"Staff at FGB meetings should not exceed a third of those present." Can you guide me to the document this is stated?

The best practice advise given is in line with the principle of the constitution which confirms that:

B.1 Requirements for all maintained schools (regulation 13) The governing body must not be smaller than seven members 12, and must include:

• at least two parent governors.
• the headteacher unless the headteacher resigns as a governor; • one, and only one, staff governor; • one, and only one, local authority governor; and the governing body may appoint as many additional co-opted governors as they consider necessary. However, the number of co-opted governors who are eligible to be elected or appointed as staff governors under Schedule 2 must not, when counted with the one staff governor and the headteacher, exceed one-third of the total membership of the governing body.

This is to ensure that the Governing Board works in a fair and balanced way, with governors being "mindful that in exercising all their functions, they must act with integrity, objectivity and honesty and in the best interests of the school; and be open about the decisions they make and the actions they take and be prepared to explain their decisions and actions to interested parties".

If staff are invited to present at FGB or committee meetings, clerks should make it clear that they can excuse themselves once they have finished, taking into account that discussions and decisions should not be influenced by the presence of observers.

This may be something that you can include in the ToR and be agreed by the governing body.