The Department for Education explains that schools are required to hold certain policies and other documents, listed in Statutory Policies for Schools. The document outlines how often each policy must be reviewed, where this is prescribed in regulations.
The DfE website also has a section on Leadership and Governance. This points to statutory guidance for schools covering:
- admissions;
- behaviour and attendance;
- curriculum, assessment and support;
- early years;
- looked-after children;
- organisation, infrastructure and finance;
- safeguarding;
- school and pupil information;
- SEN;
- staffing and workforce;
and to advice on governance. This contains a breakdown of the main responsibilities of the governing body and a section on procedures and committees of the governing body. It explains that statutory functions can be delegated to a committee, a governor or to the headteacher, subject to prescribed restrictions, and lists the functions that cannot be delegated. The Department recommends that the governing body should record their non-statutory procedures and decisions, including recording delegation, in standing orders. It also points to Suffolk County Council’s governor support website for recommendations on the structure and terms of reference for governing body committees.