EDUCATION INSIDE STORY
first person
The role of a school governor
Josephine Hearnden, a governor of three schools and former head
explains what’s involved in becoming a school governor
I
f there was once a golden age when the only really significant role of a especially with parent governors who have a natural loyalty to the school
governor was to appoint the headmaster or headmistress and to turn and a vested interest in its success. Equally horrifying is the governor who
up for a meeting once a year, those days are long gone. When I became arrives at meetings with a personal agenda. Total discretion is paramount –
a head some 25 years ago, the no inside track in car park gossip!
chairman would arrive for a termly
“Josephine Hearnden with a group
Procedures for governor
governors meeting at 4.30pm and
of children at Winchester House, where
appointments have become
she has been a governor for the
with great charm announce that he
past ten years.”
more formal with candidates
had to catch a train to London at often expected to submit a CV
6pm. Taking my cue I would make and application letter. In some
my report as concise as possible, cases they may be interviewed
in the knowledge that I could rely by a sub-committee before a
on the chairman’s sympathetic recommendation is made to the
and wholehearted support in all I full governing body, in part to
wanted to do. establish that they are able to give
Of course, the appointment the required time commitment.
of the head is no less significant Successful candidates are
today; indeed, the recruitment expected to read a bombardment of
procedure is more thorough than government directives and attend
ever, sometimes involving the use seminars run by organisations such
of professional headhunters if the as the Association of Governing
governors are not in a position to Bodies of Independent Schools
tap the appropriate grapevines. But (AGBIS) covering educational
their responsibilities are so much
“Governors are chosen for their
issues including child protection
more varied that many of those who
did the job a quarter of a century
specialist knowledge, be it
and the requirement for schools
to demonstrate “public benefit”
ago might now think twice about
financial, legal, marketing,
under recent charity legislation.
taking on the responsibility. Recent
legislation has placed many extra
medical or property”
Finally, all governors have to be
vetted by the Criminal Records
burdens on a school head and the Bureau (CRB).
support they now require from their board of governors has increased So if, having read all this, you still would like to be a school governor
correspondingly. Governors are chosen for their specialist knowledge, and you can offer the expertise and experience that the position calls for
be it financial, legal (such as knowledge of employment law), marketing, nowadays, good luck with your application! For all the pressures it brings,
medical or property. Knowledge of acquisitions and architecture surveying it remains a hugely rewarding activity. %
is invaluable where there are plans to expand or adapt buildings to make
better use of facilities. Josephine Hearnden is a governor of Arnold House and Bute House,
A governing body needs to include more than one head or ex-head London and Winchester House in Brackley, Northamptonshire. She was
to give advice. Being a head is often lonely and having a governor Headmistress of T_he Manor Preparatory School in Abingdon 1985 -1997
who understands the pressures can be a great help. Staff need to feel and has also sat on the board of governors for Headington School,
valued. I find that time spent in the school, “shadowing” pupils, sitting Cokethorpe School and St Piran’s, Maidenhead.
in on lessons, and talking to teachers is one of the most constructive
contributions a head or former head can make so that they feel the For more information
governors are in touch with what goes on in the classroom. Association of Governing Bodies of Independent Schools (AGBIS)
Legally – and sensibly – there can be no potential conflicts of interest, www.agbis.info
WWW.FIRSTELEVENMAGAZINE.CO.UK SPRING 2009 FIRST ELEVEN 49
pp49FESPR10 School GovernorSMsub2.indd 49 28/1/10 18:15:03
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