The balancing act of minute writing

Minute writing: when is enough, enough?

I am often asked “what should I include in minutes of meetings and what should I leave out”? Certainly, in reviewing different school and Trust minutes I have seen significant differences. But this is entirely right as minutes should meet each group’s particular needs.  There is no prescribed length and style of minutes and Ofsted has remained remarkably silent about their expectations.  However, it is worth considering whose requirements your minutes need to meet and critically evaluate if they do.

A public document

Most schools and Trusts do not routinely publish governor’s minutes but will make them available on request and also need to respond to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests. My school was recently asked by a student at a local University for 24 months of minutes based upon research into a specific part of the curriculum. Whilst it is perfectly reasonable to redact any sensitive, or irrelevant information, this can be a time-consuming process and redactions can raise further concerns. The FOI request made me question whether there was too much personal information in our minutes and whether, whilst a discussion/challenge should be recorded, briefer action orientated references would be better.

Who has an interest in the minutes?

• You: Clearly, the principle purpose of the minutes are to assist the three strands of effective governance and to provide an accurate record of challenges and SMART actions. They are not intended to be a verbatim record of discussions or the opportunity for an absent governor to “catch-up” on everything that was said. It is worth asking yourself what level of scrutiny your governors give to minutes and whether continuity of actions between minutes is better served by them being shorter. Remember, the annual review of the effectiveness of governance can include whether minutes were fit for purpose. If you are part of a Trust, minutes will be of interest to the three tiers of Trust governance, providing local intelligence upwards and Trust strategy downwards. So they should be easy to understand at each level.

• Ofsted:  Despite their silence of the matter, you should not ignore the fact that Ofsted inspectors are likely to ask to see minutes. We don’t write minutes for Ofsted, but if minutes are aligned with the 2025 education inspection framework they will be easier to follow. Ensure safeguarding and inclusion are prominent. Inspectors will also look to see that challenges and actions are highlighted, and minutes indicate how they are followed up in a timely manner. I also think they like to see that there is a wide range of participation from governors who are not just talked at but ask probing questions to inform the school development plan.

• Your School Community: Parents and carers are a group likely to ask to see minutes – normally from a viewpoint that is related to their own child. The government has placed renewed emphasis on parental engagement so ensure your minutes reflect how views are encouraged, considered and fed back on. In the current times of financial pressure SEND provision is likely to be an issue across schools and Trusts with parents looking for reassurance from the minutes that governors are challenging difficult financial decisions. The school community also includes staff, and it is important to record considerations of staff welfare including unacceptable behaviour from parents and carers. As with all items in the minutes, consider whether content is specific enough to show governor scrutiny whilst avoiding detail that might suggest criticism of a particular individual. Ask yourself whether you would be happy making the comment to their face.

• FOI & SAR requests: I have already mentioned the potential for outside individuals and organisations to ask for sets of minutes and the need to ensure that they are suitable for full disclosure. Always produce your minutes with the assumption that anyone may ask to see them, so avoid including personal or commercially sensitive information.

So, when is enough, enough in minutes?

Considering the potential audiences above, think about what is right for your key audience and agree, as a governing group, the format that will work for your board. My personal reflection is that in over 18 years as a governor I have definitely moved from a position of thinking nearly everything should be captured to one where less is definitely more. 

Geoff Mountjoy, Chair of Governors, Headley Park Primary School