Warrington School/Board Of Trustees/Chairperson's Role Policy

Chairperson’s Role Policy

The chairperson of Warrington school safeguards the integrity of the board’s processes and represents the board of trustees to the broader community. The chair ensures that each trustee has a full and fair opportunity to be heard and understood by the other members of the board in order that collective opinion can be developed and a board decision reached. The board’s ability to meet its obligations and the plans and targets it has set are enhanced by the leadership and guidance provided by the chair.

The Chair:

• Welcomes new members, ensures that the conflict of interest disclosure is made and the code of behaviour is understood and signed, and leads new trustee induction
• Assists board members' understanding of their role, responsibilities and accountability including the need to comply with the Trustees’ Code of Behaviour policy
• Leads the board members and develops them as a cohesive and effective team
• Ensures that the work of the board is completed
• Ensures that they act within board policy and delegations at all times and do not act independently of the board
• Sets the board's agenda and ensures that all board members have the required information for informed discussion of the agenda items
• Ensures that the meeting agenda content is only about those issues which according to board policy clearly belong to the board to decide
• Effectively organises and presides over board meetings ensuring that such meetings are conducted in accordance with the Education Act 1989, the relevant sections of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 and any relevant board policies
• Ensures interactive participation by all board members
• Represents the board to external parties as an official spokesperson for the school except for those matters where this has been delegated to another person/s
• Is responsible for promoting effective communication between the board and wider community including communicating appropriate board decisions
• Establishes and maintains a productive working relationship with the principal
• Ensures that the principal’s performance agreement and appraisal are completed on an annual basis
• Ensures that concerns and complaints are dealt with according to the school’s concerns and complaints procedures
• Ensures that any potential or real risk to the school or its name is communicated to the board. This includes any concern or complaint

Review Schedule: 3 yearly