Applying to be a school governor - AIBU?

[BrouetteChouette]

Hi everyone.

I've applied to be a school governor. I've got an interview with the headteacher of a local school coming up in a couple of weeks to find out more about the role at the school.

I've looked at the school website in preparation for this, which gives a lot of information about the school as well as its current governors, which has been very helpful.

The reason why I wanted to get involved in school governance is because I'm really interested in education and in making sure that children receive a good standard of education. I actually started a teacher training course last year, but resigned as it wasn't for me (due to many different reasons). I would love to get involved in more voluntary roles in educational settings, and I think that school governance would be a good way to do this. I'm in my mid-twenties and currently work as a languages tutor - whilst i don't have any sought-after specialist experience to offer the school, I'm confident that I'd be able to cope with the demands of being a school governor in a general role and that I have a lot to offer the school.

I've done a lot of reading into school governance, and have found this helpful. However, I'd be interested in finding out some first-hand accounts from anyone who's been involved in school governance.

AIBU to ask you about your experiences of being a school governor please (or if you know anyone who has been a school governor?)

Anyone? :)

I was (eventually) Chair of Governors for a group of primary schools. Most Governors find it stressful if they are doing the job properly, and nowadays its a hell of a job.

What it will be like will depend on the attitude of the Head and the Chair, if you have a good independent clerk, and how well the senior leadership team run the school. You can get bullied, you can flounder under the mountains of paperwork, you can be resented by teaching staff and particularly the Head.

You should be interviewed by the Chair and the headteacher, if the Chair isn't there, or doesn't send a sub governor, find out why. You'll need a copy of the school improvement plan for starters. Find out what training is offered and expected - I insisted on a basic level of training which had to be logged for each Governor. You will also have to visit and observe lessons, and you get training on that as well.

I found it fascinating, but also very frustrating; I knew there was a lot I didn't know, but one of the other Governors who had been a teacher was undermining everything I did. The Head switched allegiances from one Governor to another and I never knew where I stood with him. Staff and parents resented us. But ultimately, the schools where I was involved were in poor areas and I could see the fabulous difference the dedicated staff were making to the whole community, so I ploughed on through it.

Oh and a fellow governor cried during the OFSTED interview. Definitely give it a go, I feel I have a more even view of education, parents and most importantly children's experience of being in school nowadays.

Oh and one final thing, during your time as a Governor, normally around 5 years, never think that one day it will all become clear. It doesn't.

I did it for four years. I really enjoyed it, but it took up a huge amount of time and emotional and intellectual energy. I found that not everyone was prepared to really pull their weight, which was frustrating when lots needed to be done.
In our school the staff weren't particularly untrusting (until we made one totally reasonable decision that they didn't like), but they were a really good team and a relatively happy group (all things considered).
Getting my head around the language was challenging, and sometimes the streams of issues felt relentless, but overall it was extremely rewarding.

Not everything becomes clear. But you can get the right training/advice so that the bit you're responsible for is clear enough.

I'm lucky to be on a GB with an amazing Chair and a decent HT who doesn't play the political games you sometimes read about. I always feel that developing my own skills is part of my job in improving outcomes at the school. But I'll still be shitting myself when Ofsted come round.

Thanks so much Staples, Sunny and Brecon :)

I would definitely be interested in training if I was offered it, as I think it would be hugely useful. Do you think it would be unreasonable for me to ask for some training if I'm not offered it?

I'm also wondering about the meeting with the headteacher that I'll have in a couple of weeks (I'm not sure if this will be an informal meeting or an interview). Do you have any tips on what questions I should ask in this meeting or how I can prepare for it please?

Hi everyone - thanks again for all of your replies so far.

I'm just bumping this for people who might see it in the morning, in case they might have anything to add.

If anyone has experience of being a governor, would you recommend it? And do you have any specific tips or advice please?

