School Clerking & Governance Advisory Service

Governance Resolution's School Clerking & Governor Advisory Service is designed to support school governors to properly discharge their statutory responsibilities and to operate an effective and efficient governing body. The service is flexible in so far as governing bodies may elect to have support on governing meetings only or may also choose to have attendance on committee meetings. We provide ad-hoc cover or long-term support.

We offer advice on:

  • Appropriate procedures required by the statutory frameworks that governing bodies operate within which governing boards operate
  • Committee structures and terms of reference
  • Termly and annual timetables relevant to your governing body
  • Legal framework for school governance
  • Matters relating to school governance by telephone and email. This advice can be sought anytime during working hours and is suitable for matters that may arise pre or post governor meetings. We endeavour to reply to all questions within two working days.

We provide:

  • Updates on forthcoming changes and advice on how best to ensure compliance. Governors will receive regular email updates on major legal, regulatory or Ofsted changes that are forthcoming or are about to come into effect; to enable the governing body to keep abreast of their responsibilities.

Our clerking offer:

  • An appointed clerk to your governing body
  • Where possible, a replacement, at no additional cost, if the regular clerk is unable to attend or continue for any reason
  • A specialist clerk, if necessary, for disciplinary, grievance or exclusion hearings.

We carefully select and train our own staff and monitor the quality of their work. We encourage them to take training provided by Local Authorities and to become fully accredited by completing the National Clerks Development Programme. They also benefit from regular briefings and get-togethers, our library of key governance data and best practice, and our online forum.

Our fully trained clerks will:

  • Liaise with the Chair of Governors/Headteacher to prepare and circulate meeting agendas within legal timescales, including electronic collation and circulation of supporting papers
  • Prepare for the meeting, including taking advice and gathering information as required
  • Provide minutes in your preferred format within ten working days of the meeting
  • Manage any follow-up correspondence/ information gathering as required
  • Prepare and circulate minutes and supporting papers after the governing board meetings
  • Act as a point of contact for governors and headteachers between meetings as required
  • We can also provide additional services, as needed.

Please also see our governance review, appeals and exclusion services.

Use the link to the left to view Our School Clerking Service leaflet.

Please complete the form below to book one of your services and we'll be in touch to confirm your booking. Please complete the date and a time fields if you require a clerk for a particular meeting.