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School governors

Information about the work of school governors in the city and how you can get involved.

Why do schools need governors?

Every school has a governing body to represent the public in the running of schools. School governors work with the staff and the Local Education Authority to help secure the best possible education for the children in the school. They have important responsibilities like managing the school budget, overseeing the curriculum and appointing staff.

What do governors do?

Being on the governing body means having the opportunity to help youngsters achieve their goals and ambitions. Governors make sure that staff have the right tools to broaden pupils’ knowledge and widen their horizons. In essence it’s about making things better and being a critical friend to the school.

• Governors make key decisions like appointing the head teacher.
• Governors’ decisions directly affect the education and well-being of children.
• Governors can really make a difference in improving standards throughout a school.

Do I have the time to be a school governor?

All governing bodies meet three times a year as a minimum and in addition to this their committees meet at least once a term. Governors' meetings can take place during the working day but, more often, during the evening. You may also wish to take time to get to know the school and join its activities. 

Who can be a school governor?

Anybody over 18, with a few exceptions. These are explained in the section Are you eligible to be a school governor? The different categories of school governor are explained on the page Becoming a school governor. Qualifications are not required but training on various aspects of the role is available for all school governors.

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