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?

You do sound very bitter. It is not impossible to serve as a school governor and also have a full-time job. You are not party to the successful candidates work arrangements so they may only work part-time, shifts, or may be self-employed and able to attend observations and other meetings etc which occur in the daytime. Even if they can't, there are other attributes which they can bring to the table apart from attendance.

If you enjoyed being a governor, there are many schools crying out for governors with time and experience and not considering that does make you sound as if you enjoyed being on the "inside track" rather more than just helping out.

BTW, your employer doesn't have to agree to give you time off for school governor meetings. They can refuse if they deem it unreasonable (and there's no definition of what unreasonable is), various groups such as the police are exempt from that right, academy governors don't have the right to time off etc etc.

Reading this thread I am slightly terrified - have recently volunteered as a governor, but I work full time 1.5hrs away - is this a really bad idea?

Ithink you have been unfairly treated on this thread OP. It must feel terrible to have been voted out. I am sure you did a good job and parents often think the wrong skills are important as they have very little understanding of the job. School gate popularity and cronyism. I think you did the right think standing down from the PTA as otherwise it would be very easy to become bitter about doing all the work without the responsibility.

I parted company with the PTA at roughly the same time as resigning as a Governor because the insinuation being made against me by another Governor related to my role in the PTA.

And actually by the time the youngest is in year 6, its time to let younger more innocent eyes take over the PTA

any form of rejection is horrible. chin up op - i agree some of the comments here have been horrible.

onwards and upwards for you. op - their loss!

very many thanks to those of you who have made helpful comments.

I would like to reiterate that I am not bitter, just sad. I spent 4 years of my life committing to the school, I made a very useful contribution in many different ways (as outlined previously, plus was responsible for gov training and development and working with the school SMT member responsible for staff training), and to lose that is sad. I dont see anything wrong in liking having been on the 'inside' of a world that is completely different to my own professional life.

however, onwards and upwards.

Arabella, I would say that being a school governor is a fantastic chance to play a part in making a difference to the education of not just your children, but hundreds of others. however, it is a big time commitment, and from my own experience, schools need people prepared to be on the ground at the time when they need them, not necessarily just for the 6pm (or whatever) FGB and committee meetings. plus there is a lot of training, reading, commenting on iniatives etc etc, plus extra meetings as and when required (at secondary level at least). best of luck, I hope you enjoy the experience.

Have you considered asking if you can stay on as an associate member?

starball!

lougle - no, because I feel that they need the time to bed in the new bods. and also - freely admitting this is all about me me me - I dont want to beg?!

hmm. Personally I was a school Governpr for 4 years. But the end of that coincided more or less exactly with my youngest leaving the school.
I was asked to consider carrying on, or reapplying, I cant remember which it would have been now. But I thought that I wouldnt know the half of what was going on, school gate wise, so declined.

Did I miss it. Not much. Was I glad I did it, yes.

How many more years will you have a child at the school?

Also, I suppose, although you are smarting, that is the nature of the whole thing., It is a democracy.
And no one, when they vote can see the whole picture.

On our GB we have managed to hang on to a couple of parent governors when their kids have left or their term has expired by filling community gov gap if there is one, or by making them associate governors.

My experience is that it has been fascinating and I used to feel really positive about the role. But we are struggling as a school. Fantastic, awesome newish head. Couple of rather aggressive new non-parent governors. head My freelancing has racked up a notch. I have some concerns about ds1 (not the school, but him) and I find being gov. (chair) gets in the way of being completely free to put him first.

This won't be anyone else's experience necessarily. But it's all got too much for me.

Also, our GB has a broad mix of retirees, freelancers, full time employees, self-employed folk. So generally we are able to cover if needed during the day. Someone is usually available. And the full time employees who generally can only come to planned events during the day (planned gov. visits for example) or evening meetings make an excellent contribution despite not being available at the drop of a hat.

With things like this, I always find it helpful to find the real reason why you are sad.

It can be a number of things.
If it is, list them and allocate %s.
I know, a bit pedantic!
But I find it helps me to get to the heart of the matter.

Personally although I liked it, it was never wonderful for me. But you do sound as if you were very suited to the role, so can understand your disappointment.

some nasty comments on here

I am pleased now. I can go in and raise issues about my kids. my kids can get elected to school council without people saying it is because I am governor, ditto school play roles etc. I have more free time.

enjoy. bet you soon volunteer for secondary!

interesting Golddigger and Pooka. my older one will be there for 2 years more, younger one another 4 years.
I am coming round to the 'freedom' aspect more and more...

think I will cast this one off, concentrate on expanding my paid employment and working on my other volunteer role. and just add it to my CV as and when necessary!!

we've had a lot of changes recently - chair resigned as wife v. ill; another gov who started same time as me has resigned for personal reasons; head invited 2 new govs to start about 3 months ago, one of whom I've never met and the other is quite aggressive; maybe this has just come to its natural course for me.

Former primary governor here. I do miss it a bit but also relieved not to do it any more. It is a big commitment.

I'm not the only person on this thread to say the OP sounds rather bitter.

I note that someone has told me to fuck off. Stay classy.

OP

I am in the reverse situation - I am a community governor at another school and have failed to be voted onto my own son's school governing body more than once...

I have been less than 4 votes of being elected on each time... I am giving up. I refuse to take out my experience with SEN from my statement and I am told by friends that parents are often heard sneering about 'those' children who get 'all the support'...

I love being a Governor and though I would love to support my sons own school I have grown to be very fond and proud of the school I am supporting. I am not sure I ever want to be a parent governor as it is a popularity contest and very political.... In a different school you are detached from the politics and less put upon I think...

Please volunteer elsewhere - it is a really positive experience .

Boschy, what I'm getting is that you felt a tad shocked/cross, hurt and sad (unsurprisingly - that's what loss does to us!) and needed to air it, chew over the options etc in order to move on.

I can hear the freedom aspect growing by the post

you got it in one Elibean! can feel the weight lifting off my shoulders even now!

You don't have to be elected to be governor . So if you want to contine just ask.

longjane
where do you get that information from?

longjane, you do if you're going to be a parent governor.

Take it from one who agreed to go for parent gov in a school that never had elections, as so few parents wanted the job. Then went overnight to a different sort of cohort who all want the job (in the mistaken belief that it will give them some sort of control over their child's education).

Hence I found myself in a massive election process - and a state of shock

Boschy, go get those shoulders massaged and enjoy