Being a Governor

What does being a School Governor mean?

All publicly-funded schools in England and Wales have a Governing Body.  School Governors are there to make sure that schools are well run.  They are volunteers who help decide on the direction, focus and ethos of schools.  They bear statutory responsibilities for the effectiveness of the school.  Each school has between 10 and 20 Governors who together form the Governing Body.

Governors come from many walks of life: school staff; parents; the local community, including possibly the church or organisation connected with the school.

The Main Roles of the Governing Body

To provide a strategic view: The Governing Body has important powers and duties but limited time and resources.  So it should focus on where it can add most value - that is, in helping to decide the school's strategy for improvement so that its pupils learn most effectively and achieve the highest standards.

To act as a critical friend: The Governing Body also provides the Headteacher and staff with support, advice and information, drawing on its members' knowledge and experience.  In these ways it acts as a critical friend - "critical" in the sense of its responsibility for monitoring and assessing the school's effectiveness; "a friend" because it exists to promote the interests of the school and its pupils.

What School Governors Do

School Governors lead schools, they do not manage them.  They discuss, help plan and influence:

  • Long term plans and the future of the school
  • The setting of performance targets and plans to reach them
  • How the school budget will be spent
  • School policies - such as discipline, dress, sport, bullying
  • Appointment, performance management - and dismissal - of the Headteacher
  • Repair and maintenance of buildings
  • Use of the premises outside school hours

Why Become a School Governor?

You will have the opportunity to:

  • Enjoy using your skills for the benefit of the local community
  • Enjoy the personal satisfaction and sense of achievement of working to improve the school
  • Develop new skills and strengthen existing ones through governor training
  • Work with a wide range of people from a variety of backgrounds

Who Can Be a School Governor?

Anyone can apply to become a School Governor, so long as they:

  • Are over 18
  • Are enthusiastic about helping children get a good education
  • Can spare about six hours a month
  • Are not bankrupt or disqualified from working with children

Governing bodies need a range of skills and interests:

  • Understanding of business
  • Understanding of counselling
  • Marketing
  • Strategic planning
  • Financial planning
  • Problem solving
  • Legal knowledge
  • IT skills
  • Understanding of Health and Safety issues

Different Types of Governor

Typical Governing bodies in England and Wales include:

  • Parent Governors: they are elected by other parents at the school
  • Staff Governors: they are elected by the school staff
  • Community Governors: they are appointed by the Governing Body or by the Local Education Authority
  • Foundation Governors: they are appointed by the organisation that set up the school
  • Associate or Co-opted Governors: they are appointed by the Governing Body but do not have voting rights
  • Local Authority Governors: they are proposed by the Local Authority

Applying to Become a Governor

For all types of Governor post, you can phone or write to your local school to ask if they have any Governor vacancies that you are eligible for.

  • When a Parent Governor vacancy arises, the school is obliged to tell all parents that there will be an election and that all parents of pupils in the school are entitled to stand
  • There are three ways to apply to become a Community Governor:
    • Contact the local authority to ask if there are vacancies in any local schools
    • Contact your local school
    • Apply online through the School Governors One Stop Shop