Only do it if you like long meetings and reading lots of dry policies. I wonder whether you will get out of it what you want? Could you not be a parent helper if you are wanting to work with the children?

It took up a lot more time than how it was originally explained to me! I did it for a few years but it wasn't quite what I expected, long dry meetings, lots of data to study/discuss. Not much in the way of actual school involvement or working with the children.

I'm not a governor, but kind of toyed with the idea of applying... until my kids had been at their school for a while and I got friendly with a governor. As pp have said, long hours in meetings, not much involvement/hands on stuff. This lady is nearly 60 and was retired from a policy making/education type job. I would say you are better off studying/volunteering at this stage to make better use of your time to gain some earning power, and consider a governor position once you've done that, as otherwise you won't have time for your own development. That's the way I understand it from my school, anyway. We are in central London/big state school, so not sure if other areas the governors have more free time.

I was a teacher-governor for a few years. I thought it would give me a valuable insight into the running of the school and be a worthwhile addition to my CV.

I wouldn't expect to spend much time with the children. So if that's what you're hoping for don't bother. You'll spend several hours a month discussing paperwork (and several more creating this paperwork) and you'll have to listen to a lot of people who like the sound of their own voice talking for a long time.

But, on the hand, it is a tangible way to make a difference to a school. So is volunteering in the classroom though.

I was a governor for 8 years. I didn't spend much time with the children, but if I'd wanted to do that, I'd have been a teacher. It depends what you want.

After 8 years, I'm still not really sure what governors are there for! To hold the school to account - yes you get the HT to discuss school results and how they're putting plans in place to improve them. But are well meaning amateurs really qualified? We had some professionals on the governors, lawyers, accountants, engineers, medical professionals etc who bring their wide experience and a different context to the table. But I can't say that I really felt we were achieving that much.

I worked with two HTs, one who clearly thought we were a waste of space (but then, so was she) and another HT, who is still there, and the school is outstanding. Whatever her private thoughts about governors, she did everything she could to ensure we had the information we needed and encouraged difficult questions.

Anyway good luck in the interview.

3 friends who are Governors and I often wonder why they do it tbf. It sounds horrendous and minimal effect for maximum effort. But good luck. You will have to be very thick skinned.

I found it very stressful. I was a governor at my DDs school in a period that the school was having real problems and I found it difficult to separate being a parent and a governor (I was invited to be a business governor through my work, rather than applying to be parent governor). I felt like we were there to nod and tick boxes and go along with anything that head said, it was very difficult to question or disagree with anything at all. I finally resigned after about 2.5 years as my personal circumstances changed and the role was demanding a lot of time both in the evenings and in work time too.

Being a governor is about strategic leadership and holding the Head to account. It's not being in classrooms observing. I've been a governor twice, LEA appointed in a high school for about 7 years pre-kids and parent/ co-opted at a primary. It's hard work and there's demands on your time, committee and sub-committees, if Head leaves appointing a new head, OfSted etc. If you want interaction with children it's not for you, but if you want a strategic leadership role, yes

I have been a governor for 6 yrs now at a special school and there are still bits that i am working on understanding in terms of policies etc. You have a main meeting every term and then sub committee meetings so about 6 a year. I am on personel and finance and find the figures a bit chalkenging to understand. You cant believe the bureaucracy involved in running a school these days.
I enjoy it even though there is a lot of boring stuff but we have a fab head and a lovely stable group so we all work well together.
Also you do get roped in to lesson observations now every term and that is my favourite bit . I love doing them . V interesting and informative. I have so much more respect for teachers now !

(Sorry for the long reply!)

Thanks everyone for your replies so far - it's so useful to hear lots of different viewpoints from people who've been involved in school governance.

One of the reasons why I'm so interested in being a governor is that it seems (to me anyway) to be a very worthwhile way of contributing to a school in a positive way and making a difference.

As I mentioned very briefly in my OP, I did start a teacher training course which I left due to lots of different reasons. I'm now working as a tutor, which I find hugely rewarding, as well as looking for more permanent full-time work.

