Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw wants paid governors.
I am just the sort of non professional, parent governor he hates.
I put in many hours of my time for free, attending meetings, reading documents, understanding data. (Yes, I do understand the data) and attending trainings.
I have two DCs at the school and I care passionately about their education. I care that they make more than three levels of progress and get 5 A-C GCSEs.
I care that the school employs good staff and balances the books so it can continue to provide them.
But I also care about the buses, the lunches, the extracurricular activities, the concerts and the plays.
I care about the state of the buildings, the toilets and the decrepit boiler.
Some of these things have a direct financial implications and all of these things impact on pupils, and often, staff moral.
If you are cold, missed lunch because the queue was too long or you are getting bullied on the bus you are not going to concentrate in lessons.
If you find making friends difficult then choir or painting scenery for the play can make lunch time way more bearable.
If home life is difficult it may be far easier to talk to a teacher you've got to know well on a school trip, than your head of house.
Yes, the bottom line is achieving qualifications, but to do that you need pupils who feel safe and valued.
The most Outstanding teacher in the world can't deliver an Outstanding lesson to a pupil who is being bullied and refuses to come to school.
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Paid Governors
119 replies
NoComet · 27/02/2013 14:59
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