Roles and Responsibilities - HR Function in Schools 1. Introduction

Governing bodies of Local Authority maintained schools have overall responsibility for the appointment of staff. However, the headteacher is normally expected to undertake this function on behalf of the Governing Body. The Local Authority is the employer of staff at community and controlled schools, while the governors are the employers at aided schools. The role of the Local Authority and People Management and Development is to provide advice and support to enable headteachers and governors to carry out their responsibilities in relation to the employment of staff. People Management and Development provide a service to schools under the annual subscription arrangement, and offer advice on the following areas: recruitment and selection contracts of employment pay, benefits and conditions of service employee relations change management employment law

The telephone calls will be dealt with immediately or, where necessary, a named contact will call back by the end of the next working day. Every effort will be made to respond fully to correspondence within ten working days, but if this is not possible an acknowledgement will be sent indicating who is dealing with the matter and, where appropriate, what action is being taken. People Management and Development have aimed to set out in this document everything a school should need to know regarding policies, relevant legislation, conditions of service and good practice for the employment of staff. However, there will inevitably be circumstances when a query or problem will arise which may not be covered, or a particular matter may be the subject of different views of interpretation. If a school has difficulty with a personnel issue and cannot deal with it using this guidance, the Authority is here to help and should be contacted. Normally this will be by contacting a member of the People Management Support team. However, just as the Authority appreciates the pressures on and within schools, it is hoped that schools will be aware of the similar demands within the People Management Support Team. Therefore, it is expected that the relevant section of this guidance will be consulted in the first instance, before a matter is referred to the People Management Support Team or another department. 2. People Management and Development The role of People Management and Development is to provide a comprehensive range of People Management services throughout the Authority, including all maintained schools. This includes the provision of management information, liaison with the trade unions, health and safety, employee relations and advising on employment law.

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3. The Role of The Governing Body It is the responsibility of a governing body to determine a schools establishment of both teaching and support staff within the schools budget. The governing body also has overall responsibility for all appointments and dismissals. However, in accordance with the Education Act 2002, the headteacher is normally expected to undertake this function on behalf of the governing body. Technically, the Local Authority is the employer of all staff except in the case of aided schools. However, the Authority will accept all appointments or recommendations by/on behalf of a governing body provided they meet the appropriate requirements (which relate mainly to qualifications, health and the disclosure check). 4. Delegation Recruitment and selection will normally be delegated to the headteacher, except for the appointment of the deputy headteacher / assistant headteacher and support staff with senior management responsibilities. For these posts, the governing body will elect a Staffing (or Personnel) Committee which, in turn, will appoint a Selection Panel to conduct interviews and make appointments or make recommendations to the full governing body. 5. Teaching Staff Teachers must be appointed according to the School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document which is issued annually by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). Full details are set out later in the manual, together with guidance on those matters where governors can exercise discretion. A representative of the Director for Adults and Children and an appropriate Adviser are entitled to attend selection panel meetings (except in the case of aided schools - see below). However, it is hoped that governors will also appreciate the value of involving officers/advisers in senior appointments in view of their knowledge and experience. 6. Support Staff The schools support staff are all of the non-teaching staff except those staff employed by an outside contractor. It is for the governors to decide the numbers, types, duties, pay, working hours and contractual arrangements for such staff - subject to the provisions laid down by the National Joint Council for Local Government Services (the Green Book). The Education Act 2002 requires the governing body to advise the Director for Adults and Children via the People Management Support Team where support staff are appointed and issues of pay and grading are not straightforward. This must take place before a formal offer of employment is made. The Local Authority has the right to make representation if they have concerns about pay and grading.

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7. Aided Schools In aided schools the governors are the employers, not the Local Authority (although salaries may be paid by the Authority). A governing body, therefore, carries full responsibility for staff appointments, although the Local Authority offers the same level of support and advice as for Community and Controlled schools. If governing bodies at aided schools have adopted the West Sussex Job Evaluation Scheme, and they want to vary the scheme, they are advised to consult JE team within People Management Support.

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