There are a number of ways that you may become a governor and we are always looking for committed people to fill vacancies on governing bodies across the City. Governing bodies are made up of a number of groups of governors from different sections of the community.
Who can become a School Governor?
What is a parent governor?
What are staff governors?
What are community governors?
What are Local Authority (LA) governors?
What is a link governor?
CRB checking procedures and application
How do I apply to become a Governor?
Job description
Code of conduct
Role of Governor Services
Parent governors are elected by and from parents of registered pupils on the school roll. They should be parents of pupils currently at the school at the time of their election. Parent governors are elected to represent the parental point of view but are not delegates. Parent governors are not required to stand down if their child leaves the school during their term of office and are entitled to see out their term, though they may choose to stand down if they so wish. They may stand for re-election at the end of their term if they still have a child on the school roll. If too few parents stand for election to fill all of the vacancies available, the governing body may appoint a parent of a pupil at the school or, if that is not practicable, the parent of any child of compulsory school age. However, there are specific restrictions on who can be appointed as a parent governor if they are not the parent of a pupil at the school.
Staff governors are elected by and from the staff at the school. Staff - teaching and non-teaching governors are elected to represent the staff of the school but are not delegates. Anyone who is employed under a contract of employment or a contract for services, or who is otherwise engaged to provide his/her services at the school, must be offered the chance to stand for election, even if temporary, part-time or peripatetic and also including regular supply teachers. Staff such as swimming instructors not working at the school are not eligible to stand for election, or to vote.
Staff governors may not continue as governors if they leave the school and must stand down immediately, even if they have not served out their term of office. Those who are eligible to serve as staff governors are not eligible to be appointed as community governors.
Community governors are appointed by those members of the governing body who are not themselves co-opted. They are intended to enable the governors to add specific areas of expertise to the governing body. When deciding whom to appoint, governors should ensure that the governing body reflects a balance of interests. It may be desirable for the local business community to be represented. All categories of school except voluntary aided schools will have community governors (although voluntary aided schools may include additional co-optees).
Community governors cannot be employed at the school, pupils currently at the school (even if over 18) or elected members of the local authority. However, employees of the local authority may become community governors. Parents are eligible to stand as community governors.
All categories of school include governors appointed by the Local Authority (LA). LAs should ensure that appointments are made promptly when vacancies arise. The LA is required to have criteria in place for appointing its representatives to school governing bodies. The Education Appointments Sub-Committee has the responsibility to appoint/re-appoint LA governors according to the criteria. The Manager of the Governors' Clerking Agency will liaise with the Sub-Committee and inform candidates of the Sub-Committee's decision, with the support and assistance of the relevant officer from Democratic Services and the Governor Services team
The following process will be used to make the appointments:
• Each term the Education Appointments Sub-Committee will meet to apply these criteria to applications from prospective governors.
• The Agency Manager will provide the Education Appointments Sub-Committee with a list of LA vacancies and completed application forms. The panel will meet at the beginning of each term and consider each application on merit.
• The sub-committee’s decision will be communicated in writing to each applicant and the school’s governing body.
Link governors are members of, and are appointed by, the governing body to oversee specific aspects of governors’ responsibilities within the school.
There is no legal requirement to appoint link governors, but many governing bodies find them a very effective way to help the governing body to understand, oversee, monitor and develop a particular area of responsibility within the school. The link governor should ultimately enrich the whole governing body’s understanding of their particular area and contribute to informed decision making.
From 1 April 2002, new checking procedures (Disclosure of Criminal Convictions), carried out by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB), were extended to include school governors. New governors and those who were newly re-appointed or re-elected were strongly recommended to take the opportunity to undergo the new checking process. The Local Authority will be looking to make certain checks and forms will be available for prospective governors and existing governors seeking re-appointment or re-election.
All new governors and re-appointed / re-elected governors will be offered an Enhanced CRB check. Ofsted Inspectors are asking schools for details of CRB checks done on governors.
Governing bodies of Catholic and Church of England schools should note that we have contacted the respective Dioceses about the arrangements for checking Foundation Governors
Governor Services maintain a database recording the dates when governors were checked.
Please complete the below application form. It will automatically be sent directly to Governors Services.
application form to become a governor
The purpose of the post is to contribute to the work of the governing body in raising standards of achievement for all pupils. This involves providing a strategic view for the school, acting as a critical friend and ensuring accountability. Governors do not need to have qualifications and need to be aged 18 years and above.
The individual governor has a responsibility, working alongside other members of the governing body, to the staff and pupils of the school, the school’s wider community and where they are representatives, to their particular constituency (parents; staff; teachers; church; etc).
Although some governors may represent particular constituencies they are not delegates of that group.
Responsibilities include:
• developing the strategic plan for the school
• determining aims, policies and priorities of the school
• setting statutory and non statutory targets
• monitoring and evaluating the work of the school
• appointment of staff and ensuring the implementation of a range of personnel procedures
• management of the budget
• securing high levels of attendance and good standards of pupil behaviour
• ensuring that all children in the schools have access to a broad and balanced curriculum which is suitable to age, aptitude and ability, which prepares them for adult life.
• ensuring the health and safety of pupils and staff
Tasks include:
• to get to know the school: its needs, strengths and areas for development.
• to attend meetings (full governing body, committees and working groups).
• to work as a member of a team
• to speak, act and vote in the best interests of the school as one perceives them.
• to represent the perspectives of constituencies, where appropriate.
• to respect all governing body decisions and to support them in public.
• to act within the framework of the policies of the governing body and legal requirements.
• to commit to training and development opportunities
Governor conduct is underpinned by the following key principles:
• to act in the best interests of the school - this may require balancing short and long term issues, school and community issues etc. LA governors should have regard to the views and advice of the LA.
• to work as a member of a team at all times and be loyal to collective decisions made by the governing body.
• to recognise that all governors have the same rights and responsibilities unless particular responsibilities are conferred on them by the full governing body.
• to understand that no governor can act alone except in exceptional circumstances prescribed in the regulations - the power of the governing body rests in it acting as a single body.
And that governors must:
• respect confidentiality.
• listen to and respect the views of others.
• express their own views clearly and succinctly.
• take their fair share of work/positions of responsibility.
• know, understand and work within the prescribed regulatory framework.
• report any evidence of fraud, corruption or misconduct to an appropriate person or Authority.
And should:
• prepare for meetings by reading papers beforehand.
• take responsibility for their own learning and development as a governor including attending training
• attend meetings promptly, regularly, and for the full time.
For Local Authority Governors only:
• read briefings provided by the LA specifically for LA governors.
• familiarize themselves with LA policy and where necessary be able to explain LA policy to other governors on the governing body.
Page last updated: 16 August, 2011
