupil offsite to improve their behaviour (). 4.3.3 School attendance The governing body of a maintained school or academy trust must reassure itself that the school keeps admission and attendance registers in accordance with regulations. Further information and guidance is available in the section of GOV.UK. The governing body must make sure that the school provides information requested by the Secretary of State, including the termly absence data the department collects. 4.3.4 Parenting measures The maintained school governing body, academy trust, headteacher and local authority have powers to intervene where a behaviour or attendance at school becomes pupil’s problematic. Information on parenting contracts, parenting orders and penalty notices are in section 3 of the statutory guidance . Governing bodies, academy trusts, headteachers and local authorities must have regard to it when carrying out their duties. 4.4 The school and school year Academies set their own school day and term dates. The provisions on school sessions do not apply to them. The headteacher of a maintained school will recommend the length of the school day, including session times and breaks. The governing body must agree the recommendation. School employers determine the term dates. Maintained schools must open for at least 380 sessions (190 days) in a school year. The school year must begin after July. If a school is prevented from meeting and it is not reasonably practicable for arrangements to be made for it to make up the lost session(s), it can be deemed to have been open for the required 380 sessions.
The governing body has key responsibilities in relation to reviewing headteachers’ exclusion decisions and must arrange suitable full-time education for excluded pupils from the sixth school day of a fixed-period exclusion. Academy trusts are also responsible for arranging an independent review panel to consider permanent exclusions, where requested by parents. For maintained schools, this duty rests with the local authority. Governing bodies have a wider role to hold headteachers to account for the lawful use of exclusion. Exclusion must be for disciplinary reasons and all exclusions must be done in line with the legal requirements. Where a pupil is removed from the school premises without being excluded there needs to be a lawful basis for this decision, for example, under the powers of a maintained school to direct a pupil offsite to improve their behaviour (). 4.3.3 School attendance The governing body of a maintained school or academy trust must reassure itself that the school keeps admission and attendance registers in accordance with regulations. Further information and guidance is available in the section of GOV.UK. The governing body must make sure that the school provides information requested by the Secretary of State, including the termly absence data the department collects. 4.3.4 Parenting measures The maintained school governing body, academy trust, headteacher and local authority have powers to intervene where a pupil’s behaviour or attendance at school becomes problematic. Information on parenting contracts, parenting orders and penalty notices are in section 3 of the statutory guidance . Governing bodies, academy trusts, headteachers and local authorities must have regard to it when carrying out their duties. 4.4 The school and school year Academies set their own school day and term dates. The provisions on school sessions do not apply to them. The headteacher of a maintained school will recommend the length of the school day, including session times and breaks. The governing body must agree the recommendation. School employers determine the term dates. Maintained schools must open for at least 380 sessions (190 days) in a school year. The school year must begin after July. If a school is prevented from meeting and it is not reasonably practicable for arrangements to be made for it to make up the lost session(s), it can be deemed to have been open for the required 380 sessions.
governors_handbook-january-2015.docx