Governance & Ofsted
What Schools Need to Publish Online
Let's break down the requirements for Ofsted reports and governance information, as they apply to different types of schools.
Ofsted Reports: A Universal Rule
Let's start with the easy one. The rule for publishing your Ofsted report is identical for all schools. You should publish either:
A copy of your school's most recent Ofsted report.
A direct link to the Ofsted website where your report is published.
The key here is that the information must be easily accessible. If you use a link, it should take the user directly to your report in a single click and be placed in a prominent position on your website.
Governance Information for Maintained Schools
For maintained schools, you must publish information about your governing body and its committees. The guidance states you should publish the following details:
The structure and responsibilities of the governing body and any committees, including the full names of the chairs.
For each governor, you should share their full name, who appointed them, their term of office, and their attendance record at meetings over the last academic year.
You should also publish a register of governors' relevant business and financial interests.
The Department for Education also encourages you to publish data on the diversity of your board, though this is not mandatory if deemed inappropriate.
Governance Information for Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs)
For academy trusts, the focus is on publishing key legal and structural documents. You must publish the following in an easily accessible format:
Your memorandum and articles of association.
The names of all trust members and academy trustees.
The relevant business and financial interests of members, trustees, local governors, and accounting officers.
Your funding agreement and any supplemental funding agreements.
Up-to-date details of your governance arrangements.
Similar to maintained schools, trusts are also encouraged to publish diversity data for their boards. It's important to note that while these documents can be held on the trust's central website, each individual school's website must provide a clear and direct link to the relevant pages to ensure compliance.
Governance Information for FE Colleges
FE Colleges have their own unique set of publishing duties. You must publish:
Your annual accountability statement by the 1st of December each year.
Regular reviews of how well the training you provide meets local employment needs.
A statement in your annual report on the development of your governors and governance professionals.
A summary of the outcomes of your external governance review.
Information on your governing body's structure, responsibilities, and committees.
The names of the chair and all governors.
Stay Compliant with Confidence
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