School governors are people who want to make a positive contribution to children’s education.

Governors are one of the largest volunteer forces in the country and have an important part to play in raising school standards. The role of the governing board is absolutely key to the effectiveness of a school. Time and time again Ofsted (the national inspection body for schools) has noted that the most effective schools demonstrate effective leadership and management - including by the governing board

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Who can become a Governor?

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Almost anyone over 18 years of age can become a governor. There are no particular qualifications or requirements, other than a willingness to give time to the role and a capacity for working with other people. There are three different types of Governor at this school:

 

• Parent governors can either be elected by parents of children at the school, or if insufficient numbers are elected, can be appointed by the governing body to fill any remaining vacancies. Such appointees need not be parents of children currently attending the school – if no suitable candidates are found, they may be parents of former pupils, or of any child of school age. Parents so appointed can be removed from their positions by a majority vote of the governing body.

• Staff governors (other than the head teacher) are elected by the school staff and must be paid to work at the school, by the school (that is, not under an external contract such as catering or cleaning). At least one staff governor must be a teacher, and if there are three or more staff governors, at least one must be a member of the support staff. If no member of the appropriate category stands for election, the vacant place can be filled by an elected person from the other category (i.e. if no teachers wish to become governors, all staff governors may be support staff, and vice-versa).

• Community Governors are chosen by the rest of the Governing Body and can be recruited from a wide cross section of the local community.  For example they may be ex-parents, someone who lives in the local area, o ra member of the local business community with a particular skill or area of expertise of use to the Governing Body.

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How do I become a Governor?

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If you think you have what it takes to be a school governor you can:

 

• Contact the school – ask for our Clerk to Governors, Pauline Challinor – 01477 410500

• check out our website – all parent governor vacancies are advertised on our website and in our newsletters – www.hccs.info

• for community governor vacancies - these are advertised on our website, in our newsletter and via the local press (parish/village magazines)

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What do Governors do?

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School governors provide strategic leadership and accountability in schools. Governors appoint the head teacher and deputy headteacher. It is governors who work with the headteacher to make the tough decisions about balancing resources.

 

What do governors do?

Each individual governor is a member of a governing board, which is established in law as a corporate body. Individual governors may not act independently of the rest of the governing board; decisions are the joint responsibility of the governing board.  

 

The role of the governing board is a strategic one, its key functions are to:

• set the aims and objectives for the school

• set the policies for achieving those aims and objectives

• set 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).