Staffing in schools

Staff are the most important resource in schools and in ensuring that children in the school receive the best possible education and learning.

Role of the Governing Body

The Governing Body has overall responsibility for staffing issues within its school, including setting the staffing structure, agreeing pay scales and appointing new staff.

In addition, the Governing Body is also responsible for the overseeing of any human resources or personnel related issues that may arise such as managing staff absence, discipline or grievance and School Governors can be asked to sit on Committees to consider these issues if they become more serious.

Dealing with staffing issues

Dealing with staffing issues is an extremely complex area and is governed by policy, procedure and legislation. It is always recommended that School Governors and Headteachers seek advice from their Human Resources provider before attempting to deal with staffing related issues.

Guide to the different types of staff that schools employ

Schools now employ a wide range of staff under many different terms and conditions and pay scales.

School staff terms and conditions and pay

In community, community special and voluntary controlled schools, the Governing Body shares the employment responsibilities with the Local Authority. This means that the Local Authority is responsible for setting up the employment contract, but the Governing Body will make most of the decisions about the details of staff employment and deployment in school.

In foundation and voluntary aided schools, all the employment responsibilities fall to the Governing Body, including the issuing of contracts. If these schools have bought into the Human Resources Pay and Employment Service, they will issue the contract on the Governing Body’s behalf.