Rugby School, Warwickshire

Governance

The Governing Body of Rugby School is a body corporate incorporated by Act of Parliament and a recognised charity under the Charities Acts 1992 and 1993 (charity number 528752).

Members

Under the statutes, a number of Governors are appointed by external bodies. There is also one ex-officio Governor and other members are co-opted by the Governing Body itself. Any person not being an employee of the School may be appointed or co-opted a member of the Governing Body ‘if he or she is duly qualified in the judgement of the persons making the appointment to take part in the government of the School as a place of liberal education’.

Rugby School is a charitable trust created by Act of Parliament and each Governor is a trustee. Each Governor's duty is to the trust itself, irrespective of who appoints him or her.

While all Governors carry equal responsibility, individuals are appointed to the Governing Body having regard to their particular skills and expertise (for example academic, commercial, financial, legal, medical, property, teaching) and use those skills and expertise to focus on specific areas. Certain Governors' specific areas of focus arise naturally from their appointment as follows:

The Royal Society - Science and Science education.
The Universities of Cambridge, London and Oxford - education generally.
The Head Master and Staff - employee welfare and related issues.
The Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire - the community.
A member of the clergy - there is no legal requirement to appoint a member of the clergy to the Governing Body but the practice is intended to be maintained and the appointee will focus on church and faith.
A doctor - there is no legal requirement to appoint a doctor to the Governing Body but the practice is intended to be maintained and the appointee will focus on medical welfare.

Where the Governing Body co-opt a new member, this follows a selection process and a recommendation from its Nominations Committee. Governors are selected for their skills and experience across an appropriate spectrum. Before taking up their appointment, new Governors visit the school for induction, receive key information relating to the charity and sign an appointment letter. All Governors are encouraged to attend the annual strategic planning meeting which incorporates trustee training issues.

Terms of Office

The following voluntary code has been approved by the Governing Body:

Governors (excluding the Lord Lieutenant, an ex-officio appointment, but including those appointed by the Royal Society, the Universities and the Head & Assistant Teachers) are appointed for an initial term of up to five years and are eligible for appointment for a second term of up to five years but shall normally not be re-appointed for a third consecutive term.
There will be some flexibility in relation to paragraph 1 to allow continuity in relation to those appointed Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Governing Body. However it will not be expected that any Governor (other than the Lord Lieutenant) will remain in office beyond the academic year in which he or she reaches the age of 70 if he or she has completed 10 years as a Governor.

Main Responsibilities

- Ensure that the School is run properly in accordance with its charitable objectives and that all functions of the School are authorised by the powers provided in its Statutes and Regulations and by charity law.
- Appoint the Head Master, the Deputy Head and the Bursar and approve their remuneration packages and approve the remuneration packages of any Assistant Heads.
- In consultation with the Head Master and his management team, set the strategy and policies by which the School will be run.
- Approve the Development Plan.
- Ensure that the School meets the objectives that the Governing Body sets from time to time.
- Control finance by approving realistic budgets and longer term plans, and by approving systems and safeguards which optimise the chances that they are achieved.
- Understand the extent of duties in relation to risk management and to legal compliance, and be satisfied that there is a rolling programme for meeting them.
- Ensure that competent professional advice is taken when necessary.
- Appoint a Chairman and a Deputy Chairman.
- Appoint members to its committees.
- Review and approve the Terms of Reference and the output from these committees on a regular basis.

Daily Management of the School

The Governing Body delegates the daily management of the School to the Head Master who is supported by a Senior Management Team which includes his Deputy, the Bursar who is also Clerk (Secretary) to the Governing Body, three Assistant Heads, the Registrar, Estates Manager, Development Director, Commercial Manager and the Senior Housemaster or Housemistress.