Draft Code of Conduct

for Maple Hayes Hall School

Governance Member

AIMS

This Code of Conduct aims to set and maintain standards of conduct that we expect all Proprietors and Associate Members to follow.

By creating this code we aim to ensure that the members of the Governance Board carry out their role with honesty and integrity, and help us to ensure our school is an environment where everyone is safe, happy, successful and treated with respect.

Failure to follow the code of conduct may result in sanctions being taken, as set out in the appendix.

This code is not exhaustive. If situations arise that are not covered by this code, Proprietors and Associate Members will use their judgement and act in accordance with the Objectives and Mission of the school and in the best interests of the school and its pupils at all times.

 

THE ROLE OF THE GOVERNANCE BOARD

As a Governance Board, our overarching responsibility is to assist and support the Proprietors to enable them comply with their legal duties, ensure a high quality of education, good financial management and to preserve the family character of Maple Hayes Hall School. These duties permeate everything that we do.

All Governance Proprietors and Associate Members act as the cornerstone of each role, to ensure key objectives are achieved.

(1)          THE THREE CORE STRATEGIC FUNCTIONS:

We will operate at a strategic level with oversight of the school’s senior leadership responsible and accountable for the operational running of the school.

Our core strategic functions are to:

1.              Ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction in accordance with the Objectives and Mission of the School (as described in the Terms of Reference for Maple Hayes Hall School Governance).

2.              Hold the appropriate senior leadership to account for the educational performance and character of the school and its pupils; and for the internal organisation, management and control of the school, including the performance management of its staff; and

3.              Oversee the financial performance of the school and make sure money is well spent and the school is solvent.

We want to promote and uphold high standards, including academic standards, within capability, as an integral part of the educational vision for the holistic personal development of our young people. We also need to understand and respect the distinction between the roles and responsibilities of the Board and those of the senior leadership.

(2)          ADHERENCE TO THE NOLAN PRINCIPLES

In carrying out our functions we will adhere to the Seven Nolan Principles of public life:

Ø   Selflessness – acting solely in terms of the public interest and not in order to gain financial or other material benefits for ourselves, our family or our friends. [However it must be noted that members of the Brown family may directly, or indirectly, gain benefit from the family’s investment in the school.]

Ø   Integrity – taking all steps to not place ourselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might seek to influence us in the performance of our official duties.

Ø   Objectivity – in carrying out public business, being impartial and making choices fairly and on merit.

Ø   Accountability – acknowledging that we are accountable for our decisions and actions to the public and submitting ourselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to our office.

Ø   Openness – being as open and transparent as possible about all the decisions and actions that we take and giving reasons for our decisions and restricting information only when the wider public interest clearly demands.

Ø   Honesty – being truthful in everything we do and declaring any private interests relating to our public duties, and taking steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest.

Ø   Leadership – at all times promoting and supporting these principles by our leadership and example.

 

(3)          WE AGREE TO OUR COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES AS FOLLOWS:

Role & Responsibilities:
We will 

1.              preserve and develop the character of the school and this responsibility will imbue all of our actions through all aspects of, the school;

2.              ensure that the school is led and managed in accordance with its Objectives and Mission statement (See Terms of Reference for Maple Hayes Hall School) and key purpose, which includes the provisions for dyslexic children on an individual basis.

3.              support and implement the policies and procedures of the school

4.              undertake to discharge our duties with due care and diligence;

5.              attend relevant training, induction training and continuing professional development training, as required by the school;

6.              understand the purpose of the Governance Board and our role and the role of senior leadership;

7.              accept that we have no legal authority to act individually, except when the Governance Board has given us delegated authority to do so, and therefore we will only speak on behalf of the Governance Board when we have been specifically authorised to do so;

8.              by contributing to the decision making process, accept collective responsibility for all decisions made by the Proprietors. This means that we will not speak against proprietorial decisions outside of Governance Board meetings;

9.              have a duty to act fairly and without prejudice, and in so far as we have specific roles and responsibility

10.           respond to criticism or complaints affecting the school by following the procedures established by the Governance Board;

11.           actively support and challenge the senior leadership;

12.           uphold the reputation of the school and the quality of education at all times and to that end carefully consider and monitor our personal use of social media;

13.           recognise and accept our responsibilities and we have signed the Declaration & Undertaking Form, a copy of which is attached as an appendix to this Code of Conduct.  We have returned the signed copy to the school.

14.           not undermine fundamental British values including democracy, rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance for those of different faiths and heritage;

15.           have oversight of risk management to ensure the school is a safe and secure place;

 

Commitment – we will

1.              acknowledge that accepting office involves the commitment of significant amounts of time and energy;

2.              each involve ourselves actively in the work of the Governance Board and accept our fair share of responsibilities;

3.              arrive at meetings well prepared including reading all papers in advance;

4.              make full efforts to attend all meetings and make positive contributions thereat, and where we cannot attend any meeting, we will explain in advance why we are unable to;

5.              get to know the school well, and where appropriate to our appointment, we will positively respond to opportunities to involve ourselves in school activities;

6.              where appropriate to our role, we will visit the school, with all visits to the school arranged in advance with the staff and undertaken within the framework established by the Governance Board;

7.              evaluate our effectiveness as a Governance Board by way of completing a skills audit and a self-evaluation form on an annual basis, we will also ensure that our effectiveness is regularly externally reviewed;

8.              consider seriously our individual and collective needs for continuous training and development as required by the school, and will undertake that relevant training and any mandatory training as may be required by law;

9.              accept that in the interests of transparency, our full names, date of appointment, terms of office, roles, attendance records, relevant business and pecuniary interests, category of Governance (where appropriate) will be published on the school’s website and anywhere else as required by law.

