Governor Responsibilities

The educational provision within the diocese is under the control of the Bishop and  foundation governors have the responsibility to act as his representatives as stated in the diocesan trust deed. So it falls to the governing body to ensure that our schools are successful both in carrying out the mission of the church but also as successful schools within the educational provision of an area. Governors are appointed to have direct oversight of the work of the school, its achievements, the needs of its pupils so that every child may flourish. On appointment governors agree to ensure the best Catholic education in the diocese not solely in their own school. Within the diocese there are many families and schools together form an important family for our young people. The actions of one school must never be such so as to adversely affect another. Equally, all schools should be willing to give generously in time and support others in need. This principle of the Catholic church’s teaching on solidarity adds significant strength to our schools allowing them to succeed in many challenging areas.

Canon 806 provides: The Diocesan bishop has the right to watch over and inspect the Catholic schools in his territory ….and has the right to issue directives concerning the general regulation of Catholic schools….Those who are in charge of Catholic schools are to ensure, under the supervision of the local Ordinary, that the formation given in them, in its academic standards, are at least as outstanding as that in other schools in the area.

It is this challenging role that the diocese asks the foundation governors to carry out when they agree to join the governing body of a school or academy.