 | | Question: What can we do about a primary head who does not consider the Board of Governors to be his line manager? Our headteacher has disregarded our policy on recruitment procedure against the express written wishes of the Chair of Governors. As governors we have failed to keep him in check due to his unprofessional and emotional response to any probing questions regarding budgets or school activities. Currently the relationship between the head and chair is almost unworkable and the tension is mounting. Please clarify our position.
Joan Sallis replies: First of all I would never use the expression “line manager” in this context. The normal connotation of the phrase is someone on the staff. It is true that the governing body as a whole is there to lay down school policies in a number of defined areas as well as overseeing the general conduct of the school, and that the head should respect their decisions. Having said that the head is responsible for the day-to-day management of the time, space and people, and to refer to any of these matters in language like “line manager” or “keep in check” is inappropriate and provocative. Indeed, it sounds as though the governing body has been too heavy in the interpretation of its role and probably provoked a stubborn reaction. (You never thought you’d hear me say that did you, but fair’s fair).
You have a reasonable complaint if, after discussion, the governing body has come to an agreed decision on policies within its remit which the head chooses to ignore, but I strongly suspect that your head’s reaction is a response to something a lot more provocative than that. Whatever the cause, the situation must be brought to a civilised level with respect for roles on both sides, and you now probably need a bit of outside help with this. The LEA is the obvious place to go for help – perhaps the inspector from their staff whom they have attached to your school can act as arbitrator. Sometimes LEAs ask an experienced governor or ex-governor to help through a temporary attachment to the governing body concerned. Sometimes it is a “tone of voice” matter as is so often the case in relationships. I am not doubting that currently you have a “difficult” head, but we must all work at removing difficulties for the children’s sake, and whatever the rights and wrongs, the stance you are now taking is damaging the school.
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