Schools and learning

School induction pack for new governors: content list

Governing bodies find that providing a school-based induction pack to new governors is a big help in enabling those governors to find their feet quickly and can also help with retention. Ensuring that new governors are better informed about the basics also benefits the governing body as a whole.

Such a pack - which would complement the LA's Welcome Pack sent to all new governors by Governance - might contain:

• a copy of the school's Instrument of Government;
• a list giving the name, postal and e-mail addresses, telephone and fax numbers, category of governorship, term of office and committee membership of all governors;
• name and contact details of the clerk;
• list of committees, including terms of reference and membership;
• calendar of governing body and committee meetings and school events - to include holidays, occasional days, INSET days etc;
• staffing structure;
• prospectus and School Profile;
• School Development/Improvement Plan;
• summary of the last Ofsted report (if the inspection was within the last 18 months);
• governing body’s visits policy;
• list of statutory and non-statutory policies adopted by the governing body, and where they can be referred to;
• minutes of the last two governing body meetings;
• minutes of the last meeting of each committee;
• plan of the school.