Every governing body must have an Instrument of Government which sets out the rules under which the governing body must work. This must be agreed by the LEA and must be given to every governor.

Governors must be over 18 years of age. The governing body consists of the following:

• parent governors elected by the parents of children currently at the school • teacher governors elected by the teaching staff of the school • staff governor elected by the non-teaching staff employed at the school or

under a contract for services to work at the school • LEA governors appointed by the LEA • co-opted governors chosen by the governors to represent the wider commu-

nity; a primary school may have as an additional co-opted governor a representative of the minor authority for the area

• foundation governors appointed by the person named in the Instrument of Government (often a trustee or religious body)

• the headteacher may choose whether or not to be a governor.