Katie Garman was appointed as a governor through Governors for Schools in 2014 in, Southwark. Over time her school became the Bridges Federation, a group of three primary schools based in central London and she became Chair of the federation before stepping down in June 2022. We caught up with…
With School Governors’ Awareness Day approaching, we’re celebrating the story of young governor Alex Langford-Pollard, who volunteers at Kings’ Academy Prospect in Reading and is a Manager within the Large and Complex group at Deloitte. Alex chatted to us about what inspired him to become a school governor, why…
With National Storytelling Week upon us, there’s never been a better time for governors to turn their attention to the magic of literature. Taking place from Monday, 30th January to Sunday, 5th February, the week represents an opportunity for educators to promote the power of storytelling, improve literacy efforts, and…
Today marks the end of Governors for Schools’ ‘Boards Against Bullying’ campaign, a month-long initiative to raise awareness about how governors can tackle bullying in schools. Over the past few weeks, we’ve explored how bullying can profoundly affect young people’s lives, as well as the ways in which governors…
As Pride Month draws to a close, Governors for Schools is pleased to share the news that we’ve recruited 53 volunteers from the LGBTQ+ community since the beginning of April – 7.4% of our total recruitment number. According to the most recent census data, around 3.1% of the UK…
Bullying is a serious concern. That’s why this Children’s Mental Health Week (7-13 February 2022), we’ve teamed up with anti-bullying charity Kidscape to highlight practical information and advice on what governors in Wales can do to take action against bullying. You can also find further resources for governors on…
In the last blog of the ‘All pupils, every ambition: Future work’ campaign, the focus was on post-school options and examined if going to university was right for everyone. As commented in that piece, success comes in many forms and whilst university can be an excellent option for some, it…
Improving the educational and life outcomes for pupils is at the centre of a school’s purpose and drives those who work and volunteer in education. Parents of students are even more invested in ensuring their child or children are given the best possible start in life, but despite this shared…
Fortunately, highly traumatic events are not a common occurrence. But, when they do happen they can have devastating and long-term consequences for those affected. School staff are particularly vulnerable, working in stressful conditions and being exposed to a wide variety of potential sources of trauma in the school community beyond…
Providing support and challenge to headteachers and a school’s leadership team is one of a governor’s key roles. For some people, finding the balance between the two can be the hardest part of the job.  To ‘provide challenge’ can conjure up visions of confrontation and…
The mental health and wellbeing of school staff and their pupils is closely linked. If teachers and school staff work in an environment where wellbeing is prioritised and they feel supported and valued, their pupils will also reap the benefits. So how can schools go about this,…
Working in a school is rewarding yet challenging, and the past few months will likely have been some of the most difficult of many teachers and school staff’s careers.  Looking after school staff’s mental health and wellbeing should always be a priority for governors.