Governor Services

What do governors do?

Governors work as a team we call the governing body. They are responsible for making sure the school provides a good quality education.

They do this together with the Headteacher, who is responsible for the day to day management of the school.

Every school must have a governing body. The membership will vary according to the type of school.

All governing bodies include governors who are:

• Parent elected by parents at the school.
• Staff elected by the head, teachers and support staff at the school.  The headteacher is entitled to be a staff governor without election.
• Persons appointed by the local authority.

Additionally:

• Community and controlled schools have at least one community governor who is appointed by other members of the governing body.
• Some schools have foundation governors.  They are governors appointed by the church which appears in the school’s name. Foundation governors form the majority on the governing bodies of Catholic and Church of England (voluntary aided) schools. They are a minority on the governing bodies of Church of England (voluntary controlled) schools.

The school will be able to tell you if there are vacancies for Parent, Community or Foundation Governors.

Usually a governor is appointed for a period of four years but may subsequently be eligible for re-appointment or re-election.

Governing bodies are responsible to parents, funders and the community. The governing body’s main role is to help raise the standards of achievement. It:

• is accountable for the performance of the school to parents and the wider community;
• plans the school’s future direction;
• appoints the Headteacher;
• makes decisions on the school’s budget and staffing;
• makes sure the National Curriculum is taught;
• decides how the school can encourage pupils' spiritual, moral and social development;
• makes sure the school provides for all its pupils.

The governing body supports the head and staff by positively promoting the work of the school, celebrating its achievements, and working to ensure the best outcomes for the pupils.  The governing body also acts as a ‘critical friend’ to the head by gathering views, asking questions and checking the performance of the school.  They are not there to rubber stamp decisions.  They have to be prepared to give and take and be loyal to decisions taken by the governing body as a whole.

So long as they act within the law governors are protected from any financial liability for the decisions they take.