School Governor - Cambridge

Governors for Schools operates across England and Wales to improve educational standards and ensure all children and young people have the chance to realise their full potential. We believe the key to improving school performance is effective governance. By finding, nurturing and supporting a committed network of governors, we drive positive systematic change that benefits each and every student, regardless of their background. Governors for Schools recruits and matches volunteers with school governing boards and provides ongoing support.

What’s involved? There are governor vacancies across England and Wales. Some schools are also looking for remote governors who don't need to live near the school they support. Governors volunteer at board level to set the strategic vision for their school. This involves constructively challenging current processes, using your unique skills to support senior leaders, and overseeing school finances. You’ll be involved in areas such as monitoring, budget management, and data analysis. As well as putting your expertise to good use, you’ll have the opportunity to develop your professional skills. Ultimately, you’ll work towards facilitating the delivery of a broad and exciting curriculum and oversee wellbeing and inclusion initiatives. Governance represents a fantastic opportunity to develop yourself while making a real impact on the education of children and young people.

Governors work collaboratively with the headteacher and other members of the board, including parents and school staff. In most schools, full board meetings are held termly, as are committee meetings. Many governors will sit on a committee linked to their expertise or interests, such as teaching and learning or finance and resources. In addition to attending meetings, governors will need to read the papers in advance, complete training courses, and occasionally visit their school. Governors usually support schools for a period of four years and with an estimated time commitment of 7 hours per month. During these hours, you will attend meetings, read papers, attend training sessions, and make occasional visits to school.

Who can be a governor? The most important part of being a governor is the ability to ask questions, provide support and have the best interests of the school at heart. You don't have to be a parent or have experience in education to become a governor. Schools seek a wide range of skills to support the board, including finance, HR, and data analysis. Boards also need governors with a diversity of backgrounds and lived experiences to ensure a range of perspectives are considered during board meetings. Schools welcome professional experience, as well as community insight and experience of working collaboratively. You need to be aged 18 or above and there are certain criminal convictions that would exclude you from the role. A Disclosure and Barring Service check will be carried out by the school.

What’s the process? You can find out more about the school governor role by attending one of our recruitment webinars. You can complete your online profile on the website, including your motivation to take on the role, your skills and your school preferences. Your regional Partnership Manager will then look at vacancies that match your requirements. Once a school is identified, you will have the opportunity to discuss the role with them in more detail, visit the school, and observe a meeting. If appointed, a DBS check will take place and, in some cases, the school will seek references.

Ongoing support: Governors for Schools isn’t just a matching service. We want to help you thrive in your role through bespoke and ongoing support. We provide eLearning and monthly webinars covering a variety of topics to increase your knowledge of the education sector and governance. You’ll also have access to The Key for School Governors, an information hub designed to show new governors the ropes and offer a useful point of reference for existing governors.