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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Governor removed child from school

82 replies

Schooldinners1 · 26/05/2023 09:01

AIBU for more traction. Governor at our primary stepped down and removed her daughter from reception. What would you make of this? There's been a bit of chatter.

OP posts:
Lullibyebye · 26/05/2023 13:47

As others have said, none of your business! We had a governor and her child leave school because her child had been bullying others and she was outraged that her child was punished!

IhearyouClemFandango · 26/05/2023 13:48

Not much. I was a governor at our primary school when we withdrew our daughter of the same age to home educate. School wasn’t right for her, no reflection on the school. This school may not be a fit for her daughter

IhearyouClemFandango · 26/05/2023 13:49

I wasn’t a parent governor though, there is a slight difference

skyblueblue · 26/05/2023 14:07

I was a governor and asked to step down after moving my child to an independent (I was happy to continue if I was needed)

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 26/05/2023 14:23

Any number of possible reasons. A long, long time ago when I was a primary school governor I remember two of my fellow governors moved children to other schools. In one case nobody would have thought it reflected on our school at all. The governor in question had a large family who had all gone through our school but the youngest child had moderate learning difficulties and in the end it was better for her to transfer to a special school.

In the other case, it was a totally different case. One parent taught in the school, loathed the head and made no attempt whatsoever to disguise that, badmouthing him in front of parents Hmm, left to take up a post in another local school, child transferred to parent's new school. Other parent remained as a parent governor even though they no longer had any children in the school. I thought that was very poor form, but then the parent governor in question was the bane of my life when I was Chair, so I suppose I would think that, wouldn't I!

TheSnowyOwl · 26/05/2023 14:28

I know of this for two different schools. The first was where the governor didn’t agree with the way the head was dealing with something. The other was where the child of the governor was unkind and eventually was unhappy because she was friendless, so changed to see if she would settle better in another school. The parent left when the child did because they had no interest in being the governor at a school their child wasn’t at.

adfs · 26/05/2023 14:34

Ignore it as it could be anything.

I was a Governor and withdrew my child. I had an offer from another school and accepted that. The school I left was good but wasn’t right for my child. That didn’t mean there was a problem with the original school.

Littlefish · 26/05/2023 14:36

I was parent governor at the very small village school my daughter attended.

My dd had lots of issues with low self esteem, anxiety etc. DH and I absolutely loved her school, but recognised that she needed to go to a school with had greater opportunities to work with her strengths (sport and music).

I would never, ever have criticised her tiny school for not being able to offer more opportunities. It was a glorious, tiny village school, it was impossible for them to do more than they were already doing.

So, we made the decision to move dd.

That decision was nothing to do with the quality of education that dd and others were receiving, and everything to do with making a personal decision that was right for our child.

Original poster
Schooldinners1 · 26/05/2023 14:44

I have just found out this was directly after another mother was screaming in the playground over the constant complaints she was getting at pick up time.

Apparently the governor decided to bring it up and decided it wasn’t for her. The environment and gossiping.

OP posts:
lljkk · 26/05/2023 14:51

What would you make of this?

I would conclude that It's a small school, if you even know who the parent governors are.

VickyEadieofThigh · 26/05/2023 15:11

PicaK · 26/05/2023 10:40

Ask the Clerk for copies of the minutes since Sept.

What do you think is likely to be in the minutes?

Anything confidential isn't in the minutes for all to see.

HecticHedgehog · 26/05/2023 15:13

Just ask them?

AmyandPhilipfan · 26/05/2023 15:14

It would depend on the parent governor. I've known some who become governors because they appreciate the school and want to give back. Others are nosey parkers who will do anything to try to be the first in the know and to try to get special privileges for their kids and as soon as they're told their children will be treated the same as all the others they get outraged and flounce.

MooMooSharoo · 26/05/2023 15:21

I know of someone that did this. She was a governor of their local village Church primary school that her children went to.

Unfortunately due to lack of housing in the area as well as a bit of a dodgy reputation, the number of children dwindled and they were bordering on putting together three year groups in one class, which would have put my friend's 2 kids (3 years apart) within the same class. Knowing her own children as she does, she knew that was never going to work, so got them a place at a school in the nearby town instead and stepped down as Governor.

There was nothing wrong with the quality of teaching, it was just that the school no longer suited their needs.

