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Congratulations on joining a board!

Discover key learning resources and modules below to support you as you start your governance journey.

The resources you need, all in one place

We provide comprehensive support for all new school governors recruited placed through our services. This page is designed to be your go-to hub for training, guidance, and resources to help you in your new position. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to build on your knowledge, you’ll find a range of tools here, including eLearning modules, live webinars, downloadable guides, and exclusive access to platforms like GovernorHub Knowledge and Governors Cymru Services.

We recommend you bookmark this page so you can return anytime during your governance journey.

The basics

  •  Premium eLearning: We’re pleased to let you know that, as an employee of one of our supporting partners, you now have free access to our premium governor induction eLearning course. ‘Become an Effective New School Governor’ is designed to support you before and after taking on a governance role. With tailored courses for both maintained schools and academies, you can choose the one relevant to your role. Each module takes about an hour to complete and includes links to further reading and webinars for deeper exploration. You can pause and resume anytime, allowing you to learn at your own pace. When accessing the course, ensure you’re logged in with your work email and save your progress. If you registered with a different email, log in to update it. 
  • Webinars: These sessions are designed to facilitate continued learning and provide you with the opportunity to ask relevant questions. You can register for upcoming webinars, and watch back all previous sessions on our website.
  • Networking sessions: As your employer supports our work, we’re able to provide additional support to help you settle into the role; this includes regular onboarding sessions for new governors. Join us online where we can share tips to help you settle, signpost you to resources and answer your questions. Your employer may also have an internal governor network for you to join. 

Additional support

Key reading

We’ve curated several useful resources for you to easily access, all on one page. These include the Department for Education governance guides that will help you understand what your role involves, depending on your particular school setting. We’ve also added Keeping Children Safe in Education, which is the key safeguarding document you’ll need to read. Finally, our handy acronyms and abbreviations guide will help you navigate the terminology you’ll hear at governing board meetings.

View resources

GovernorHub Knowledge

As a Governors for Schools volunteer you have 12 months’ free access to GovernorHub Knowledge, which is an online resource bank for school leaders and governors. It provides clear, comprehensive support and guidance. It’s hosted on GovernorHub – a website designed by – and for – governors and trustees that allows boards to centralise their work (including meeting schedules and agendas).  We’ll be in touch during your first few weeks with details on how to register.

GovernorHub 

Governors Cymru

If you’re volunteering in Wales, you’ll also have access to useful information from Governors Cymru Services – a unique, independent organisation that provides a range of services for school governors to ensure they’re supported. Please contact Governors Cymru Services directly to sign up to their database in order to receive updates and the welcome support material. Please indicate that you are a Governors for Schools governor, as well as your school and Local Authority.

Contact 

STEM Governance

If you’ve joined a board as a STEM Governor, you can access the STEM Governor Toolkit, developed by Governors for Schools, AtkinsRealis and GovernorHub. This toolkit includes questions to ask about STEM, STEM: role of the link governor, and information on how to make STEM a strategic priority in your school or trust. Contact your employer to join your governor network where you’ll be able to learn more about the STEM resources you can share with your school. 

Discover the toolkit 

Sustainability Governor Network

We’d also like to invite you to join the Sustainability Governor Network, a place where school governors can get additional support to deliver on sustainability objectives in their setting. If you have an interest or expertise in this area, we encourage you to join the network for insightful events and knowledge sharing around sustainability.

Join the SGN 

Young Governance Ambassadors Network

If you’re aged 18-30, join our YGAN. This network will support you to connect with your peers, share best practice, and stay up to date with sector developments. You’ll get support and advice when you need it, as well as being invited to termly live events and given access to exclusive resources. 

Join YGAN

Join the mailing list

To stay up to date with details of training webinars, updates, and news through regular email communications, please join our mailing list using the form below. 

Join mailing list

Guidance and further reading

Want to dive deeper into the world of school governance? We’ve collated Department for Education guidance, useful organisations, and research to further support your volunteering journey.

Further reading

Are you joining the board as a chair of governors?

If so, we’re here to help you thrive. You’ll also receive chair specific training and mentoring from our partners at IGovS.  In order to be assigned a mentor for your first four months in post as a Chair of Governors, please complete this form. Further, please let them know in the comments section that you’ve been recruited as part of the Governors for Schools Chair Recruitment Service. They’ll then get in touch to discuss the next steps. We’ll also enrol you on the next Chair specific online training programme, which you’ll receive more details on in due course. 

Lastly, a request from us…

You’re now part of the largest volunteering workforce in England and Wales but, with thousands of vacancies nationwide, we need more volunteers like you to step forward. If you have a moment, the following will go a long way in broadening our reach as a charity: