Governing Body Panels

This workshop is facilitated by Cathy Brown who is Director of Governance at The Mead Educational Trust. Cathy has over 20 years’ experience as a school governor and chair of governors in both maintained schools and academies, at primary and secondary levels. She is an experienced trainer for governors and clerks and provides support to chairs of governors and MAT governance professionals. Cathy has sat on and chaired a range of panels and advises governors and staff in her Trust on conducting panel hearings.

Governing bodies are required to convene panels for a range of purposes and there is usually a tight timescale to do so. It is recommended that governing bodies have a group of governors who are trained on panels and so are ready when needed.

This workshop aims to develop understanding of:

·Types of panels, including Exclusions, Complaints, Staff Discipline and Dismissal, Staff Grievance and Pay Appeal
·When you need to convene panels
·What guidance, regulations and policies govern panel hearings
·Practical issues of setting up and administering panel hearings
·The sorts of questions you should ask
·What decisions you can make
·What happens if there is an appeal