ABSTRACT
For a governing body to be truly effective-to really make a difference-it has to be efficient; that is, it has to complete its tasks in the minimum of time and to the satisfaction of all concerned. Effective governing bodies are efficient in that they are able to manage their business so that the governors have time to concentrate on the key educational issues. Governors are busy people with many demands upon their time; effective time management is therefore a key issue. One way of ensuring that time is used effectively, while also making sure that important issues receive the attention they deserve, is by delegating some of the work of the governing body to committees or working parties. The key difference between the two types of group is that properly constituted committees of the governing body can have some powers delegated to them while working parties must report their recommendations back to the full governing body for action. All of the governing bodies we studied had an effective committee structure including finance committees to handle the detailed management of the school budget. Several governing bodies had set up groups specifically tasked to address what they saw as key issues for their school.
