People apply to become school governors for a number of reasons – from giving back to their communities, helping provide children with opportunities they had – or didn’t have, to doing something different with their skills. Whatever people’s motivations, a desire to help and a passion for education are always…
Has Coronavirus shifted our gaze outwards – and what does this mean for volunteering? When coronavirus became the focus of our lives back in March, everything changed on an almost daily basis. Schools in particular, along with other frontline services, were stretched to the limit. As a charity that…
Whatever your professional background, volunteering as a school governor is a chance to make a difference in your community.  Support young people into work The impact of coronavirus is already taking a toll on the job market. Young people under 25…
You don’t need to be a mental health professional to make mental health a priority in schools.  The effects of lockdown on both children and school staff aren’t fully known, but we do know that when all children return to school, supporting their mental health after…
Community has never been more important. The past few months have been a challenge for us all. Every one of us has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, and while things are starting to return to some form of normality, schools are yet to face some of their biggest…
It’s a challenging and uncertain time for schools and staff, and the children and parents they serve. The decision to close schools, either individually or on a national basis, is out of the hands of governing boards. But governors still have an important part to play, supporting senior leaders and…
This year, Children’s Mental Health Week runs from the 3rd – 9th February. It’s a great opportunity to refocus on one of the reasons many people decide to become governors – to help the next generation of young people to be happy, healthy and well prepared for…
Amanda Timcke is a commercial property solicitor at Birketts, Ipswich. “I became a governor of a primary school in Suffolk in 2012 following a campaign to recruit governors by Suffolk County Council. However, even with my education and law interest, it took me a full academic year to understand…
Sally Barrett volunteers as a governor in Wythenshawe, South Manchester. “I recently retired from teaching after 33 years and during my time in education had various roles – working my way up to headteacher. I had experience of being a staff governor and also as the headteacher on the governing…
“I’d been thinking about becoming a school governor for a while. I hadn’t been a governor when my daughters were at school and had always regretted it – but as a single parent with a career, I didn’t have the time. Approaching retirement, I wanted to give something back…
Carol Shutkever is a trustee of a multi-academy trust in Hertfordshire. “Stepping down from my full time role as a lawyer to do part time consultancy got me thinking about local charity work. I’d previously been working very long hours but now with some more time to spare, I…
Phil Martlew is a governor at the City of Liverpool College. “With semi-retirement on the cards, I was thinking about what I could do to keep myself busy using the skills I’d gained in business. I’ve worked in the private sector all my life so I wanted to give…