Reconstitution – amending your instrument of government

Introduction

Section 20 of the Education Act 2002 requires all maintained schools to have an instrument of government which determines the constitution of the governing body and other matters relating to the school. Part 5 of the 2012 Constitution Regulations makes provisions regarding the contents and form of the instrument and the procedure for making and reviewing 

All instruments of government must include:

• the name and category of school
• the name of the governing body
• the categories of governor
• the number of governors in each category
• the total number of governors
• the term of office of any category of governor, if less than four years
• the date the instrument of government takes effect.

There are specific additional requirements for certain categories of school, which are highlighted in Annex A. Where a school has a foundation, the instrument of government must comply with the foundation’s governing documents. In most cases, the foundation refers to the relevant diocese.

Copies of the instrument of government (regulation 31)

“The local authority must supply, free of charge, a copy of the instrument of government, or  a consolidated version where there has been a variation, to each member and associate member of the governing body (and the headteacher if they are not a governor) as well as, where relevant, the trustees of any foundation, the appropriate diocesan authority and appropriate religious body.”

• The constitution of governing bodies of maintained schools GOV.UK)

Note: Any changes to the instrument of government must be agreed in a full governing board meeting and recorded in the minutes of that meeting. Changes cannot be agreed by email.

Procedures for making changes to the constitution (instrument of government) of the governing board of a maintained school

 1 The governing board decides to change its constitution - either the vision or the make up of the Board i.e. number of each category of governor.

NB Please ask Governor Services if you require a copy of your existing instrument.

2 Contact governorservices@oxfordshire.gov.uk to ensure that the proposed new constitution complies with statutory guidance and best practice (also see P4), and to agree a proposed effective date

3 If Voluntary Controlled or Voluntary Aided, contact the diocese for written agreement of the changes (see below for diocesan contact details)

4 Clerk puts Amending the Instrument of Government (IOG) on the agenda of the next Full Governing Board (FGB) meeting

5 At the FGB meeting:

• Changes must be agreed by majority vote of governors present at the meeting
• Annotate the existing IOG with proposed changes
• Agree an effective date (at minimum a term after the meeting)
• Ensure that the minutes of the meeting explicitly state in detail the changes needed and the effective date

6 Email the minutes (which can be in draft form), annotated IOG and, if required, agreement from the diocese to governorservices@oxfordshire.gov.uk

7 Governor Services will make and sign the new Instrument and send it to the chair and clerk before the effective date.

8 Clerk to circulate the new IOG to all governors

9 On the Effective Date, Governor Services will amend the constitution on GovernorHub if changes have been made to the structure of the board.

Church Schools – additional requirements

If the school is a Church of England school (voluntary controlled or voluntary aided) the Oxford Diocesan Board of Education (ODBE) must agree the proposed changes to the Instrument of Government before it is sent to Governor Services.  It is a requirement that the Diocese has given agreement first, confirmation of this being emailed from the Diocese to Governor Services and the relevant governing board. 

Contact: tracy.makin@oxford.anglican.org 
Oxford Diocesan Board of Education Governance (odbe.org.uk) 

If the school is a Catholic school, in the first instance contact the appropriate Catholic Diocese - Archdiocese of Birmingham or Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth. Complete a draft Instrument of Government supplied by the relevant Catholic Diocese.

Archdiocese of Birmingham, Diocesan Education Service contact: https://www.bdes.org.uk/governance.html 

Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth contact: 
https://www.portsmouthdiocese.org.uk

Regulations on the structure of the governing board

Please refer to the table below to ensure that your proposed new structure complies with regulations

* including community special schools and maintained nursery school 
# including foundation special schools