the responsibility of governing bodies, proprietors and management committees. Legislation and the law 76. Governing bodies and proprietors20 have a strategic leadership responsibility for their school or college’s safeguarding arrangements and must ensure that they comply with their duties under legislation. They must have regard to this guidance, ensuring policies, procedures and training in their schools or colleges are effective and comply with the law at all times.21 Headteachers and principals should ensure that the policies and procedures, adopted by their governing bodies and proprietors (particularly those concerning referrals of cases of suspected abuse and neglect), are understood, and followed by all staff. 77. Where a school or college has charitable status, Charity Commission guidance on charity and trustee duties to safeguard children is available at GOV.UK. 78. Governing bodies and proprietors should have a senior board level (or equivalent) lead to take leadership responsibility for their school or college’s safeguarding arrangements22. 20 In the case of academies, free schools and alternative provision academies the proprietor will be the academy trust. 21 Section 175 of the Education Act 2002 requires governing bodies of maintained schools and colleges, in relation to their functions relating to the conduct of the school or the institution to make arrangements for ensuring that such functions are exercised with a view to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children who are either pupils at the school or are receiving education or training at the institution. The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 apply a duty to proprietors of independent schools (which in the case of academies and free schools is the academy trust) to ens