Board of Management minutes records retention
Save in the case of a school maintained by an ETB5, the school board of management is responsible for all matters relating to the management of the school. The records of its meetings form the definitive record of the school’s decision-making process6. It is important therefore that these records be prepared with care and kept safely and securely in line with the school's/ETB’s data protection policy, its data retention policy, together with legislative and other requirements, e.g. requirements set down from time to time by the Department of Education and Skills.
Particular requirements that attach to various sectors should be noted:
- In the case of primary schools, there is no requirement to forward minutes of board of management meetings to the Department of Education and Skills. There is however a requirement under the “Constitution of Boards and Rules of Procedure” for minutes to be kept in an appropriate form and to be available on request to representatives of the patron, the trustees and the Department of Education and Skills.
- In the case of community and comprehensive schools, copies of board of management minutes should be sent to the Schools Governance, Schools Division, Department of Education and Skills, Athlone. This procedure is under review with the Department of Education and Skills.
- In the case of voluntary secondary schools, there is no requirement to forward minutes of board of management meetings to the Department of Education and Skills. Article 2(a) of the Articles of Management state: “that the conduct, management and financial administration of the school shall be under the control of the board of management (hereinafter called ‘The Board’) which shall exercise the powers hereinafter conferred subject to the general supervision and control of the trustees for the time being”.
- In the case of ETB schools, copies of the official minutes of each board meeting should be provided to the ETB and, in the case of a Model Agreement (Designated) College, to the Bishop/trustee partner to the Model Agreement, (Designated) College, to the Bishop/trustee partner to the Model Agreement.
Primary Schools Boards of Management
In the case of primary schools, the Board of Management is responsible for all matters relating to the management of the school.
Voluntary Secondary School Board of Management Guidance
The conduct of meetings of the board of management is outlined in the Board of Management Manual, 2014, Chapter 6. The link to the Manual is available by accessing www.jmb.ie
Community & Comprehensive School Board of Management Guidance
Guidelines for conducting board of management meetings are set out in Chapter 2.6 of Tagairt (2014 Edition). This is accessible on the ACCS website www.accs.ie.
Education Training Boards
In the case of schools established and maintained by an ETB, the ETB Committee is the corporate body and employer (operating through executive/reserved function lines) and the ultimate authority in all matters relating to the management of an ETB school. Further details available from www.etbi.ie.
5 ETB boards of management have all the functions, powers, and responsibilities of boards of management in the other school sectors other than that the ETB has ultimate responsibility for HR matters, is the accountable body and is the corporate entity that can sue and be sued.
6 Please note that, in the event of a Section 29 appeal, the minutes of a board of management meeting may be sought by the parents making the appeal. In such circumstances they should be redacted in a manner that will show the date of the meeting, who was present and the decisions taken in relation to the case being appealed only. The signature of the chairperson must also be evident.