Blogmas 2024 Day 7 : Associate Members

Welcome to day 7 of Blogmas! Today we taking a look at Associate Members and how they differ from Governors.

The regulations below are mainly for Associate Members in maintained schools – academies should check their Articles of Association or Scheme of Delegation to check the specific wording around the appointment of Associate Members (which shouldn’t be confused with “Members” which sit “above” Trustees in terms of Governance for a Charitable Trust).

What are Associate Members?

Associate Members are not Governors but can be invited to sit on the Governing Body. They are usually appointed by the Governing Body to serve on one or more Governing Body Committee but may also be invited to attend full Governing Body meetings at the Board’s discretion.

What Benefit can they Bring to a Governing Body?

Associate members should be appointed because of the specific expertise and experience they can contribute to the effective governance and success of the school. This can help to address specific gaps identified in the skills of the Governing Body , and/or help respond to particular challenges that they may be facing.

Do Associate Members have Voting Rights?

Associate Members are not Governors and therefore do not have voting rights in full Governing Body meeting decisions; however, they may be given a vote on decisions made by committees to which they are appointed at the discretion of the Board. This also means that Associate Members do not count towards quorum unless voting rights are given.

How is their Term of Office Set?

Associate members are appointed for a period of between one and four years, as determined by the Governing body and may be reappointed.

How and Where are Associate Members Recorded?

Associate Members should be included in your Register of Governors, Register of Interests and Single Central Record. They must also be published on your school’s Governance webpage, making it clear of their position and whether they have voting rights on any of the committees to which they have been appointed. Associate Members do not need to be published on GIAS (as per all other full Governors) or Companies House (for Academy Trusts).

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All our best

Ellie & Becky

In collaboration with Governors’ Virtual Office