Becoming a School Governor

Make An Impact - Become a School Governor

For many of our volunteers, it's the impact you can make as a governor that inspires them to get involved. Today, we've launched our impact report which shows the value governors bring to schools - and the effect the role has on the individual.

Anyone can be a school governor. If you believe that education can make a difference to children’s lives … read on. If you want to support the school to be the best it can be – we want you to be our school governor.

What Does a School Governor Do?

School governors support school leaders to run the school. Running a school is essentially a business – so we help to do that. We plan for the future, we monitor the budget and make sure the education the children is receiving is first class.

If you have any sort of experience with;

• Meetings
• Budgets
• Being a Team Player

Then we would like to hear from you. Full training will be given to support you to undertake the role. 

For more information on people’s experience of being a governor – see this link Governors for Schools.

How Much Volunteering Time is Needed?

There are regular meetings every term (one or two)  – full governing board meetings and committee meetings. They are usually about 90 minutes – 2 hours long. There is often preparatory reading that needs to be undertaken before the meeting. Sometimes the meetings may be on-line, sometimes face to face at the school.

All governors are usually allocated a link role also. Every school is different how they manage this and it often changes every year because the School Development Plan changes. Link role governors monitor (check over) different aspects of the school work in line with their strategic (future planning) role. Most schools have the following link roles;

• Safeguarding– all aspects of safety are of paramount importance, including child protection, safer recruitment practices, training of staff and teaching the children. Making sure all our policies and practices are up to date.
• Health & Safety – such an important issue, whilst part of safeguarding, often a link role in its own right. This is about the fabric of the building, to ensure its safety and the people that enter it.
• Pupil Premium
• Maths
• English

On our governors’ page on the website, you can see details of our current governors.

Boards will always try to find you a role that fits with your skills. However, whatever link role you have, training is available. Some training is required.

A link role monitoring visit will be needed termly – probably an hour to prepare, an hour to meet and an hour to write a report after this. Sometimes these visits can be on-line, but it is essential that you see the school ‘in-action’ sometimes. You will have a governor mentor to support you with your first few visits, and to help you write up the report.

So – how much time?  Probably anything between 12 – 15 days a year. Most of this will be evening meetings, but some of it will be in the day. You will get plenty of notice about what you are needed to do and when. And you will be supported.

Time Off Work

Not many people realize that being a school governor has the same status as being a magistrate – it is regarded as Public Office. Many employers recognize this and actively encourage their employees to become school governors. They often give employees extra leave to cover their governance duties – sometimes this is paid leave.

Okay – I am interested! What do I need to do?

Complete the contact form below, email our chair of governors ChairOfGovernors@MapleGrove.Herts.sch.uk or call the school office on 01442 214966. We look forward to hearing from you.