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Original poster

Parent Governor - woould you vote for me?

18 replies

Nicdigby · 26/09/2011 14:07

Hello, I am hoping to become a parent governor DS's school. I have to do a "mission statement" in 100 words to get people to vote for me rather than other candidates.

I am only allowed to submit one statement and I hoped I could get your feedback on two different ones I have prepared - do I come across well, or not? Would you vote for me on these statements or are they a turn-off?

I would appreciate your honest opinions, so please fire away, I can take it!

Statement 1:
"My son has just started at Year One, and as the school is going to play such a large part in our lives for the next few years, I want to get fully involved.
I don?t work now, so I am at the school gates every day and have time to dedicate. I can bring energy and fresh ideas. I am open, honest, friendly and straight-talking.
?Before Children?, I was a Broadcast Journalist at ITN News, where I learnt objectivity, and to ask searching, persistent, questions.
If elected I would listen to your views, and voice them clearly at meetings."

Statement 2:
"I left my job as a Journalist at ITN News to have children. I swiftly found that two kids, a year apart, was much harder work than any job I?ve ever had, but now the kids are starting school here, I have more time to dedicate to other things again. As the school is going to play such a large part in our lives, I want to get fully involved, in the role of parent governor.

I am at the school gates every day and you will find me open, honest, and friendly. I will be persistent and straight-talking when taking your views to meetings. "

Thoughts, pretty please!

OP posts:

TheProvincialLady · 26/09/2011 14:10

I prefer the first one.

GeeWhizz · 26/09/2011 14:25

The first one. Good luck with getting elected.

propatria · 26/09/2011 15:07

A couple of things,you are standing as a parent governor,thats a governor from the parents not of the parents,you arent there to bring the moans of the playground to meetings,I presume you have children at the school not little goats,I wouldnt vote for anyone that talks about "kids",I dont care what job you used to do(not just a journalist but an" ITN journalist" what matters is what you can offer for this job,not your past.
You state you are "honest,friendly,straight talking" and will bring "energy and fresh ideas" do you think other people are going to say they are "deceitfull,liars,unfriendly,lethargic and have stale ideas"?
You need to enthuse people,dont make it read like a pro-forma,good luck
I cant say if Id vote for you as of course Idont know who else is standing..

HappyMummyOfOne · 26/09/2011 16:48

I agree, leave out your ex employer and state your strengths instead. People wont care less who you worked for but will want to know what strengths you have that will be useful to the school and benefitting their children. Dont mention being a SAHM, it matters not one jot.

Parent governors are not really there to chat with at the school gate and raising these matters at meetings, a governor is there to be a critical friend to the school and will have to make decisions that they may not like and will affect their own children.

TBH, your statement sounds more like you are joining the PTA rather than applying for a governor position.

Lougle · 26/09/2011 17:10

I agree with the previous posters. I am a parent governor at a school, and our job is NOT to represent parents. It is to be part of a team which supports and challenges the school to be the best it can be.

Part of that role may be to give a general parents' perspective, but it isn't to judge what will be 'popular'.

I personally would vote for the person who told me what they thought was great about the school, how it is key to our commmunity, and how they would act for the best interests of the children in the school, NOT the parents.

Original poster

Nicdigby · 26/09/2011 20:44

Ok, thanks so much everyone for your feedback. I have re-written it taking into account your views - what do you think of this? better/worse??

"My son has just started at this fantastic school. As it is going to play such a large part in our lives for the next few years, I want to get fully involved and want to become a Governor as part of this.

?Before Children?, I was a Television News Journalist, where I learnt there are two sides to every story, and to ask searching, persistent, questions.

Now I do school picks ups every day. If elected I would listen to your views, and most importantly, take decisions that put the best interests of the school?s children first. "

OP posts:

DanFmDorking · 26/09/2011 21:00

The first one.
... learnt objectivity, and to ask searching, persistent, questions
These are excellent skills for a School Governor.

I would say ?children? not ?kids?

Just a small point - Parent governors are not representing the parents, they are representative of the parents. There is a difference.

Good Luck

DanFmDorking · 26/09/2011 21:08

Oh, you?ve changed it. I prefer the first one.

