Upton House is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, along with their protection and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Introduction

The Council of Management (COM) of Upton House School is responsible for the overall strategic management and development of the school.  The COM are selected from a wide range of backgrounds and our aim is to achieve a balanced COM with a core of individuals with educational, legal, accountancy, finance, property management, business and marketing backgrounds.  All share a genuine commitment to the future of our school.  The Chairman of the Council of Management is Mr D R Llewellyn who can be contacted c/o Upton House School, 115 St Leonards Road, Windsor, Berks SL4 3DF Tel (01753) 862610 email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  A full list of our current COM is in Appendix A.

Roles & Responsibilities

The members of the COM work collectively as a group and are accountable to the wider community for the delivery of the best possible educational, pastoral and support service.  They are responsible for ensuring that the overall structure is fit for pupose and consistent with the school's charitable objectives.  The conduct of affairs is delegated to the executive team the Headmistress, the Bursar and members of the Senior Management Team and the COM monitor the performance in the light of an agreed framework.

The COM's detailed responsibilities include:

Constitutional Responsibilities

• Acting in the best interests of the charity, its pupils, parents and staff its beneficiaries and its future beneficiaries.
• Election of a Chairman, Deputy Chairman, Chairman of Sub-Committees annually.
• Ensuring that governance is managed in accordance with its governing instrument and provides public benefit.
• Maintaining the ethos of the school and setting a clear, strategic direction.
• Arrangements for voting and for the Chairman's casting vote.
• Updating and amending the governing instrument as necessary.
• Approval of the appointment of the new members of the COM.
• Retiring members of the COM, or removing them, in accordance with provisions of the governing instrument.
• Co-opting individuals with particular expertise or qualifications as additional members of Sub-Committees provided that every committee contains a majority of members for the COM.
• Appointment (and removal) of a Clerk/Company Secretary which is combined with the role of Bursar at present.
• Reviewing periodically with the Headmistress the schedule of reserved matters.
• Changes to the Council structure.
• Approval of the terms of reference of the Sub-Committees.
• Compliance with the law, ISI, Ofsted and EYFS provisions.
• Compliance with charity, company and financial regulations.
• Avoidance of conflict of interest. Maintenance of register of interests.
• Diversification with the UK and overseas.
• Review of the Council's performance regularly in order to ensure that duties are undertaken in a way that adds to public confidence and trust.
• Taking appropriate professional advice.
• Appointing professional advisors.

Meetings

The following functions are delegated to the Clerk/Company Secretary:

• Preparing a schedule of regular meetings of both the COM and the Sub-Committees well in advance.
• Preparing agenda, papers and minutes of meetings of the Council and Sub-Committees in conjuction with the Headmistress, for approval by the Chairman.
• Ensuring that the agendas ensure that the members of the COM fulfil their responsibilities for the proper governance of the school throughout the academic year.
• Collating papers prepared by the Headmistress and other staff.
• Ensuring that meetings are quorate as specified in the Governing Instrument.

Senior Staff

• Appointment of the Headmistress
• Appointment of the Bursar and Clerk to the COM in close conjuction with the Headmistress.
• Assisting with the appointment of the Deputy Head and other members of the SMT.
• Pay and conditions of service of the Headmistress and the Bursar.  Review of pay for members of the SMT in light of the Headmistress's recommendations.
• Appraisal of the Headmistress.

Financial Issues

• To manage, safeguard and use the resources to their maximum potential.
• Sound financial management and control of resources.
• Approval of an annual budget, including the fee and salary rise that is reasonable and prudent.
• Agreeing a target operating surplus.
• Communication of fee rise to parents.
• Regular monitoring of in-year expenditure against budget.
• Approving expenditure in excess of delegated levels.
• Approving internal financial controls.
• Reviewing financial models and sensitivity analysis.
• Reviewing long-term financial projections.
• Approving the annual Statutory Information Return (SIR).
• Approving the annual COM's report and the statutory accounts.
• Insurance levels, including governors' liability insurance.
• Delegated levels of expenditure for capital projects, maintenance, IT and contracted out support services.
• Approving bank loans and overdrafts.
• Investment policy and performance.  Selection of investment advisers.
• Reserves policy.
• Approval of the SORP Risk Register.
• Compliance with financial, company and charity regulations and best practice.

