The School Governor

Volunteering - The School Governor

I have been a School Governor now for over 17 years with 15 of those as Chair of Governors. I have a huge interest in Education and believe it makes a vital difference to an individual’s life chances. Patterns of work, application and a striving to be the best one can be are set very early in life and a love of learning inspired at Primary School is a fantastic basis for children to go forward with.  I find being a school Governor a very worthwhile and rewarding experience and with School Governors making up the largest volunteer force in the UK, I can’t be alone!

So what do Governors do exactly?  Well, we are there to act as a “critical friend” to the school. We hold the school (more particularly the Head Teacher) to account for school standards and the results of the children.  We work in partnership with schools to formulate policies, monitor finances and follow children’s progress via assessment reports and school visits.

So how do we do this?  Most of the work of the Governing Body is done in sub-committees who look at everything from finances, Health and Safety, Curriculum reports and how the school provides for it’s more vulnerable groups e.g. children with Special Educational Needs, Traveller children etc.  We also compare data with other similar schools, locally and nationally.

It is not all meetings and tables - we get to see school performances, drop in on lessons in action and sometimes join in! We visit the school regularly and have a role to play when Ofsted comes to call.  We do not run the school - that is the job of the Head Teacher, but we provide a strategic overview to ensure the delivery of the best possible outcomes for all the children at the school. Being a Governor provides a fascinating insight into the delivery of education today and offers an opportunity to contribute to shaping the future for literally hundreds of children.

If you think you might have an interest in looking into becoming a School Governor you can come and chat to me after any 9.45 Sunday Service or email c.fernandes@blueyonder.co.uk

Corinne Fernandes