Please include the fact that your child is in Year 1 (or give the age of your youngest child). This indicates that you are going to be involved with the school for some time.

sqweegiebeckenheim · 26/09/2011 22:31

actually I liked the first one

exoticfruits · 26/09/2011 23:00

I agreed with people's comments but I still don't like your second attempt. I would take Lougle's advice. Start with your first sentence from statement one and work from there.

Lougle · 27/09/2011 09:58

Mmm

Question: Why do you want to be a Parent Governor?

What is it about being a governor that appeals to you, rather than being on the PTA?

The two are very different, of course. Getting involved with parents and having the nice recognition, etc., is probably more PTA.

Getting involved with the management and policies of the school, and sometimes having to uphold decisions that are unpopular with parents, is governing body stuff.

For example, say you really didn't agree with introducing a new uniform. You go along to the Governing Body Meeting, and a vote is passed to introduce it. Parents hate it. In the playground, waiting for school pick-up, parents approach you about it. What are you going to say? Because you cannot say "Well I didn't like it, personally, but had to go with the majority". You cannot say "Well 5 people thought it was awful, but 7 thought it was ok, so it went ahead." You cannot report on it. All you can say is that as a Governing Body, the decision was taken to introduce it. And that's it.

HappyMummyOfOne · 27/09/2011 13:04

The new one still sounds like you think the governing body is like the PTA. The PTA is fully involved, Governors in some schools do very little and mainly paperwork and agreeing policies.

You wont be listening to parents views so it makes no difference if you do the school runs or not. You'll alienate a lot of parents if you make out that SAHM are better and only they can care and be fully involved.

Theres still nothing about what you will bring to the post bar the asking of questions.

Hatwoman · 27/09/2011 13:20

I'll add another, honest, comment. you give one reason for wanting to be a governor - and it's essentially a very personal one: "as the school is going to play a large part in our lives". I want governors who can illustrate that they are passionate about education - of all children; who are interested in the school's role in the wider community; and who can show that they are already familiar with and engaged in issues facing the school (these could be new pressures on places, budget cuts, new/planned/needed building work, a need for a review of outdated policies on various issues etc etc). wanting to "be involved" because it ties in with your current personal circumstances isn't enough.

You mention some aspects of your work that are relevant - and that's good, but it only addresses one aspect of the role and almost sounds a bit adversarial - you'll be persistent, straight taking, ask searching questions. I'd want someone who realises the importance of balancing that with supporting the school and working as part of team.

Lougle · 27/09/2011 16:09

It's all true.

I don't think you should be put off by these comments, but this is your opportunity to examine if the role of Governor is what you thought it would be.

I have to say, that in our school (a special school) Governors are very much involved in the school. We have link classes that we can visit and help in, some of us attend the coffee mornings that the school puts on for parents, we help to interview new staff, etc.

BUT we don't have the right to waltz in and 'inspect' the school. Neither do we get to just say what we want done. We are meant to be in partnership with the school, by supporting the head teacher, and that supportive relationship allows us to challenge him/her without being confrontational.

Original poster

Nicdigby · 27/09/2011 20:03

very interesting feedback and comments, many thanks. I am going to have a serious think about whether I want / am suitable for this particular role. Thanks everyone.

OP posts:

DanFmDorking · 28/09/2011 00:20

You?ve got yourself a ?personal statement by committee? each view different!

I've posted this before but:-

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.

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.

Two useful sites: ukgovernors and Governor Line.

Go for it!

DanFmDorking · 18/11/2011 22:07

Any scccess?

SecretSquirrels · 19/11/2011 16:21

In my experience very few parents actually return their votes in GB elections.
The most important qualification will be how many of those parents know you.
Faced with a choice they will vote for who they know rather than by judging the statement.
As a governor really the last thing you want is every parent at the school gate bringing you their little "issues". You have no idea how many parents get embroiled in trivia about playground squabbles or reading book progress.

My children are teenagers and my honest recommendation would be for you to do PTA at the primary school and GB at secondary school. The GB at my local primary were very unprofessional and all in it for their own little darling's advantage.
Secondary school is very different in that there is little opportunity to get involved other than as a governor and the GB is much more businesslike .

You could also volunteer as a parent helper.

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