Below you will find model Governance Statements and information on the distinct requirements for schools and academies in relation to these documents. You are advised to consult your diocese before you adopt the CES Model Governance Statement(s) to ensure compliance with particular diocesan policy.

Schools

In January 2014 the Department for Education published Departmental Advice in relation to School Governance. The Departmental advice included a number of additional recommendations which were not referenced in the 2013 Regulations, including a recommendation that Governing Bodies publish an annual Governance Statement:

It is also good practice for the board to publish an annual governance statement (as academy trusts are required to do through the Accounts Direction) to explain how it has fulfilled its responsibilities – particularly in relation to its core functions, including:

• The governance arrangements that are in place, including the remit of any committees
• The attendance record of individual governors at board and committee meetings
• An assessment of the effectiveness and impact of the board and any committees with details of any particular challenges that have arisen.

Whilst accepting that the publication of a Governance Statement is not mandatory, it is good practice and an effective way for Governors to demonstrate their accountability to parents and the wider school community, at least annually.

The Catholic Education Service recommends that Governing Bodies publish a Governance Statement at least once per academic year. To this end, we have produced a model Governance Statement for Governing Bodies of Catholic schools which can be accessed below.

Academies

Academy trusts are required to provide assurance that they are appropriately managed, are controlling the resources for which they are responsible and are required to complete a Governance Statement as part of their Annual Report. The Governance Statement should include information on the governance framework of the academy trust and confirm that the trustees have carried out their responsibility for ensuring that effective management systems have been put in place.

Whilst there is a model Governance Statement for academies set out in the Academies Accounts Direction, the Catholic Education Service recommends that academy trusts use the model Governance Statement for Boards of Directors of Catholic Academies that the CES has produced. Our model reflects the fact that the functions of the corporate board in a Catholic academy trust must be carried out in such a way as to comply with the overarching function of the board to ensure that the academy is, at all times, conducted in accordance with its Catholic character. The CES model can be accessed below.