As I am job-hunting right now, I have a lot of time that I would be able to give a school if I become a governor, as well as energy and enthusiasm.

To summarise my motivation for considering school governance, it would be a hope that I would make a positive difference to the school as well as feeling that I could bring a variety of skills to the role: communications and editing experience (I could write newsletters or take minutes, for example), knowledge of languages (French and Spanish) and teamwork experience.

I am also fairly young (25) and left education relatively recently, which would again bring a different perspective and viewpoint to a governing body if, for example, the other members of the body are either retired or currently employed with many years of experience in their professional field.

I am also looking forward to potential opportunities for personal development that may present themselves in the role. I read a couple of articles in the Guardian about young people becoming governors, and a lot of them talked about what a worthwhile role it can be, both in terms of helping others and furthering their own learning and skills.

Now to address some of the drawbacks that people have mentioned. I'm really grateful that you have pointed these out - thank you.

Again I understand that the school in which governors are placed will have an effect on their stress levels and level of responsibility, as well as whether they feel that they are making a difference or not.

I understand fully from what many of you have pointed out that the role comes with a lot of responsibilities, and is very demanding. In terms of the huge amount of paperwork that governors often have to deal with, for example, I feel that I would be able to deal with this at the moment, particularly as I have a lot of free time due to freelance tutoring commitments.

Does anyone have any advice please on how to cope with particularly heavy amounts of paperwork or any stress that might come with the role?

I am currently a local authority governor at a primary school - have been in post for 6 years. Prior to that I was a LA governor at another primary school for 15 years. My DH is a parent governor at our childrens' school - but I've always avoided that because to be honest most of the parent governors I've come across over the years have been on the Board to try and get what they want for their own child and aren't interested in the wider school.

The role has definitely changed over the years and you can no longer get away with being unprepared for meetings or OfSTED and it definitely helps if you have a professional role in your working life. We have a mixture of people - academics (we're in a University town), HCPs, lawyers, accountants etc but that was because the Chair and I made an effort to recruit that calibre of person.

It is definitely very much a strategic role - similar to a NED role and the well-meaning, not very experienced in the world of work and not highly qualified people are just not going to cope with the job. We do have a few - they are impossible to get hold of (we do a lot by e-mail these days because it is easier and quicker than arranging a meeting just to discuss a few changes to a policy for example), rarely ask challenging questions in meetings and get scared at the mere thought of OfSTED. It is incredibly frustrating because the rest of us feel we are carrying them and so we end up doing most of the work, and that is starting to breed resentment.

Another particular annoyance of mine is that most of the training courses are held during the day - when most of us are working. However, if you get a good mentor then you will pick it all up, so don't worry too much. It is true though as that soon as you start to think it's all making sense it all changes!

We've had people think that they want to be a governor in the last few years and then leave after a year or so. It is destabilising to the Board and so if it really is something you want to do, then you need to commit to it.

Sorry if this sounds harsh, but it is a difficult role to fulfill these days. I wouldn't swap it for the world though.

Thanks zeezeek :) I'd be interested to find out whether the school that I'm being interviewed at has a mentoring scheme in place for governors. That would be really useful.

Ooh sorry - I forgot to ask whether you might have any ideas on what questions I could ask when I visit the school for the first time?

I'll be meeting with the headteacher in a few weeks (I'm not sure yet whether it's a formal interview or not), but I'd love to find out whether you've got any advice on what I should ask the headteacher or try to find out from them during the meeting.

I'd like to go into the meeting with my eyes open as much as possible (and the same for if i do end up being a governor at the school where I'll be meeting the HT).

Thank you! :)

I am a parent governor, part way through my second term of four years.

It basically is a lot of paperwork, and a lot of meetings. It has been very stressful at times - I have been through two Ofsted inspections, one of which was an absolutely horrific experience, despite the fact that it was, and still us, a fabulous school.

