Although member schools are different in age, size and composition, they share important characteristics in common, they are the employers of all members of staff and responsible for entering contracts, arranging services, ordering materials and equipment, insuring and protecting members of staff, buildings, facilities and equipment, dealing with financial issues as they arise, undertaking the duties described in the foundation documents as well as carrying out all the statutory duties and responsibilities demanded of other grant aided schools.
The fact that governing bodies are the managing authorities of the schools and required by their foundation documents to promote the values on which they are based gives them a profound sense of trusteeship and engagement. Governors are closely and directly involved in both the business and the fundamental values and principles of their schools and are more directly accountable for what happens in them.
A Voluntary Grammar school has a larger degree of autonomy in terms of the governance of its’ school, than other sectors. Because the governors of voluntary schools are individually and collectively accountable for the management of their schools’ finances they monitor the use of available resources carefully, to use funds to the best effect.
Governing Bodies in the Voluntary Sector can and do act quickly to respond to changing circumstances. Because of the degree of autonomy enjoyed as employers, managers of their own resources and local, close engagement with their schools, they are well aware of the implications of proposed changes and well equipped to respond swiftly and flexibly.