Becoming a governor

Would you like to be involved in working to support and improve education in Bristol schools? If you would, why not consider becoming a school governor. Governors come from all walks of life. As Bristol is a multi-ethnic city, we are particularly keen to ensure that governors are representative of this ethnic diversity.

What do school governors do?

• Work with the headteacher to determine the overall direction of the school
• Oversee the budget
• Help recruit staff
• Monitor the performance of the school, e.g. in examinations and key stage tests
• Advise on school policies and procedures

What’s in it for you?

Being a governor can be an enjoyable and stimulating way to spend a small amount of time each month. The experience of working as part of a team involved in running the school can prove helpful in everyday life, and you may find that the free training available for governors gives you skills you can use in your job or other community work. It can also be very rewarding when other people listen to and respect your opinions on the issues facing the school.

Are you interested?

If you are interested in becoming a governor but feel a little daunted by the responsibility you may be taking on, remember that full training will be available, and you will always act as part of a team. No particular experience or qualifications are required. Your role would be to bring an external perspective to the running of the governing body and the school, either as a parent or a member of the community.

Your commitment

If you become a governor you will be taking on the following commitments to help make sure the school is well managed;

Share the responsibilities of the governing body as summarised above.

• Attend and participate in governors meetings on a regular basis – the governors generally meet six times a year with additional committee meetings
• Spend some time on training and getting to know the school
• You may also occasionally be called to sit on appointments panels or panels that handle staff or pupil discipline issues or complaints against the school.

What do you need to do next?

There are different types of governor - some are appointed by parents, some by the Local Authority (LA), and some by the governors themselves. The Governor Development Service will be pleased to help you find a vacancy that suits you and explain the appointment process.

If you would like to know more about the role of governor please contact us, details to top right.