January 2021

BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR GOVERNOR APPLICANTS

Schools need enthusiastic and committed people to become governors.  Governors have the opportunity to express their own views, to listen to the views of others representing the school and its community and to influence pupils’ education for the better.  It is an important role and is interesting and satisfying.

You would be part of a team (the Governing Board) with a range of important responsibilities, working in partnership with School staff to shape the school’s future, to decide the key issues that will help raise standards, and determine how the school will best spend its money to achieve these aims.

Governors do not need specific qualifications, just the desire to make a positive contribution, show interest, and have time.  Time commitment is one of the key considerations as in any volunteering role and the following information will give you an indication of the commitment needed.  The Full Governing Board (i.e. all governors) currently meets three times a year (once per term).  The meetings take place at the school and last approximately 2 hours (from 7.00pm).  There are three committees of the Governing Board Finance & General Business and Curriculum & Personal Development which meet 3 or 4 times a year.  These meetings currently take place at the school, during the school day (9.30am) to enable staff and student representation as appropriate and last approximately 2 hours.  The board also have a Personnel Committee (no parents are appointed to this committee) and this committee meets at 7.00pm via zoom. All governors are expected to join at least one of the three committees. 

There would be some background reading for each meeting and relevant papers are uploaded to the school’s One Drive.   The meeting dates are agreed by governors for the whole academic in the preceding spring term.

In addition to attending scheduled meetings, a governor would also be expected to visit the school perhaps once or twice a year to attend and support events. Governors may at times be asked to sit on certain panels. Governors do lead and or take on some other areas of responsibilities depending on the requirements of the Governing Board and school. The term of office for governors is 4 years.

The role of the Governing Board is key to the effectiveness of a school, and Ofsted (the national inspection Board for schools) has noted that the most effective schools demonstrate effective leadership and management, including by the Governing Board. (Please check that this statement is still relevant – the wording may have changed under the new framework)

School governors provide strategic leadership and accountability in schools.  Governors appoint the Headteacher and are involved in the appointment of other senior staff.  It is governors who hold the main responsibility for finance in schools, and it is governors who work with the Headteacher to make the decisions about balancing resources.

Each individual governor is a member of a Governing Board, which is established in law as a corporate Board.  Individual governors may not act independently of the rest of the Governing Board.  Decisions are the joint responsibility of the Governing Board. 

The Governing Board has a strategic role, with its key functions being to:

• set the aims and objectives for the school
• set the statutory policies for achieving those aims and objectives
• agree the targets for achieving those aims and objectives
• monitor and evaluate the progress the school is making towards achievement of its aims and objectives
• be a source of challenge and support to the Headteacher (a critical friend)

The Headteacher is responsible for the internal organisation, management and control of the school and the implementation of the strategic framework established by the Governing Board.

Governors may be required to serve on panels of governors to:

• appoint the Headteacher and other senior staff
• appraise the Headteacher
• recommend the Headteacher’s pay
• hear the second stage of staff grievances and disciplinary matters
• hear the second stage of formal complaints appeals from parents/carers
• hear appeals about pupil exclusions

Governors will be expected to act as a Link Governor on a specific issue (i.e. SEN, Safeguarding), meeting with the relevant staff and report back to the Governing Board.

The constitution of the Governing Board from 1 September 2015 is:

5 - Parent Governors

1 - LA Governor

1 - Staff governor

1- Headteacher

7 - Co-opted Governors