Welcome to School Governance DRAFT

Congratulations on applying to become a school governor – you’re now one step closer to making a difference in your community!

While you wait to be placed, here are some useful resources about the responsibilities you’ll have when you take on the role. But first, this page references school governance in England. Click here if you’re thinking about becoming a school governor in Wales.

If you haven’t seen our page on becoming a school governor, we recommend you read through the resources on there first and then take this page at your own pace.

Please don’t hesitate to email us at [email protected] if you have any questions about school governance or the process for next steps.

Let’s begin with with a quick refresher on what school governors actually do…

For the most part, school governors perform a ‘hands-off’ role. Day-to-day management decisions are the responsibility of the headteacher and other staff, while school governors provide strategic oversight.

A lot of your time as a school governor will be spent preparing for, and attending meetings. There are usually one or two meetings you’ll need to attend each academic term.

What are link governor roles and committees?

When becoming a school governor, you might be assigned a link governor role and be asked to join a committee. Link governors are responsible for taking on oversight of a particular area of school life such as safeguarding, pupil premium, or special educational needs and disabilities.

The link governor role normally involves:

Making pre-arranged visits to the school, with a clear focus on a particular area of school life.
Keeping the governing board informed about their area of responsibility.
Supporting the member of staff who is responsible for the particular area/subject within the school.

Find out more about link governor roles

What skills and expertise are needed for school governance?

A good school governing board is made up of members with a diverse range of skills and expertise. Your appointment or election to the board should in part be based on the skills and expertise you can offer.

It’s crucial that you’re able to put these skills to good use as your particular expertise will help to determine where you focus your time and energy while sitting on the board.

Learn about the skills and expertise needed for school governance

Guidance on the school governor role

There is a lot of information to help you in your role as a school governor. You can use these links to further your knowledge about the role and the various areas you can support.

Guidance for new school governors