 

Relationships

In all our relationships we shall exercise stewardship and draw on the example of senior managers and proprietors so that we will:

1.              ensure that we continually communicate with and, where appropriate, seek support and guidance from the school, local authority or Ofsted;

2.              strive to work as a team in which constructive working relationships are actively promoted and we respect each other’s views;

3.              express views openly, courteously and respectfully in all our communications;

4.              support the chair in ensuring appropriate conduct both at meetings and at all times;

5.              be prepared to answer queries from others in relation to delegated functions and take into account any concerns expressed, and we will acknowledge the time, effort and skills that have been committed to the delegated function by those involved;

6.              seek to develop effective working relationships with the senior leadership, staff and parents, pupils, the local authority, other relevant agencies, and when relevant the local community.

7.              follow the Equality Act 2010 and be fair and equitable in all that we do, including protected characteristics;

Confidentiality- we will

1.              observe confidentiality in all circumstances, in particular in relation to matters concerning specific members of staff or pupils, both inside and outside the school, unless there is a lawful requirement for disclosure;

2.              exercise the greatest prudence at all times when discussions regarding the business of the school arise outside of Governance Board meetings;

3.              not use confidential information to humiliate, embarrass or blackmail others. Or use this information for a purpose other than what is was collected and intended for;

4.              exercise care and skill when communicating through social media;

5.              not reveal the details of any Governance Board key confidential decision making.

Conflicts of interest – we will

1.              always act in the best interests of the objectives set out in the Objectives and Mission fo the school as well as the governing documents of the school.

2.              record any pecuniary or other business interest (including those related to people we are connected with) that we have in connection with the Governance Board’s business in the Register of Business Interests, and if any such conflicted matter arises in a meeting, we will offer to leave the meeting for the appropriate length of time. We accept that the Register of Business Interests will be published on the school’s website.

3.              also declare any conflict of loyalty at the start of any meeting should the situation arise.

 

(4)          BREACH OF THIS CODE

1.              If we believe this code has been breached, we will promptly raise this issue with the chair, consult and determine the investigatory process; the Governance Board will only use suspension and/or removal (which is at the absolute discretion of the Proprietors) as a last resort after seeking to resolve any difficulties or disputes in more constructive ways.

2.              If we believe it is the chair that has breached this Code, another member of the Governance Board will be appointed to investigate.

 Signed……………………………………

 Dated…………………………………….

 Acceptance of this Code is confirmed by signature annually by Associate Members at the beginning of each academic year), but colleagues are not released from their duties under the Code by any failure to so sign.

 Signed copies of this Code from each Associate Member should be retained by the school.

 E signatures are acceptable.

 

Appendix

Associate Members

Declaration & Undertaking :

Proprietors and Associate Members are responsible for preserving and developing the character of Maple Hayes Hall School and all of the policies and procedures. By completing form you are agreeing to faithfully represent all of the educational and other arrangements agreed by the Proprietors

I, [INSERT FULL NAME]

I wish to offer to serve Maple Hayes Hall School in the position of Associate Member of the Governance Board. I have read and understood the criteria for appointment set out and, to the best of my knowledge am eligible for appointment.  I confirm that I will inform the school in the event that I am no longer eligible for this appointment.

In offering to serve, I undertake that I will serve the school faithfully in my appointed position.  If appointed, I declare that I will be able and willing to give priority to my duties as a Trustee/ Associate Member and will undertake to discharge those duties with due care and diligence.

I undertake to:

  • Preserve and develop the character of the school in accordance with our objectives and mission statement;

  • Have oversight of the school in accordance and in line with our ethos;

  • Become familiar with, to support and implement the policies and procedures of the school and to represent those policies and directives to the Governance Board;

  • To attend relevant training including induction training, as soon as possible; and

  • In all actions, to serve as a supportive witness to the success of the school.

I declare that I am not disqualified by law from appointment as an Associate Member.  I confirm that I agree to Disclosure and Barring Service checks being made on me or any subsequent checks that may be required by law or good practice.  I understand that any refusal to do so will result in the termination of any appointment. 

I consent to the information given on this form and other information collected with it being held and processed by the school, including the sharing of data with third parties where required, in accordance with the school’s needs and statutory requirements.  I confirm that I have read the privacy policy issued which sets out how my personal information will be collected, shared and used.

I undertake that I shall tender my resignation as an Associate Member if my circumstances change so as to contravene eligibility criteria or expectations at any time during my time in office or if, in the opinion of the proprietors, my resignation would be in the best interests of the school.

I understand and accept that the appointment and removal of Associate Members is at the absolute discretion of the proprietors and that, because of the nature of the decision-making process, the proprietors will not normally be able to engage in any discussion or correspondence with me and/or any third party where my nomination does not result in my appointment.

Signed……………………………………

 

Dated…………………………………….

 

This Declaration should be signed by every Associate Members annually and copies retained by the school.  E-Signatures are acceptable.