Local Governance at Unity Schools Partnership
We have around 250 dedicated local governors volunteering across our schools and are proud of the contribution they make towards the Trust’s shared ambition to strive for excellence and transform lives.
The UnitySP Trust Board, through the Articles of Association, has committed to Local Governing Bodies to work in partnership with the Executive and Leadership Teams to fulfil the three core responsibilities of Governance.
These are:
- Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils;
- Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
- Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.
We have married these to our Governance Charter and our Scheme of Delegation. These documents, together with the USP Handbook for Local Governance, clearly set out the role and responsibilities of our Local Governing Bodies (LGBs). You can access these documents from the links below.
Our LGBs are usually made up of 9 governors;
- 2 staff members, one of whom is the Headteacher, one is an elected staff member
- 2 parents, elected by the parent body
- 5 Community governors, 1 of whom is usually appointed by the Trust
Local Governing Bodies usually meet 6 times a year to consider a wide variety of issues including the school vision and values, school development and improvement, safeguarding and the wellbeing of pupils and staff. Governors also have an oversight of school finances, premises (including Health and Safety) and personnel.
Governors are regularly welcomed into school to monitor its work to achieve its strategic priorities, ambition for excellence and to build relationships with the pupils and staff to better understand what makes the school work, how to continue to improve and how they can deliver the best possible outcomes for all its pupils.
If you would be interested in becoming a Community Governor and would like to know more about the role, please complete the registration of interest form below. Your details will be sent to Becky Poynter, our Unity Schools Partnership Governance Advisor.
