To actually agree with the Tories about something....

[zeezeek]

It was announced today that schools no longer have to have parent governors and I actually think that's a great idea. I have been a governor at a school in the town where I work for nearly 10 years now. I'm not a parent there I was "recruited" by one of the LA governors who also happens to be a colleague of mine. She asked me to stand for election due to some very specific skills I have regarding analysing and interpreting data.

In the last few years I've found that out role has changes massively and we are expected to have more of a director role in schools, and with that has come a massive increase in workload and expectations. It is no longer possible to turn up at a meeting and stay quiet - governors are al, expected to be critical friends and hold the SLT to account. This is something that my school has developed over the last few years, and that has been helped by being able to recruit people to the Board who have professional experience and skills.

The days of the governing board being composed of crusty old men and housewives is well and truly over and has been for some time. As well as my skills handling data, we have accountants, solicitors, teachers, HR experts and business owners and senior public sector managers. Our last OfSTED inspection rated leadership (which includes governance) as outstanding and we were complimented for our ability to understand the issues of the school and community and hold the head to account.

My point, after rambling on for ages, is that the government is right -we need to look at the skills that a governing board needs and not just concentrate on selecting people from certain categories. If parents have those skills, the great, they will not be excluded - but to say that their only "skill" is that they have a child at the school is wrong and not to the good of the school or the children.

[HanYOLO]

But having parent governors doesn't preclude you from acquiring them, does it?

[Foxsox]

Our biggest stakeholders are our children
Why on earth would you think it wise to remove their raw representation from the governing body.
Your tone smacks of snobbish low opinions of non professional parents
Why shouldn't a non professional parent with a great deal to offer, in terms of knowledge or passion for success, be allowed to be a governor?
A fait representation of the demographic of the school could prove fantastic

[zeezeek]

We aren't an academy, but still need business skills.

[witsender]

It is one voice on the body. If they are crap, they are unlikely to do any harm eh

[HanYOLO]

I am sure some parent governors are, quite possibly, self-interested and a bit rubbish. Dealing with that is the responsibility of their fellow governors, not something that needs to be legislated against.

Effective school management surely requires the input of people whose primary concern is the wellbeing, progress and experience of the children rather than budgets, human resources, marketing and the "business skills" these new academies will need.

[twelly]

The problem with governing bodies is that they are volunteers - they can walk away if things go wrong or far any reason whenever they want, no notice, no strings - in reality they are not accountable.

[Stripyhoglets]

Yes, but it was a choice under Labour not a directive.

[SohowdoIdothis]

Huge mistake to not have parent governors, our local school had massive problems, if we hadn't had parent governors it would never of been sorted out.

[PedantPending]

Whatever happened to teaching children useful things?
This is socialism at its most underhand, the more bureaucracy., the less actually gets done.

[zeezeek]

Some of the people with the right skillet may well be parents at the school, but it shouldn't be that they have a right to be a governor regardless of the skills they have just because they have a kid at the school. It is ridiculous and has been for a long time now.

[GigiB]

The pool of people prepared to do voluntary work is limited. By ruling out parents from the pool of interested parties to do the role, you are potentially causing some schools to fail. Diversity of and commitment from the governing body (board) is important, not whether they are parents or not.

Parents are secretaries, administrators, lawyers, accountants, HR directors, cleaners, builders etc anyway so the skillset is likely to be there...

[witsender]

We're not discussing academies, we are discussing parent governors.

Labour did start academies, but in certain circumstances...not insisting the whole bloody lot become one!

[ConfuciousSayWhat]

Labour instigated academies not the Tories

[ABitSensible]

So what happened to Daves Big Society and Democracy and stuff? Or are they planning on selling off schools as well as the NHS?

[ConfuciousSayWhat]

Well seeing as it was a voluntary after school drama club and not a 'school production' and the teacher running the club said if you're joining you commit to line learning and rehearsals.... It sits outside of the school nativity imo

[ConfuciousSayWhat]

Then kick up and get the parents together and make another parents forum and invite governors or teachers or the head to participate. Make it a thing on your agenda if it's important to you.

[ConfuciousSayWhat]

Yep they shouldn't spend on things that are to come from the budget but the chair of our pta will only champion projects her dc will personally benefit from...

Dh has never had a seat a play either but we have had snippy comments from people when our dc got the lead role in the play...our dc attends a stage school outside of school and was the most confident for the role and, more to the point, the only person to learn their lines! Nothing to do with governor status

[topcat2014]

I am a parent governor (and accountant, as it happens), DP is on PTA. PTA is barred from spending on things that should come from school funds (ie books, computers), and has to spend on extras to the benefit of all pupils.

Helps that I dont have a public sector background - but I must say all the policies etc get a bit inpenetrable to me.

Data gets hard to follow, given that things change every year. Financial reports are hard to follow because schools dont follow normal accounting.

Glad this is primary school - wouldn't want to be a secondary governor.

don't think my child's experience is affected one iota by me being governor - and I never get a seat at the christmas play btw.

[witsender]

My brain boggles that anyone thinks removing a statutory obligation for parental representation is a good idea, especially now.

[ConfuciousSayWhat]

There is nothing stopping you being involved. At our school the governors photos, names and contact details are in prominent position in the front entrance by the office. Frequent letters come home saying the governors are doing x initiative or have reported on y and stated z. It's always in the newsletters to contact them, to contact the school, to attend the heads coffee mornings...

Not sure what more they can do!