SECTOR FOCUS: SKILLS & TRAINING


Understanding the role that school governors must play


Karen Powell (pictured), is an independent governance and leadership consultant and Director of Effective School Governance Ltd working across the south west and nationally, developing governance leadership in schools and colleges. Karen provides support and training to governors in Plymouth and has recently alerted Devon Chamber of Commerce to the shortage of school governors in the city.


School governors are people who want to make a positive contribution to children's education. The role allows you to contribute to the work of the school’s governing body in providing a high-quality education and improved outcomes for all children at the school. Governors are one of the largest volunteer workforces in the country and


have an important part to play in helping to raise school standards by: • Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction • Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance of its staff and;


• Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.


We have vacancies at primary and secondary schools, special schools and church schools. Some of the responsibilities of a governing body include: • Developing the Strategic Plan for the school • Determining the vision, aims, policies and priorities of the school • Appointing leadership staff and, where possible, playing a part in other appointments


• Monitoring and evaluating the work of the school through visits and discussions with a range of staff, parents and carers


• Ensuring that all children can access a broad and balanced curriculum which is suitable to age and ability and which nurtures the whole child and encourages respect for others


• Setting the budget, adopting a finance policy and monitoring outcomes


• Ensuring the Health and Safety of children and staff • Measuring the impact of the governing body’s work.


What would you need to offer? Enthusiasm and commitment. You don’t need to be a parent to be a good school governor. As a member of the community your local knowledge will be valuable: you will have a feel for what is important to people.


If you have a business or other skills, schools might find these particularly helpful. The most effective governing bodies have access to a wide range of


skills- these could relate to current or previous work-skills – financial, leadership, health and safety, legal or education or can be attributes like an enquiring mind, a thirst for knowledge, time and passion for making a difference, good communication skills and a sense of fairness. The most important thing you need is the desire to make a difference to the education of our children.


What is the time commitment? About three or four hours a month on average. Sometimes in meetings but also time to visit school and talk to children, parents and staff or to attend any training you would like to do to extend your knowledge.


What will the school offer you? • A good induction with copies of key school documents • Induction training with other new governors from across the city • Support from a mentor and professional clerking support to the governing body to facilitate good governance


• The opportunity to make a difference to the young people in our care now and in the future.


Our schools take very seriously their responsibilities to safeguard children. The current appointment process requires newly appointed governors to produce evidence of identity, (e.g. a passport or photo driving licence) at their first meeting and to complete a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check. Many employers encourage their staff to become school


governors. They realise that the skills gained through being a school governor are transferable to the workplace.


For an informal chat please contact Karen Powell, 07415 665841 or e mail karen.powell@btinternet.com


22 Chamber Profile January/February 2018


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