FAQ's
- What benefits will I gain from becoming a governor?
- Who can serve as a school governor?
- What responsibilities do governors have?
- What qualifications do I need?
- How much time will I be expected to spend on Governor duties?
- How long does it take to become a school governor?
- Is there any training and support for governors?
- What is the legal position?
- Am I entitled to time off from work for governor duties?
- Can I claim expenses?
- What are the different types of governor?
- Once I send my application to you, what happens to it?
- I’ve not yet been placed as a governor, but I’ve moved house.
What should I do? - What happens if I can’t make any of the meetings?
- We’re finding it difficult to fill vacancies on our governing body.
Can you help? - Our company would like to get involved. What should we do?
What benefits will I gain from becoming a governor?
Being a governor is an enormously challenging and rewarding opportunity. The governing body is responsible for key issues, such as finance, personnel and strategic planning, and this, with the training offered to you, will give you plenty of opportunity for career and personal development; You will get to know how the education system works and be involved in the school at the highest level. You will have a say into how the school is managed and will know that your time and efforts are benefiting every pupil in the school.
Who can serve as a school governor?
Anyone aged 18 or over, who is legally resident in the UK and not disqualified from being a school governor under the School Governance (Constitution) (England) Regulations 2003. These are printed in full on the SGOSS Application Form. New governors may be requested to undergo a Criminal Records Bureau check to ascertain suitability within these regulations.
What responsibilities do governors have?
School governors make important collective decisions and the governing body is answerable to parents and the community. The responsibilities of the governing body include:
- Promoting high standards of education and achievement
- Planning the school’s long-term future
- Setting the school’s aims and values
- Appointing senior staff including the Head Teacher
- Budgetary allocation and control
What qualifications do I need?
The most important quality is a desire to help provide children with the best possible standard of education, and so enable them to realise their expectations and aspirations. You do not need specific qualifications or skills to be a good governor, but should be willing to work in a team, to challenge assumptions you may not agree with, to encourage and promote innovation and to make a full contribution to the decision making process.
How much time will I be expected to spend on Governor duties?
This can vary by school and may be dependant on the school’s circumstances. On average, however, 6-8 hours per month during the school term time will allow you to attend the full governing body meetings participate in one of the committees that support the governing body, and do the necessary preparatory reading. Governing body meetings in primary schools may take place earlier in the day than those in secondary schools. Some of the duties of the Personnel Committee (eg Selection and Disciplinary issues) can only be dealt with during the school day. The ideal commitment to being a governor is 4 years, but as a volunteer and if your circumstances change, you can resign or be re-elected.
How long does it take to become a school governor?
The time between application and appointment averages six months. Some people are appointed more quickly than others because this depends on:
- The timing of the governing body or Local Authority appointment meetings.
- The time of year as applications take longer to process during the period July-September when schools are closed.
- How flexible you can be about the location and type of school you are willing to be a governor in, remembering that there are 5 times more primary schools than secondary schools.
Is there any training and support for governors?
Yes there is. Local Authorities provide training for new and existing governors. Background information and up-to-date briefing documents are also available. If you choose to join a committee, specific training is available relating to the work involved.
What is the legal position?
Governing bodies are established by law as corporate bodies. Responsibility for actions and decisions lies with the whole governing body and not with individual members. Governing bodies are covered by Local Authority insurance arrangements. All governors receive a copy of the Guide to the Law for School Governors to help them understand their role as a school governor.
Am I entitled to time off from work for governor duties?
Many employers appreciate that governors not only contribute, but also learn new skills that are useful in their place of work. Governors, together with magistrates, members of local councils, and members of certain other statutory authorities, have the right to reasonable time off work for their public duties - although this may be unpaid. It is always worth checking with your Human Resources department for the up-to-date policy.
Can I claim expenses?
Governing bodies have the power, and are encouraged, to establish schemes for paying allowances to governors to cover expenses necessarily incurred in performing governor duties. The situation will vary by school. Such expenses are drawn from the school budget and the majority of governors do not claim.
What are the different types of governor?
Governing bodies comprise representatives from the school staff, the Local Authority, the local community, parents, and in particular circumstances members of churches and other interest groups.
- Parent governors are elected by parents of pupils on the school roll at the time of the election. They are not required to have children at that particular school, only to have children of school age. Parent governors do not have to stand down if their child leaves the school during the period they serve, though they may do so if they wish. They may stand for re-election at the end of their term of office if they still have a child of school age. If not enough parents stand for election, parent governors may be appointed by the governing body.
- Governors appointed by the Local Authority can be re-appointed when they have served out their current term of office, provided they have not been disqualified for missing meetings of the full governing body. They can also be removed by the LA.
- Teacher governors are elected by, and from, the teachers at the school. These may include part-time and peripatetic teachers. Any person working as a teacher at the school is eligible to stand for election, or to vote. Teacher governors can stand for re-election when they have served out their current term. When they cease to teach at the school they have to stand down from the governing body.
- Staff governors are a new category. They are elected by, and from, the non-teaching staff at the school. They may be employed under a contract of employment or a contract for services to work at the school. If they cease to have a contract to work at the school, they must stand down from the governing body.
- Community governors are chosen by at least two-thirds of governors who are not community governors. When deciding whom to co-opt, governors should make sure that the governing body reflects a balance of interests. It is desirable for the local business community to be represented on the governing body. Community governors can be removed from office by at least two-thirds of the full governing body who have not been community governors, but can be re-appointed. If they have been disqualified for missing meetings of the full governing body, they may not be immediately re-appointed as community governors.
- Additional community governors: sponsor nominees. Provisions for representatives of a sponsor of the school have changed. All governing bodies may choose to include one or two additional governors nominated by the school's sponsor or sponsors. A sponsor is a person who is giving, or has given, substantial financial support to the school, although the person is not required to do so under any Act of Parliament. 'Financial support' may be in cash, in kind (for example, in the form of computers or teaching materials) or a combination of the two. It is for the governing body to determine whether the financial support given is "substantial". Additional governors nominated by sponsors may be removed by the governing body if the nominating body request.
Once I send my application to you, what happens to it?
Your details will be entered onto the SGOSS database and a copy of your application form will be forwarded to the Local Authority in the area of your choice. You will receive an acknowledgement of your application form from SGOSS and this will usually be followed by an acknowledgement from the relevant Local Authority (LA). SGOSS will remain in contact until you are at least in dialogue with a school and will seek to provide as much information as possible on the progress of your application.
Please be aware that there are a few LAs who might ask you for additional information, or to complete an application form of their own. The One-Stop Shop is working closely with LAs with the aim of eliminating this repetition.
I’ve not yet been placed as a governor but have moved house.
What should I do?
It is important that you notify SGOSS of any change of circumstances, change of contact details, etc. If you’ve moved areas we will inform the relevant local authority that you’re no longer available, and send a copy of your application to your new local authority. If you want to wait until you’ve settled in before being considered for a governor place, let us know and we’ll put your application on hold until you’re ready.
What happens if I can’t make any of the meetings?
Governing bodies need people who are prepared to make the necessary commitment but understand that governors are volunteers and may not be able to attend all meetings. Obviously the Chair of Governors would appreciate notice of non-attendance.
We’re finding it difficult to fill vacancies on our governing body.
Can you help?
We may have someone on our database who is ideally suited to your requirements. If not, we’ll do our best to find them. For more information, please click here
Our company would like to get involved. What should we do?
Contact us! We work with many companies across England, all of whom value the benefits of getting involved and helping their local communities. For more information about how we can help you set up a school governors’ programme, please click here