As PP's have said, it could be an issue with the school, but more likely it's just a personal decision of the family. Keep an eye on the other school details and see if the parent pops up on their Board of Governors.

It might be something as simple as they preferred the other school in the first instance and were on the waiting list and a place came up. Couple that with a parent that want to be involved with their child's school to the point of volunteering to be a Governor while they're in reception, there's a good chance they'll end up on the Board in the new school too.

If it's something really bad I'm sure the parent will have contacted Ofsted, so time would tell.

wobbledobbleflobble2 · 26/05/2023 16:07

"But they can. As explained above, parent governors can finish their term of office if their children leave the school. It's their choice."

A number of people have posted this but it is not the correct advice for ALL schools. It is certainly correct in all maintained schools in England.

But if for example it is a local governing body then the rules of the LGB are set by the academy trust board. They could include a rule that says local parent governors must step down when their child leaves the academy.

"What do you think is likely to be in the minutes? Anything confidential isn't in the minutes for all to see."

Confidential minutes can be requested under freedom of information law. The school will be able to redact some items, but probably not much.

MargaretThursday · 26/05/2023 16:14

wobbledobbleflobble2 · 26/05/2023 16:07

"But they can. As explained above, parent governors can finish their term of office if their children leave the school. It's their choice."

A number of people have posted this but it is not the correct advice for ALL schools. It is certainly correct in all maintained schools in England.

But if for example it is a local governing body then the rules of the LGB are set by the academy trust board. They could include a rule that says local parent governors must step down when their child leaves the academy.

"What do you think is likely to be in the minutes? Anything confidential isn't in the minutes for all to see."

Confidential minutes can be requested under freedom of information law. The school will be able to redact some items, but probably not much.

Many do choose to step down, and some will move onto the new school.

Dh was governors at the infant school, and finished his term (1 year) after our youngest left, but then stood at the secondary our oldest was at. I suspect when ds finishes and his term runs out they may ask him to stand as a community governor. I don't know whether he'll want to or not. He enjoys some aspects of it, and not so much of other things (like 8am meetings!).

elevenplusdilemma · 26/05/2023 16:31

I did exactly this. The school was no longer right for my child for reasons that weren't really a fault of the school (it was a tiny school and my child was very sporty and wanted to develop their skills in team sports which couldn't happen in a school with 3 kids of the same sex in their age group!).

I was a parent governor so had to leave as once I was no longer a parent of a child at that school, I couldn't remain a parent governor.

Thegoodbadandugly · 26/05/2023 16:35

It could be absolutely anything has nothing to do with you really.

2bazookas · 26/05/2023 17:11

None of your business.

Fairislefandango · 26/05/2023 17:18

Yes of course it's natural to be a bit curious about their reasons, but it's really none of your business. MN can't tell you why they've changed schools, so I don't quite see what you're aiming to get out of the thread!

Fairislefandango · 26/05/2023 17:20

It sounds almost as though you think the governor owes an explanation to parents if her reason is that she's dissatisfied with the school. She owes no explanation to parents.

Equalitea · 26/05/2023 17:29

Parent governors must have a child at the school mustn’t they? If they were moving child then they would have to step down?

MojacaSunset · 26/05/2023 18:00

Judge the school by your own experiences not by gossip and conjecture!
Are you happy with the school, is your child safe and engaged in learning?
Is there good communication?
There are 1001 reasons why the parent governor may have resigned, many find that the role isn't what they expected and not everyone is suited to it. As a governor, I have supported decisions that are right for the school and benefited the majority of pupils but ironically had a slight negative impact on services my child accessed, some governors are only there to try and improve things for their child.

CwmYoy · 26/05/2023 18:03

If the other parents are as nosy as you it's no wonder she's moved on.

I can't believe you think it's ok to gossip like this.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 26/05/2023 18:17

Schooldinners1 · 26/05/2023 14:44

I have just found out this was directly after another mother was screaming in the playground over the constant complaints she was getting at pick up time.

Apparently the governor decided to bring it up and decided it wasn’t for her. The environment and gossiping.

So she decided it wasn't worth the hours of volunteering because she was getting her ear chewed off by other parents about operational matters that are absolutely nothing to do with the Governors' remit? And changed school so her child didn't have to deal with those parents' children as well?

Can't say I blame her.