Terms of Reference
1. NAME
The name of the Academy shall be the Buckinghamshire Academy for School Leadership (BASL).
2. OBJECTIVES
2.1 To provide advice, support and professional development for school leaders.
2.2 To maintain and promote awareness of developments in school leadership.
2.3 To act as an advocate for the needs of school leaders, both locally, regionally and nationally.
3 MEMBERSHIP
3.1 All schools are entitled to subscribe to membership of the Academy on an academic year renewal.
3.2 School membership carries full voting rights for the Headteacher at the AGM of the Academy. This will take place following the first Board meeting of each academic year.
4 VOTES OF MEMBERS
4.1 Individual Headteacher members of the Academy are entitled to a personal vote.
a) for or against resolutions of general meetings,
b) for election of Board members
4.2 Headteacher members and co-opted Headteacher members of the BASL Board will have a vote on all matters at BASL Board meetings.
4.3 Appointed members from strategic partners of BASL, while being able to debate ahead of votes at BASL Board meetings do not hold a vote.
4.4 In the event of a tied vote the elected Chair of the Academy will hold the casting vote.
5 BASL BOARD
5.1 The BASL Board will act as a strategic partner and reference group to the Buckinghamshire Learning Trust.
5.2 The Board shall consist of the Chair, Vice Chair, elected and appointed members. All Headteacher members will be from schools within the Buckinghamshire county boundaries.
5.3 Board members other than officers shall be elected for a three year period. Board members at the end of their term of office shall be eligible for re-election.
5.4 12 Headteacher members of the Academy will be elected to serve on the Board from schools within Buckinghamshire’s geographical borders. A maximum of 4 additional Board Members in total will be appointed across BASL’s strategic partners on an annual basis with at least 1 representative from each organisation. Invitations of appointment will be agreed by the Board at the Annual Board Meeting and sent by the Executive Committee on behalf of the Board following the meeting.
5.5 If needs allow the Board shall have the power to co-opt up to 3 Board members to bring in additional expertise where required. These appointments are to be made on an annual basis. Additionally the Board may invite, with no invitation to join the Board, specialist advisors to meetings where the agenda requires additional external input.
5.6 Each year, following the election, the Board shall elect its own Chair and Vice-Chair. The Chair and Vice-Chair shall serve for one year and may choose to stand for reelection. Neither shall serve for more than 2 years consecutively other than in exceptional circumstance.
5.7 Meetings of the Board shall be held at least termly, one meeting being held at the annual conference.
5.8 The Board will convene task and finish groups to conduct the business of the Academy between meetings.
5.9 A quorum for meetings of the Board members is 7.
5.10 In order to ensure the smooth and effective running of each committee and of the Board all members of the Board should commit to attend both committee and Board meetings. If a Board member fails to attend meetings for a continuous period of 6 months beginning on the date of the first meeting, without the consent of the Board, they will be considered to have resigned their position. This is so that the Board may open the invitation to prospective new members to join. The aim is to ensure that the Board has fully engaged members who are contributing to the overall objectives of BASL.
6. FINANCE
6.1 All revenues generated from membership fees and partner funding shall be kept in a clearly identifiable cost centre by a BASL strategic partner with termly financial reporting provided to the Board.
6.2 All financial reserves held in the name of BASL shall be ringfenced for further investment in the development of school leadership within Buckinghamshire.
6.3 Where funds are provided to the Academy by third parties those funds will be managed in accordance with the financial regulations that pertain to those funds.
7.AMENDMENTS TO THE TERMS OF REFERENCE
7.1 These terms of reference will be reviewed annually by BASL in dialogue with appropriate partners in line with the changing local, regional and national landscape in education.
March 2017
The name of the Academy shall be the Buckinghamshire Academy for School Leadership (BASL).
2. OBJECTIVES
2.1 To provide advice, support and professional development for school leaders.
2.2 To maintain and promote awareness of developments in school leadership.
2.3 To act as an advocate for the needs of school leaders, both locally, regionally and nationally.
3 MEMBERSHIP
3.1 All schools are entitled to subscribe to membership of the Academy on an academic year renewal.
3.2 School membership carries full voting rights for the Headteacher at the AGM of the Academy. This will take place following the first Board meeting of each academic year.
4 VOTES OF MEMBERS
4.1 Individual Headteacher members of the Academy are entitled to a personal vote.
a) for or against resolutions of general meetings,
b) for election of Board members
4.2 Headteacher members and co-opted Headteacher members of the BASL Board will have a vote on all matters at BASL Board meetings.
4.3 Appointed members from strategic partners of BASL, while being able to debate ahead of votes at BASL Board meetings do not hold a vote.
4.4 In the event of a tied vote the elected Chair of the Academy will hold the casting vote.
5 BASL BOARD
5.1 The BASL Board will act as a strategic partner and reference group to the Buckinghamshire Learning Trust.
5.2 The Board shall consist of the Chair, Vice Chair, elected and appointed members. All Headteacher members will be from schools within the Buckinghamshire county boundaries.
5.3 Board members other than officers shall be elected for a three year period. Board members at the end of their term of office shall be eligible for re-election.
5.4 12 Headteacher members of the Academy will be elected to serve on the Board from schools within Buckinghamshire’s geographical borders. A maximum of 4 additional Board Members in total will be appointed across BASL’s strategic partners on an annual basis with at least 1 representative from each organisation. Invitations of appointment will be agreed by the Board at the Annual Board Meeting and sent by the Executive Committee on behalf of the Board following the meeting.
5.5 If needs allow the Board shall have the power to co-opt up to 3 Board members to bring in additional expertise where required. These appointments are to be made on an annual basis. Additionally the Board may invite, with no invitation to join the Board, specialist advisors to meetings where the agenda requires additional external input.
5.6 Each year, following the election, the Board shall elect its own Chair and Vice-Chair. The Chair and Vice-Chair shall serve for one year and may choose to stand for reelection. Neither shall serve for more than 2 years consecutively other than in exceptional circumstance.
5.7 Meetings of the Board shall be held at least termly, one meeting being held at the annual conference.
5.8 The Board will convene task and finish groups to conduct the business of the Academy between meetings.
5.9 A quorum for meetings of the Board members is 7.
5.10 In order to ensure the smooth and effective running of each committee and of the Board all members of the Board should commit to attend both committee and Board meetings. If a Board member fails to attend meetings for a continuous period of 6 months beginning on the date of the first meeting, without the consent of the Board, they will be considered to have resigned their position. This is so that the Board may open the invitation to prospective new members to join. The aim is to ensure that the Board has fully engaged members who are contributing to the overall objectives of BASL.
6. FINANCE
6.1 All revenues generated from membership fees and partner funding shall be kept in a clearly identifiable cost centre by a BASL strategic partner with termly financial reporting provided to the Board.
6.2 All financial reserves held in the name of BASL shall be ringfenced for further investment in the development of school leadership within Buckinghamshire.
6.3 Where funds are provided to the Academy by third parties those funds will be managed in accordance with the financial regulations that pertain to those funds.
7.AMENDMENTS TO THE TERMS OF REFERENCE
7.1 These terms of reference will be reviewed annually by BASL in dialogue with appropriate partners in line with the changing local, regional and national landscape in education.
March 2017