Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To reconsider the role of chair

42 replies

UndecidedChair · 25/10/2021 09:55

I’ve been keen on becoming a chair of governors for a few months now. I’m hoping the experience I gain can contribute toward career development for me in terms of management. There’s of course the contributing to society bit too.

Now I’m close to being allocated to a school but I’m hesitating because I’m concerned I might be taking too much on

My mentor is not in paid employment and she goes into the school a lot. I don’t have that kind of time to spare tbh. I’m concerned i might not be able to do a good job, if I don’t have as much time as she does.

I work full time, mostly from home and have two children. The school is 8miles away.

Am I right to think twice?
Any personal experiences to share?

Aibu- Take on the role. It’s rewarding and will benefit you and the school

Ainbu - it’s a massive role and if you’re unsure, don’t do it

OP posts:
Merryoldgoat · 25/10/2021 09:58

Is this an independent school or a state school?

I work for an independent school and our chair oversees 3 separate committees as well as full board and has separate responsibilities for safeguarding and staffing.

She’s in a LOT and I would say a full time job with young children would be a hard fit.

Didiusfalco · 25/10/2021 10:00

I think this is weird that you would go straight in as Chair - are you sure? I’ve been clerk to governors at a lot of schools and generally people become a governor and get to know the school, understand a bit about school governance and then become chair. I don’t think it would be in the best interests of the school to have someone parachuted in as chair (plus you’d have to be elected by your fellow governors, so how would that work?). Any school that wanted you to walk straight in as chair I would be wary of, as I would assume their governing body wasn’t operating well to need that to happen.

Merryoldgoat · 25/10/2021 10:02

Also what @Didiusfalco said.

SprayedWithDettol · 25/10/2021 10:04

What @Didiusfalco says. I’ve been a governor too. Your situation sounds strange at best. Become a governor and see how it goes. FYI we wouldn’t have voted for a chair who didn’t know the school and wasn’t currently an experienced governor.
I have worked at board level in two industries, they are nothing like school governance.

name532 · 25/10/2021 10:07

I'm a governor but wouldn't consider chair as I've got too much on with my full time job, chair is a very full on role. I'm a bit confused, are you a governor now thinking of going up to chair? If not I'd just try being a governor for a while, maybe deputy if you want the taste of that role. It doesn't make sense to go straight to chair, as I'm not from an educational background it's taken me a while to learn how schools work.

DahliaMacNamara · 25/10/2021 10:10

Our chair of governors came straight into that role. I was fairly new myself so didn't consider that unusual. They're very experienced in education, though, which perhaps made a difference. Whether it's normal or not, it's a role that involves a lot of work, including ongoing training, meetings with other chairs, frequent one-to-ones with the HT in the daytime, plus all the work involved in preparing for meetings. It's like having an additional job. Very rewarding and fantastic experience, but be under no illusions about the amount of time you would need to devote to it.

LetHimHaveIt · 25/10/2021 10:14

I'm very surprised one can go straight into the role of chair. I was a co-opted governor for a few years and the (excellent) chair was vice-chair for years, and knew the school inside out, having had all three of his children there. I'm not saying you need that level of familiarity but it's sounds crackers to parachute someone in like this.

CrotchetyQuaver · 25/10/2021 10:23

Have you done a stint as a basic school governor already so you know what you're taking on?
IME the best chairs of governors are the ones who have the time to give to the job and know what is going on in the school because they're in and out frequently. If you're working FT elsewhere with youngish DC of your own, I don't see how you can pull this off successfully.

I think you're right to reconsider. It's a leadership role and you need to be able to spend time there to lead...

stopblowingyournose · 25/10/2021 10:43

I'm a governor and it's a big role without being chair. There is expectation you do regular training in office hours which I haven't managed to do yet.

Original poster
UndecidedChair · 25/10/2021 10:44

@Merryoldgoat

Is this an independent school or a state school?

I work for an independent school and our chair oversees 3 separate committees as well as full board and has separate responsibilities for safeguarding and staffing.

She’s in a LOT and I would say a full time job with young children would be a hard fit.

It’s a state primary school. I really can’t afford to be going in a lot. We’re given a limit on the number of hours we can volunteer and I need my leave for school holidays so can’t spend any on the role, sadly.
OP posts:
cansu · 25/10/2021 10:46

I think it is a lot of work. These kind of roles tend to be done by people who don't work.

cansu · 25/10/2021 10:46

Do you already have expertise in education?

PatriciaHolm · 25/10/2021 10:47

I am a Chair of Governors.

If it's not something you have done at all before - no experience as a Governor - it's going to be a lot of work, and a very questionable idea. There will be a lot of training, a number of meetings every term, and ideally visits to school.

It's not something you just pick up because you want to further your career, and I do mean well when I say that. It's bonkers to just jump in as a chair, you could easily do more harm than good if you really don't know what you are doing - its not a role where you just come in for a couple of hours a term to make sure a meeting runs OK.

Original poster
UndecidedChair · 25/10/2021 10:49

@Didiusfalco

I think this is weird that you would go straight in as Chair - are you sure? I’ve been clerk to governors at a lot of schools and generally people become a governor and get to know the school, understand a bit about school governance and then become chair. I don’t think it would be in the best interests of the school to have someone parachuted in as chair (plus you’d have to be elected by your fellow governors, so how would that work?). Any school that wanted you to walk straight in as chair I would be wary of, as I would assume their governing body wasn’t operating well to need that to happen.
I’m currently a school governor and for the past year have been working with a mentor and have been attending relevant training courses. Apologies, if this amounts to drip feeding
OP posts:
topcat2014 · 25/10/2021 10:51

Can I add a counterpoint?