We are currently looking at the nightmare of academies. It has genuinely kept me up at night.

Saying that, I have found it over all, a good experience. I have learned a lot of skills.

We have to do training, starting with a new governor training day, and lots on safeguarding, exclusions, complaints etc.

Hope that doesn't put you off too much.

Thanks Sitting - it sounds really interesting.

Could you tell me a bit about what a governor's role would be in the run-up to a Ofsted inspection please, and during the inspection itself? (This is aimed at Sitting or anyone who's gone through an Ofsted inspection :) )

What are your particular skills, because they will be looking for skills that fit with what they already have on the GB.

My background was in teaching and particularly SEND, so they could see that that would be useful. There was an English specialist teacher too and others had expertise in management and finance. All of those diffrerent skills are required.

I left because I felt that I couldn't make the difference I wanted. I felt that several initiatives were deliberately blocked and it became frustrating. I did lots of training that I sourced from the LA website and found it useful. I also did the Safer Recruiting training, which everyone who interviews for posts is supposed to do.

I also found that it was costing me too much money as a volunteer. I wasn't paid travelling expenses, despite there being a policy about it. That was blocked too.

I'd do it again, but I would be much more careful about the school another time.

I'm amazed by the rather negative responses on here. I'm currently a parent governor and in my late 20s, before children, I was an LEA governor (I'm not sure they still exist). Talking to other governors at training courses, I have been somewhat lucky to be a governor at schools with a harmonious relationship between the governing body and the head. But I don't think that is rare.

From what you've said so far - I'd expect training to be provided. Do clarify with the school/CoG, but there is lots of training around and lots is available online too, it just depends on how the school arranges this.

I think you need to think about your availability to attend meetings etc over the full term you'd serve, you are quite available now due to your circumstances, but will you be getting an inflexible job an hour away from home? There isn't much point for you or the school to have you for 6 months and then you resign.

As for whether you are suitable - this is a two way selection process. I'd expect governing bodies to perform some sort of review of skills across the governing body and look to plug those gaps. You can't know from the outside looking in whether you might have what they think they are missing. For example, in the school I was governor of, we had a gap in experience with SEN, either as a professional or parent and we had a lot of parents as governors, so wanted where possible to recruit non-parents.

The role is strategic and is about challenging. That doesn't mean it has to be confrontational and to begin with, before you can challenge effectively, you have to understand the school and your role. It's also interesting, you do get to see the school in action through visits, you do get to celebrate success and it is rewarding.

Being a Governor varies slightly from school to school. The main thing is ‘time and commitment’. You should think of the Governor meetings as meetings that you must attend and arrange your social/work life around them. You should attend the training sessions that your Local Authority provides.

School Governors are the biggest volunteer organisation in the UK. We estimate that it takes up about 35hrs per year although, of course, it depends on how involved you want to be. You can expect about 2 meeting per term (one on a committee and one for the Full Governing Body meeting) leading to about 6 meetings of about 2hrs each per year.

I repeat, it varies slightly from school to school and it depends on how involved you want to be.

In all types of schools, governing bodies should have a strong focus on three core strategic functions:
a. Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
b. Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils; and
c. Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.

Governors deal with Budgets, Policies, Targets and things which are 'a step away' from the 'day to day' running of the school.
Any question like 'My child doesn't ... isn't ... can't ...' is not for a Governors meeting.

School Governors do not run the school; they are there to take an overview and see that it delivers.

Sometimes one can get involved with sacking, redundancies and discipline matters.

Some useful sites: The Governance Handbook and UK Governors Forum and Being a School Governor and Governors for Schools.

I enjoy it and I've learnt a lot. I like being involved with the school and making a contribution - watching and learning how others deal with and solve problems. I have gained in self-confidence and speaking up in meetings.

I’m sure you can Google ‘being a school governor’ yourself.

Good Luck.