Clerk to Governors - Part-time

Working hours, Salary and Benefits

This is a part-time role mainly during School term time for approximately 420 hours annually, although monthly workload may vary from month to month. Additional hours, when required and authorised by the Chair of Governors, will be paid pro rata.

 The work is predominantly from home, with office facilities provided at school when required. Meetings will generally be held at the School, but there may be a requirement to work in other locations or online.

The current salary for this position is £10,265 per annum inclusive of holiday entitlement. There will be additional payments for travel expenses for business meetings of 45p per mile plus £10 per month telephone allowance to cover School business telephone calls from home. Reporting to the Chair of Governors, the main duties and responsibilities of the post include:

Meetings

• Act as administrator for the Board Intelligence system, including adding and removing members and setting access rights.
• Work effectively with Chair of Governors and other Committee chairs to prepare meetings with purposeful agendas.
• Collate and then distribute agendas and papers on Board Intelligence at least five working days before meetings.
• Liaise with School Office to book meeting rooms, catering, IT equipment, and handle other meeting administrative matters, generally using School resources and processes.
• Ensure meetings are quorate, record attendance and act on absences.
• Ensure that required decisions are identified and appropriately agreed and recorded.
• Take notes and prepare accurate minutes with a high degree of literacy.
• Ensure that minutes identify responsibilities and timescales for action.
• Send Chairs unapproved draft minutes for comment, in normal circumstances, within 48 hours of the meeting. This time can be extended by agreement between the Chair and Clerk.
• Circulate approved draft minutes to all Governors and Committee members within one week of the meeting, this time can be extended by agreement between the Chair and Clerk.
• Keep a file of approved and signed minutes as an agreed record.
• Ensure timely and proactive liaison with relevant people to encourage agreed actions to happen on time.
• Communicating with Governors between meetings on an appropriate and timely basis
• Collate feedback on meetings
• Other ad hoc duties as required

 Membership

• Maintain a record of all details of the Board of Governors and their term of office. 
• Liaise with the Chair of the Nominations Committee and administer the process for identifying, interviewing and appointing governors, and then managing their approval by MIST
• Organise the welcome and induction of newly appointed Governors.
• Assist the School’s HR department with the maintenance of a training register for all governors, recording the date, name, place and type of training carried out.
• Circulate to all governors a list of external training opportunities and administer the booking process with the provider.   
• Maintain copies of the terms of reference and membership of committees.
• Advise Governors of the expiry of office in good time so new appointments can be made.
• Inform MIST of any resignations from the Board of Governors.
• Maintain records of Governor attendance at meetings, and advise the Chairman of a pattern of non-attendance.
• Maintain a register of pecuniary interests for annual review by the auditors.
• Ensure Governors meet all regulatory requirements including DBS and Child Protection, in liaison with the School’s HR department.
• Organise appropriate departure formalities for those governors leaving the Governing Body e.g. letter of thanks or a social event for those with long and distinguished service.

 Advice and Information

• Provide appropriate administrative support for the Chair in the performance of their duties.
• Advise Governors on governance procedures, taking advice from MIST as necessary.
• Ensure that all Governors are sent a copy of all relevant statutory information.
• Ensure that all Governors receive a copy of the MIST Governance Manual.
• Keep records of policies and other documents approved by the Board of Governors.
• Keep records of correspondence, archive materials and relevant regulatory documents.
• Provide an administrative service for the Governing Body to include biographies, committee list, contact list etc; payment of expenses; and so on.
• Prepare, review and update governance protocols, including the Terms of Reference for the Boards and committees.
• Act as a channel of communication between the Governors and the wider School community.

General

• Establishing and servicing Governors’ Appeal Panels for hearings associated with disciplinary matters, grievances and parental complaints.
• Take part in such staff training as may be required or agreed.
• Undertake such other appropriate duties as may be required from time to time. 
• Be aware of the School’s Health & Safety Policy. Together with all staff of the School, support and act within the School’s policies and practices about Data Protection and Safeguarding

Skills and Experience

• Previous administrative experience including strong minute taking and reporting 
•  Exceptional organisational skills with strong planning, prioritisation and time management skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Confident communicator, both written and verbal
• Intermediate level of packages such as Word, Excel and Outlook and the use of PDF files
• Able to work independently

How to Apply - Applications will only be accepted via the Culford Application form which can be found on the Work For Us page on www.culford.co.uk

Culford School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and we expect all staff to share this commitment. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974; pre-employment checks will be carried out, references will be sought and successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced DBS check and other relevant checks with statutory bodies. We comply with the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) code of practice and have a written policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders, both of which are available on request. As you have been shortlisted, you are required to declare any relevant convictions, adult cautions or other matters which may affect your suitability to work with children. As a result of amendments to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (exceptions order 1975) in 2013 and 2020, some minor offences are now protected (filtered) and should not be disclosed to potential employers, and employers cannot take these offences into account. If you are unsure whether you need to disclose criminal information, you should seek legal advice or you may wish to contact Nacro or Unlock for impartial advice. There is more information on filtering and protected offences on the Ministry of Justice website.

Nacro - https://www.nacro.org.uk/criminal-record-support-service/ or phone 0300 123 1999 Unlock – http://hub.unlock.org.uk/contact/ phone 01634 247350 text 07824 113848