Not a governor anymore... advantages?

[boschy]

I've been a parent gov at my DDs' school for the last 4 years. did not succeed in being re-elected (my 'manifesto' was child-centred; the other 3 candidates focussed on their professional qualifications, eg accountancy, finance management etc). I do think I will be missed - I work freelance, so exclusion panels/lesson obs/et which happen in the daytime were easy for me to do, whereas 3 of the 4 candidates are not based in our area.

So, although I am slightly gutted to miss out on the experience of being on the inside track as it were, I am trying to think of the advantages: eg I have immediately resigned as chair of the PTA (on grounds that head wanted a gov on PTA - I will help out with events though, but delighted not to chair/go to PTA meetings). Am also thinking that I can complain, should I need to, without any requirement to consider my governor role, which has both helped and hindered me in the past.

Any more former governors got any thoughts? do you miss it, or are you quite relieved?

relieved

might go for secondary if the chance arises again

You sound very pissy about your rejection. Sniping about the new governors is poor form and makes you sound very needy. A bit of new blood is good, you had four years in the role. Why not find something else interesting to do with your time. Move on.

then again I resigned, not voted out (another accountant btw)
and I resigned from the PTA

Librarybook
have you been a primary school governor ?
Its a very odd feeling to suddenly be on the outside loop

OP
Walk away. Speak to the LEA to see if they need community governors anywhere else

why is that sniping? am sure they just as well qualified to do a good job (as I did), but giving time is an essential element of being a good governor. am sure I will manage to move on, but it is a very recent result. thanks for your helpful input btw

I keep thinking about resigning.

But then I might turn into 'that parent' instead It's been really interesting and I have been able to bring in a few tweaks but I find having all the info quite depressing actually. Our school is in a pretty bad way

I'm resigning after next full gb meeting. Can't wait. Also freelance. Finding it hard to juggle. Also want to be able to concentrate on my kids. Such doom and gloom is easy to lose sight of how they're doing (well) and selfishly, I'd like more anonymity.

Librarybook being a school governor is not just a lot of (very interesting) work, there is a huge amount to learn. Many people I have come across have said they were only just getting to grips with their full role when the 4 years was up.

OP, I'd second what Talkinpeace suggests, and if you can spare the time and energy, see if any other schools (or your school) need a community governor. It would be a shame to waste all that training and experience.

Good to be able to step slightly out of the PTA though. It is very odd to expect anyone to do both jobs well.

I am in my last year as a parent gov, and can well imagine feeling sad when it's over - I don't think you're sniping or pissy. I think you're missing the role and the sense of community.

New blood can certainly be good, but so is experience.

Still, onwards - I think a time of celebrating all you have achieved, appreciating yourself for it (and hopefully feeling appreciated by others!), and time to ponder on 'what next' before taking any leaps. I would try and see it as an opportunity to grow in a new direction, or as Talking suggests, taking your experience to the LEA and offering yourself as a Community Gov somewhere else? Could be fascinating

Also fascinated at Head wanting a Gov as PTA Chair.....I can't imagine that at our school, it seems quite a good idea to keep separate roles (with strong links, obviously)?

You sound sooooo bitter.

Maybe get a new hobby? Use your free time doing something else you think is useful. Fundamentally, as with all re-elections, you wouldn't have lost if you were good at your job.

I was a governor at my sons' primary school for 3 years.

Peculiar for the chair of the PTA to be a governor. In fact it may be desirable for the PTA to be entirely dependent of the governing body. Especially if the governing body are the liaison between the school and PTA for funding requests.

Are you sure you didn't spit out the dummy in a bit of a hissy?

independent of the the governing body.

no, head wanted a gov on the PTA, not necessarily as chair, but to create a bond between govs and PTA - I just ended up with the role because no other bugger would do it! so zero problem with that bit - although I will go and make tea as required because someone needs to do it, and not fair on the remainder of the committee to leave them in the lurch practically. luckily we have a couple of parents happy to take over in joint chair role.

I'm really not bitter, I alreay do another voluntary role which might possibly lead to actual paid employment (never claimed any expenses as a gov), I am just trying to find the bright side of relinquishing a responsibility I took on willingly and performed to the best of my abilities.

I do feel some relief, there is quite a lot of stress/time required in the role. not interested in getting involved with another school really - previously been a primary governor, and our other closest secondaries dont appeal either.

boschy - so there was absolutely no need for you to resign as chair of the PTA. One of the other governors needed to join the PTA that was all.

Library - I only did the PTA job BECAUSE I was a governor. I have already said, I will still help out - just dont want the hassle of that anymore. have you ever tried fundraising at secondary? its a thankless task.

Arcadia - according the head, the vice-principal, the ex-chair and current chair I am a sadly missed asset already. but I guess they are all just being polite!

still, c'est la vie.

I did PTA throughout my DC primary years and had enough of it. I have been a community governor at their secondary for 6 or 7 years now and I'm itching to give it up. Every time their is a new parent governor elected they go for the professional corporate type who is always too busy to turn up and do the work rather than interested parents.
I've made a couple of good friends on the GB but we all agree that being a governor does inhibit you to some extent when dealing with your own DC issues. I can honestly say it's never helped.

It's great that the head, vice principal and chairs liked the job you were doing, but ultimately the electorate didn't.

I'd definitely use the free time to get involved somewhere else? Is there a church (if you are that way inclined religiously) or a hospice that have a fundraising team?

Maybe a more practical role, like getting involved with Brownies?

You might be well qualified to do education admissions appeals. I enjoy that far more than GB.

"I do think I will be missed."

thecatlikesmebest (love the name, I've got one of those too!) that is an interesting idea... I will look into that. via the county council?? will investigate

is me saying that a problem for you librarybook?

have you ever taken part in an exclusion panel, which involves certain numbers of key people (minimum number of governors, at least 1 member and more usually 2 of SMT, plus LA representative and parent/child - if they turn up, plus advocates if they want them), within a legally required period of time and usually within the school day? equally if an exclusion goes to appeal, you can expect to spend at least 2-3 hours in a town council office at a time not of your choosing.

yes, if you are employed, your employer is legally required to give you time off to serve as a school governor. however, if you work an hour away from the school base, at which panels take place, and the time for the panel is say 1pm, it is not easy to commute an hour, spend an hour at school and then commute an hour back. but shit, what would I know? only done them for 4 years, and as am freelance and work mostly from home was pretty much available as and when required.

ditto lesson observations, essential part of SSR - lessons take place in the DAYTIME, and the lesson needed to be observed may not take place at the beginning or end of the day to fit in with commutes...

I was a governor for a year before I resigned. It's SUCH a massive responsibility and workload and was affecting my paid job. I love being an ordinary parent at the school gates now.

I do it through the local authority. Even though most schools are academies they often contract out to the LA. There are similarities to exclusions appeals, your experience would be useful I think.

I dont think its unusual for governors to be part of the pta, its likely to be interested parents that do both so often cross over.

You were a little unreasonable to resign from the pta straight away rather than wait to the agm, sounds a little like spitting your dummy out.