{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/school-governance-federations-england-regulations-2004/regulation-21",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/school-governance-federations-england-regulations-2004/regulation-21.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/2004/2042",
  "legislation_title": "The School Governance (Federations) (England) Regulations 2004",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/school-governance-federations-england-regulations-2004",
  "path": "regulation/21",
  "kind": "regulation",
  "number": "21",
  "heading": "General principles",
  "text": "(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), the instrument of government for a federation shall specify the size of the membership of the governing body of the federation, being no fewer than 9 or more than 20 governors.\n(2) Where a federation contains 4 schools and—\n(a) each federated school has a head teacher, the size of the membership of the governing body may be 21 governors;\n(b) at least 2 schools are voluntary aided schools, and there are at least 3 head teachers who are entitled to be staff governors by virtue of their office, the size of the membership of the governing body may be no more than 24 governors.\n(3) Where a federation contains 5 schools and—\n(a) each federated school has a head teacher, the size of the membership of the governing body may be no more than 22 governors;\n(b) at least 3 schools are voluntary aided schools, and there are 4 head teachers who are entitled to be staff governors by virtue of their office, the size of the membership of the governing body may be no more than 26 governors;\n(c) at least 3 schools are voluntary aided schools and there are 5 head teachers who are entitled to be staff governors by virtue of their office, the size of the membership of the governing body may be no more than 28 governors.\n(4) In determining the size of the membership of the governing body of a federation any sponsor governors shall not be included.\n(5) Subject to regulations 22 to 27, the instrument of government shall specify the numbers of governors from each of the following categories of governor to be elected or appointed—\n(a) parent governors;\n(b) staff governors;\n(c) LEA governors;\n(d) community governors;\n(e) foundation governors;\n(f) partnership governors;\n(g) sponsor governors.\n(6) Where application of this regulation and regulations 22 to 27 produces a number other than a whole number, the governing body shall specify either the whole number next above or the whole number next below (at their choice) provided that the total number of governors may not exceed the limit set in this regulation.\n(7) In calculating the number of staff governors required, the head teachers must be included whether or not the head teacher of the federation, or any head teacher of a federated school, has resigned his governorship.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f1",
      "text": "Defined by section 20 of the 2002 Act."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2004/2042/regulation/21",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T05:20:43.530441+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}