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At Camden Learning, we understand that effective governance is the cornerstone of successful schools. Our Governor Services package offers a refined clerking service that goes beyond minute-taking—providing strategic, professional support that empowers governing boards to lead with confidence and clarity.

Our clerking provision is quality-assured, responsive, and tailored to the unique needs of Camden schools. Each governing board is matched with a skilled governance professional who not only manages meetings efficiently but also offers procedural guidance, ensures compliance, and maintains essential governance records. With Camden Learning, schools benefit from a seamless clerking experience backed by expert oversight, continuity planning, and access to a wider network of governance support.

While other boroughs offer clerking as part of broader packages, Camden Learning distinguishes itself through its dedicated governance infrastructure, robust quality assurance, and strategic advisory capacity. Schools choosing Camden’s clerking service gain more than a clerk—they gain a governance partner committed to excellence.

Clerking Service:  Sessional Clerking Provision

The Board will be allocated a suitably skilled governance professional responsible for the organisation and clerking of each meeting who will:

  • Agree mutually convenient meeting dates for the academic year collaboratively with the governing board and appropriate executive leaders.
  • The meeting schedule must be reviewed to accommodate the named allocated Clerk, or the provision of temporary cover will be organised.

Your Clerk/Governance Professional will be your first point of contact for organising your meetings and will be responsible for:

  • Attending meetings of the governing board and its committees as appropriate (virtually or in person) and produce minutes.
  • Liaise with relevant parties regarding draft agendas and the collation of associated paperwork.
  • Advise the governing board on routine procedural and good practice matters at meetings.
  • Escalate complex queries or sensitive matters to Senior Members of Governor Services and revert with advice within 48 hours of receipt.
  • Disseminate agreed agendas and papers to appropriate Board/Committee members via GovernorHub.
  • Read papers and provide any relevant governance related advice to executive leaders or governors/trustees.
  • Receive any apologies from governors/trustees for non-attendance, alert the chair to any potential quoracy issues and share apologies with the governing board at the meeting for approval or rejection.
  • Produce draft minutes of the meetings of the governing board and its committees, to submit to the meeting chair for approval within a maximum of 10 school days of any  clerked meeting.  A copy will also be provided to the school and/or relevant executive leader for information and technical comment.
  • Comments should be submitted within 5 days of receipt to allow for revision.  If no comments are received, the minutes will be circulated via GovernorHub.
  • Collating and maintaining the Board’s Pecuniary, Business & Personal Interest Registers.
  • Collating and maintaining the Board’s Skills Matrixes.
  • Collating and maintaining the Board’s Attendance Register.
  • Use Camden Learning templates for agendas and minutes unless otherwise agreed.
  • Update Camden Learning’s database with new governor information, changes to governor contact details, responsibilities, resignations, terms of office, and attendance records.
  • Undertake duties in a fashion that is consistent with the requirements of relevant legislation, including that associated with GDPR.

The clerking contract does not include:

  • Providing hard copies of any meeting paperwork.
  • Providing of advice outside of meetings.
  • School based work e.g., filing of signed minutes, organising governor elections, uploading documents on the school website.
  • Administration of document repository.
  • Any other piece of work requested.

Clerking Service:  Panels, Hearings and Ad Hoc Committees

  • The named/allocated clerk will attend and support the meeting (including panels such as exclusions, complaints, grievances, investigations, and disciplinary hearings).
  • Provide procedural, constitutional, and legal guidance to ensure compliance.
  • Produce minutes within 5 days of the meeting, circulate and revise.
  • Produce outcome letters for Permanent Exclusion Hearings (PEX) and Governor Disciplinary Committees (GDC).

The clerking contract does not include:

  • Preparing agendas
  • Collating and circulating evidence bundles/paperwork
  • Provide legal representation or advice beyond procedural guidance.
  • Make decisions or recommendations on behalf of the panel.
  • Manage or lead investigations.
  • Provide HR or safeguarding advice and in respect of HR related hearings produce the outcome/decision letter.
  • Any other piece of work requested.

Costs

The annual charge entitles the school’s governing body to clerking for up to six meetings and is organised and billed in the financial year:

  • Primary and Special Schools’ annual charge of £3,620 (plus VAT)
  • Mainstream secondary Schools’ annual charge of £3,980 (plus VAT)

Schools purchasing the SLA for part years will be billed pro rata/per meeting.

Bespoke Offering & Additional Services

In addition to core sessional clerking, Camden Learning offers a range of supplementary governance services tailored to the specific needs of schools and trusts. This includes support for panels and hearings, policy and documentation guidance, bespoke training, and strategic governance advice—ensuring governing boards have access to high-quality expertise beyond routine meeting support. For details on specific services and associated costs, please contact the School Governor Services Manager via governor@camdenlearning.org.uk .

Further details can be found in the brochure or by contacting Nadina Bedlow via governor@camdenlearning.org.uk

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