School governance

Two impressive sounding regulations, the School Organisation (Prescribed Alterations to Maintained Schools) Regulations and School Governance (England) (Constitution) Regulations, came into effect on 25 May.

They put into force a number of changes that arise out of the 2006 Education and Inspections Act.

The organisation regulations cover changes of category, enlargement, change from single sex to mixed schooling and issues of governance and the status of existing staff when a school changes category. It contains details of what is required when making proposals, what consultation must take place and what the process is for decisions to be made by the local authority, which now replaces the schools organisation committee. It also describes the process for appealing against a decision by the local authority to the adjudicator.

The governance regulations make some alterations to the qualification and disqualification of governors. The changes are relatively minor but schools should be aware of the main changes which are laid out simply but in detail at www.dfes.gov.uk/schoolorg/news.cfm?ID=59