Definitions
Explanations of the terms used in this guidance.
An independent charitable company which covers those that run one or more academies, including free schools, university technical colleges (UTCs), and studio schools.
Set up by the governing body to which relevant functions are delegated. Committees should take account of guidance for the governing body, where the relevant function has been delegated to them.
A person who is a governor by virtue of their role, for example being headteacher at the school or an ex officio foundation governor.
2 or more maintained schools (including local-authority-maintained nursery schools) operating under the governance of a single governing body. This is defined in the .
The accountable body for a local-authority-maintained school or federated schools that operate at a strategic level.
Individuals who sit on the governing body of a local-authority-maintained school or federated school that operates at a strategic level.
The person held to account by the governing body for the operational day-to-day running of the school. May also be known as the executive headteacher or principal, depending on the structure of the school or federated schools.
As an ex-officio, a headteacher has an automatic right to a place on the governing body during their employment.
A school funded through the local authority which can be a community, foundation or voluntary school, a community or foundation special school, or a maintained nursery school or a pupil referral unit in England聽.
Types of school has more information.
A small group of governors who convene when required, for example to discuss complaints, exclusions, admissions appeals and staff disciplinary.
Includes any person who has parental responsibility or care of a child such as adoptive parents, guardians, or foster carers.
General terms which include the executive headteacher, headteacher or principal, as well as other senior employees or staff, depending on the structure of the school or federated schools.
The document that sets out the educational endowment on which the school site is provided and the purposes for which it was granted, for example as a site for a church school. Catholic school sites may be held under charitable trusts whose objects are the advancement of the Catholic religion.