Governors for Schools work with many organisations to further our mission. Our friends at the Global Schools Alliance share our belief that governors are vital champions for change. This #VolunteersWeek, Global Schools Alliance alumni and school governor Nina Panaysis, looks at the importance of school governance, and the impact that…
Governors for Schools is thrilled to announce a significant increase in the number of volunteers applying to take on a school governance role. As of September 2022, we’ve seen an incredible 1,690 new recruits – a 24% increase on last year’s figures for the corresponding period. These new volunteers will…
We introduced remote governance last year to tackle the diversity and skill shortages throughout the sector. Remote governance allows for at least a minority of board members to attend meetings remotely. There’s no expectation that they will visit the school regularly, if ever. If a school is struggling to locate…
A school board functions best with a variety of professional backgrounds and lived experiences around the table. But while finance, HR, and legal skills are all great additions, they’re not the only skills boards need. It’s true that the most requested skills from schools are finance, education, and HR. Headteachers…
With the pandemic stretching beyond 2020 and the aftermath of school closures still being keenly felt in communities across England and Wales, now is a critical time to make sure all pupils are given the best opportunities to develop and achieve. Pre-pandemic studies by Education Policy Institute show that the attainment gap between children from lower-income and…
Barclays and Governors for Schools have joined forces to help drive an increase in school governors and improve education for children through the professional expertise of Barclays employees. With a nationwide presence, over 45 Barclays employees across England and Wales will be able to join governing boards and make a…
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…
Mary Isherwood OBE is the headteacher at Camberwell Park School in Manchester, which is a primary special school. Mary talks about the need for good governors on the board, and the challenges the school faces. “Camberwell Park is a special school for pupils of primary age who…
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…