Are you interested in becoming a link governor for careers and work-related learning in a primary setting? This document gives a brief description of the role and outlines some of the main areas of responsibility.
While it is not a legal requirement to have a careers link governor at primary school, it is recognised that pupils start to make decisions about the options open to them from a very young age. With this in mind, you may want a governor to take a link role for careers and work-related learning.
We’ve broken down the link governor role into three main areas: strategy, action, and review. In most schools, the first priority should be to review the current situation and work with the appropriate staff member(s) to develop a strategy moving forward.
The vast majority of the active work should be carried out by staff members. However, there are actions that governors can take based on their knowledge and professional networks to add value to the school and broaden their awareness of, and access to, opportunities they may otherwise be unaware of.
Your role is to help shape the strategy in this area and monitor the plans put in place to ensure they have the desired impact.
Primary Link Governor for Careers and Work-Related Learning areas of responsibility
Strategy
- Ensuring the school has given thorough thought to how work-related learning can be provided within an age-appropriate context and be linked to the National Curriculum
Ensure school strategy is clear on how pupils develop cultural capital and how this links to careers and work-related learning - Explore best practices and research how other schools have approached this topic with success so you are best able to challenge the school
Action
- Acting as the point of contact on the Governing Body for staff member in charge of work-related learning within the school
- Seeking out employer engagement opportunities within own employment and professional network to assist the school in developing its provision to students
Exploring current opportunities for work-related learning and employer engagement offered by relevant organisations, being able to provide support on how these can be accessed - Encouraging the school to review practice to ensure that careers and work-related learning is being integrated into the classroom
Monitor and Review
- Visit school to monitor the use of resources and where careers-related learning is being integrated
- Reporting back to the Governing Body on what you have seen
- Monitoring and challenging relevant policies
- Gathering / Reviewing feedback from parents, staff and pupils to understand their views on what the school has put in place
This article, as with all of this term’s campaign resources, was made possible through the support of Allen & Overy.