Governingbody
Brookside Governing Body
How do Governors help schools and children?
School Governors are people who wish to make a positive contribution to children’s education. Anyone with an interest in education can be a Governor. Governors are volunteers who work to further the school’s development.
The Governing Body consists of people from the school’s community; parents; school staff; and representatives of the Local Authority; certain schools have Foundation Governors.
New school Governors receive a Nationally designed Induction programme covering roles and responsibilities. The LA also runs training events to meet Governors’ needs.
What do Governors do?
Together with the Headteacher they set the future direction for the school and decide how the school’s budget should be spent. Governing bodies make decisions collectively on matters such as performance targets, school policies and the school’s development plan.
Governors monitor the impact of policies and oversee the use of the school’s budget. They report to parents on the school’s achievements and respond to inspection recommendations. They hear appeals from pupils and staff and consider complaints.
Governors provide the Headteacher with support and advice, drawing on their knowledge and experience. They ask searching questions and respect the Headteacher’s position as professional leader of the school.
Governors work as a team. They are responsible for making sure the school provides a good quality education. Raising educational standards in school is now a key priority; this has the best chance of happening when there are high expectations of what pupils can achieve.
Governors also promote effective ways of teaching and learning when setting the school aims and policies. They do this together with the Head, who is responsible for day-to-day management of the school. Heads are chosen by Governors - and most Heads choose to be Governors themselves.
It’s no use thinking about being a Governor if you can’t turn up to meetings or make time to read papers. It needn’t be daunting - but you’ve got to have some time to set aside. The amount of time varies - but Governing Bodies are not looking for passengers who want the status without putting in the work.
The time you devote can vary widely, depending on how involved you become and what needs doing. Being a Governor involves more than just taking an interest, though this is a crucial part of the job.
The Governing Body usually meets at least once a term. You would probably also sit on one or two committees dealing with:
Finance
Staffing
Premises
Curriculum
A Governor can also have responsibility for working alongside staff on how numeracy or literacy can be improved. A Governor also oversees measures designed to make sure children with special needs are being properly catered for.
Being a Governor can be very rewarding
Governors can get a great deal from the work and time they put in. It gives them a chance to:
make a difference to how well the school runs
see how their efforts help raise standards
do something positive for the next generation
serve the local community and
help realise their own potential by learning new skills
Schools are part of the community they serve - and can provide a focal point for improving life changes for adults too.
Everyone has something to offer their local school. But Governors find that they gain a lot too. From meeting new people to gaining new skills. And most importantly the knowledge that you are helping to improve educational standards for youngsters in your area.
Many employers encourage staff to become school Governors. They realise that the skills gained from being a Governor are transferable to the workplace.
This part of the website is maintained by the Brookside Primary School Governing body
Governingbody
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Brookside Primary School
Ashbourne Drive
High Lane, Stockport
SK6 8DB
01663 763943