Development

• Development planning.
• Establishing the framework and objectives for the future.
• Review of performance in the light of development plan objectives.
• Appeals and fund-raising.
• Marketing strategy.

Employment Responsibilities

• Employee terms and conditions of service, including pay, pensions, and benefits.
• Approving structure for salaries and allowances.
• Redundancy and dismissals.
• Disciplinary and grievance procedures, including appeals and complaints.
• Any employment issues that could result in legal proceedings.
• Establishing a staffing complement and agreeing changes to it.
• Staff fee remission.

Property Development and Management

• Acquisitions and disposals of property or assets.
• Appointment of professional advisers.
• Awarding major contracts.
• Capital development.
• Maintenance projects.
• Health and safety procedures and policies.
• Any issue that could result in legal proceedings.
• Insurance.

Interface with Parents

• Parent contract.
• Policy on fee collection.
• Approving annual bursary awards.
• Bursary policy and public benefit.
• Scholarship policy, sibling and staff discounts.
• Provision of information to parents.

Curriculum Oversight

• Setting the admissions policy.
• Setting academic targets and monitoring performance.
• Endorsing the aims and objectives of the school.
• Overview of changes to the curriculum.
• Approving changes to the structure of the school day.
• Approving term dates.
• Approving the framework for reports - tracking pupils' progress.
• Monitoring compliance with ISI, Ofsted and EYFS standards.

Pastoral Oversight

• Arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
• Safeguarding children policies, procedures and training.
• Policy on pupil numbers and class size.
• School policies on behaviour, sanctions, exclusions of pupils.
• Appeals procedure.
• Attendance policies.
• Complaints procedures.
• Anti-bullying policies.
• School uniform policy.
• Safety and security of the premises.
• Provision of first aid.
• Any issues affecting a pupil that could result in legal proceedings.
• Standard of catering.
• Standard of classroom accommodation.
• Availiability of drinking water.
• Accessibility policy and SEN.

Reports on the above topics are produced by the Headmistress, the Bursar on a regular cycle of meetings of the COM and of the Sub-Committees.  They form the framework of the discussion.

Code of Conduct

Members of the COM should act at all times with honesty and integrity.  Each member of the COM has an important role in supporting and encouraging the Headmistress, although prime responsibility for developing the partnership rests with the Chairman of the COM.  As the employers of all of the staff, it is important for the COM to meet staff wherever possible and groups of pupils, when the opportunities are offered.  Regular attendance at meetings and major functions is important and the COM need to be prepared to devote the time and energy that is necessary to carry out their role and to develop their understanding of the school.  They should arrange their visits well in advance via the Headmistress.

Individual members of the COM should express their personal views within meetings; but once a decision has been reached, they are bound by collective decision-making.  They need to take care to avoid breaches of confidentiality and to avoid undermining the Headmistress, since their relationship can only flourish if it is based upton mutual respect and collaboration.  They should speak only on behalf of the Council if they have been specifically authroised to do so - a function that normally falls to the Chairman or Deputy Chairman.  Conflicts of interest must be declared in advance.

Qualities of integrity, impartiality and objectivity are important.  The Council, under the leadership of the Chairman, should be as transparent and open as possible, with all members conscious of their responsibilities towards the school community and of the clear distinction between the roles of trustees and of paid employees.

Training

The COM are encouraged to attend training courses and seminars arranged by AGBIS and other professional providers, such as law and accountancy firms in order to reinforce their awareness of their varied duties and responsibilities.  The Bursar circulates details of courses on a regular basis.

 Appendix A

Chairman - Mr D R Llewellyn

Deputy Chairman - Mrs M Breen

Mrs M Ballin

Dr P M Warwicker

Mr J I Bell

Mr G R F Hudson

Mr T O Mayhew

Mr J J Branch

Mrs S Cairns

Mr R Schooley

A School Council made up of appointed and elected pupils meet regularly to discuss whole school issues.