I am chair of governors for a well run primary school.

The 'need to be in all the time to lead' comment:

The head is in operational charge of the school. There could be a tendency to assume the chair is in some kind of 'super leader' role.

This is not the case.

I'm not even sure that every staff member would recognise me in the street either.

Don't be put off, OP, school governors cannot just be made up of the non working population.

However, even with a good employer (that it sounds like you have) you may need to use some of your annual leave as well.

If you are never able to do this, then, perhaps chair is not for you. Normal governors do plenty.

TheChiefJo · 25/10/2021 10:53

"I really can’t afford to be going in a lot.
We’re given a limit on the number of hours we can volunteer and I need my leave for school holidays so can’t spend any on the role, sadly."

I think you've answered your own question here, OP. I'm another pp saying to try a less demanding role first.

Original poster
UndecidedChair · 25/10/2021 10:53

@SprayedWithDettol

What *@Didiusfalco* says. I’ve been a governor too. Your situation sounds strange at best. Become a governor and see how it goes. FYI we wouldn’t have voted for a chair who didn’t know the school and wasn’t currently an experienced governor. I have worked at board level in two industries, they are nothing like school governance.
I’m not experienced as a governor, I’ve only been a governor for over a year. I’m thinking I should probably stick to being a governor for now and then reconsider the role of chair after I gain more experience ( and time!).

Hmm that’s another thing to consider. So experience as a chair might not be that useful for general career prospects? Confused

OP posts:
Original poster
UndecidedChair · 25/10/2021 10:55

@name532

I'm a governor but wouldn't consider chair as I've got too much on with my full time job, chair is a very full on role. I'm a bit confused, are you a governor now thinking of going up to chair? If not I'd just try being a governor for a while, maybe deputy if you want the taste of that role. It doesn't make sense to go straight to chair, as I'm not from an educational background it's taken me a while to learn how schools work.
I’ve a background in education too although I made a career change and no longer work in a school
OP posts:
Original poster
UndecidedChair · 25/10/2021 10:58

@DahliaMacNamara

Our chair of governors came straight into that role. I was fairly new myself so didn't consider that unusual. They're very experienced in education, though, which perhaps made a difference. Whether it's normal or not, it's a role that involves a lot of work, including ongoing training, meetings with other chairs, frequent one-to-ones with the HT in the daytime, plus all the work involved in preparing for meetings. It's like having an additional job. Very rewarding and fantastic experience, but be under no illusions about the amount of time you would need to devote to it.
The more I find out about what is required of the chair, the more convinced I am that it’s not the right time. I think training in the pandemic gave me a skewed view of what to expect.
OP posts:
Original poster
UndecidedChair · 25/10/2021 10:59

@LetHimHaveIt

I'm very surprised one can go straight into the role of chair. I was a co-opted governor for a few years and the (excellent) chair was vice-chair for years, and knew the school inside out, having had all three of his children there. I'm not saying you need that level of familiarity but it's sounds crackers to parachute someone in like this.
There’s a lot of support for those who choose to do it this way. From what I know, there are shortages of governors in some areas and this approach is to help alleviate the situation.
OP posts:
October2020 · 25/10/2021 11:00

You're insane to take this on if you can't take much time off to be in school. You realise that when ofsted come in you'll be needed for probably 3 days (from the phone call through the inspection)?

I really would not commit to this. The staff need you to be present and available.

DahliaMacNamara · 25/10/2021 11:01

It might be useful if you have a prospective employer who's clued up about what the role entails, and you're good at linking transferable skills to job specifications. I think you could do that just as well as an experienced governor, without taking on the CoG job.

Original poster
UndecidedChair · 25/10/2021 11:07

@TheChiefJo

"I really can’t afford to be going in a lot. We’re given a limit on the number of hours we can volunteer and I need my leave for school holidays so can’t spend any on the role, sadly."

I think you've answered your own question here, OP. I'm another pp saying to try a less demanding role first.

I think you’re right.

I’ll stick to the governor role for now.
As @topcat2014 says, there’s still plenty to do in that role.

I appreciate all every comment. Thank you all

OP posts:
TheChiefJo · 25/10/2021 11:09

Good luck with it, OP.

YorkshirePuddding · 25/10/2021 11:25

I've been involved in school governance for 25 years, as an LA support officer, as a chair, clerk and Governor at various schools. There's really no blueprint but there is a correlation between school context and time commitment. If yours is a Good school with no particular issues then much easier, a school in special measures is always a tough call.

I see no problem with becoming chair when working ft, plenty of people do it and have done it myself. As long as you're at the end of a phone that's fine. The focus now for all governors is having the right skills and if you're in this category you might well not have much daytime availability.

There are a few myths on this thread. There is a much reduced emphasis on governance in the current ofsted framework, and a short meeting of phone call is all that's likely especially if the school is good and likely to stay that way. So being in school for 3 days as someone said is extremely unlikely.

I also think there can be an inverse relationship between experience and effectiveness as a chair. Some of the most hopeless chairs I've come across are the most experienced.

As I'm sure you know, governance is a strategic, hands off role so I don't agree that you need a strong presence in school for staff benefit. This can actually encourage a blurring of roles.

You sound amazing OP and I think you should go for it! You're an experienced Governor, you've done training and you have the right attitude.