From our CEO, Hannah Stolton:
For the past 25 years, we’ve had the privilege of supporting volunteers from all walks of life to make a difference in education by stepping up as school governors or academy trustees. These roles – and the dedication they require – often go unnoticed. And yet, for every child to receive an impactful education, school governance volunteers work behind the scenes to ensure their needs are met. To those volunteers, and the schools, trusts, and partners we’ve worked with along the way, we say thank you.
As a charity, our journey began in 1999 with a simple idea: bringing professionals from business and industry onto school boards to share their expertise. We’ve continued that mission, nurturing relationships with corporate partners and developing new programmes. It’s our goal to ensure that employees can share urgently needed skillsets with schools.
We have since expanded our focus to include individuals from all corners of the community, recognising that a broad range of skills and experiences strengthens school governance. We’ve learned that combining a deep understanding of the local community with professional experience can be incredibly valuable. It’s ensuring that every board has diversity of thought, skillset and experience that makes for robust governance.
The future of education governance
As we look to the future, the need for passionate and skilled volunteers is greater than ever. There are an estimated 20,000 vacancies on governing boards nationwide. Schools are facing complex challenges, and strong governance is essential to helping them navigate these hurdles. If you already sit on a governing board, who else do you know that could make an impact? If you’re considering school governance for the first time, now is the right time. Schools need you.
Having helped to appoint nearly 40,000 volunteers, we’re committed to another 25 years of service to the sector. We’ve evolved to offer a range of school and trust services, each specialising in different areas of recruitment. We also provide comprehensive training and development resources for volunteers. As we move forward, we remain dedicated to working with schools, trusts, and communities. Together, we can meet the ever-changing needs of the education sector. Thank you for joining us on this journey, and we look forward to seeing what the future holds as we celebrate this milestone.
Explore our impact through visiting our 25 years of impact in education governance page.