What do Governors do?

They provide strategic leadership and are critical friends to the school.

This means helping to draw up policies and plans that develop the whole school, while monitoring the school’s performance in areas such as finance and pupil achievement.

What does it involve?

• Regular attendance at full governing body meetings, about twice a term.
• Membership of a committee.

- Education and Staffing Committee or

- Premises and Finance Committee

These meet three times a year.

How do governors monitor the school?

Through –

• Visiting the school.

- Informally, through occasional involvement with the children as a volunteer, getting to know them and how the school operates.

- Formally, through experience of lessons.

• Reading the information they are sent, for example:

- Assessment results.

- Headteacher’s report

- Link Inspector’s report

- Briefing papers.

• Listening to others in the community, parents, children etc.

How do governors know what to do? They:

- Are sent an introductory pack by the Local Education Authority.

- Have training made available to them.

- Have access to information and advice from the Headteacher, Chair and Clerk of Governors.

Do they need qualifications or specialist knowledge?

No. Being a Governor is about contributing their experiences and enthusiasm to the school. It is not about what they have done in the past, it is about what they can contribute in the future.