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 could be an Associate Governor - do everything but no voting rights. The Gov Body I was on had this role for a woman who was excellent but couldn't get elected.

I agree it is gutting to feel one has been rejected, but in most Gov Body elections only a handful of people vote, and sometimes people mistakenly vote for a "personality" in the playground, or some people band together always to vote in a vested interest (religious/SN etc)

To be fair, the three candidates you mention who have professional qualifications are just what most gov bodies need. Yes, you do need the governors who can offer time, but the gov body is sunk if you haven't anyone who can get involved with the budget and interpret often quite dense data.

I'm afraid from personal experience there are a lot of govs who think they are parent representatives instead of being representative of parents , and who think their job is to discuss parking and school sweatshirt logos.

Never heard of Associate Governor. But I am a few years out of the loop nowadays.

lain. I agree broadly with what you say. But imo, a good Governing Body needs a broad mix of people. Because no Governor can hope to know everything. And you most certainly need Governors who know what the parents at the school gate are feeling, as well as those who can interpret school budget figures, as well as those who have an overview of the school and community.

"I'm afraid from personal experience there are a lot of govs who think they are parent representatives instead of being representative of parents , and who think their job is to discuss parking and school sweatshirt logos."

Well that's quite insulting I've been a parent Governor for 3 years and I've never once discussed 'social' issues such as these. My interest lies in ensuring that the children are receiving the most effective education possible and that the staff are supported to deliver it.

We have a wonderful Associate Gov, who is in the SLT of another local school. It is a very useful option.

And yes, a range of professional know how is useful. But we have a childminder, an ex teacher, a therapist - and they all contribute just as much as the lawyer, the architect and the media person. It makes for a rounded team.

The accountant and the immensely knowledgeable educator are, OTOH, irreplaceable

dont think we ever discussed sweatshirts or parking either... a lot of stuff about finance, budgets, curriculum, impact of govt changes, OFSTED, child protection, exam results, governor training sessions, supporting SMT member in charge of T&D, etc etc etc. but not parking or sweatshirts!

why not talk about the logo and parking???
children not being run over is a pretty important thing to discuss
and logos make clothes more expensive
schools should discuss how they mitigate this

We talked about everything bar the kitchen sink. Oh no, we probably talked about that as well. It sure as heck was varied.

Hello Boschy. My 'rejection' by my Govening Body will make you feel that you have fared much better than me in the 'not wanted anymore' stakes.

I was the Clerk to a primary school governing body about 7 miles from where I live. I was the only Clerk who would clerk the meetings. None of the LA full time Clerks was up for the meetings at this school because they were so difficult, so they asked me. The meetings were awful. Frequently over 4 hours. As could have been predicted, school went into special measures. (A few years ago). Head went off sick and new acting Head appointed who was very young and had only had 2 terms experience of being the Deputy. Ofsted returned. Special measures again. Acting Head on maternity leave. Chairman of Governors resigned. Another Acting Head put in place and I, their Clerk, was asked to become Chairman of Governors and was appointed as an LA Governor. I had not been a Governor before but I did have years of experience as an Education Officer, including being head of Governor training before I gave up work. Sorted out a brand new Head who was excellent. Had another Ofsted and judged Good. Very hard work but we really pulled the school up. Everyone seemed pleased. Head left for another £10,000 a year. Appointed another new Head.

Lots of changes to the Governing Body. New Head did not want the nursery any longer. The Governing Body agreed. I fought to keep the Nursery. LA kept it because it was their nursery, not ours. School was in a deprived area so astounded we had a Head who did not want our Nursery. I started to notice she didn't like children much either. Lots of incidents with parents and children started to worry me. The other Governors thought she was great. At the start of her 4th term at the school she told me she was leaving. I was not to say anything to anyone. I did. I spoke to the LA about the timetable for replacing her. I also spoke to the Chairs of Personnel and Finance about adverts, job spec etc. We agreed all of these be prepared by me and the LA over the Christmas holidays for approval/amendment by the full GB in early January together with appointments to the shortlisting and interviewing panel.

To cut a long story short, the meeting was poorly attended but we worked through the agenda and after several people said they did not like the advertisement , we then arrived at the discussion about Panel members for the selection process. Not a single Governor suggested that I, the Chairman, should be on the Panel. The LA representative said maybe they would like to think again. They stuck with their decision that the Panel would not include me so I passed a note to the LA rep saying I was resigning from that moment and I walked out of the room. I never went back. I had truly spent hours and hours and hours at that school. I had been to meeting after meeting with the LA, setting targets, checking we were on track to improve, interviewing staff, going on school trips to help, doing as much as I possibly could to get better funding for us. I was the "expert" on the school budget, school improvement, target setting and a lot more.

I never saw any of this coming. A Governor who told me she was moving away became the new Chairman. It was definitely an organised coup. So Boschy, at least it was anonymous parents who rejected you, not your own colleagues. I note a lot of posters think that rejection should be accepted with a smile, however, I can assure you that when you have put your heart, soul, time and money (no expenses) into something you believe in, it is the absolute pits to have no recognition for all your work whatsoever.

Siouxsie, that is a really horrible story. I hope writing it out was cathartic in some way. I would want to kill them all very slowly if I was in your position...

Actually I am glad I have written it all down. I can only add that the school continued to have problems in recruiting Headteachers and Governors. LA had to import a few again. They lurch from crisis to crisis and never maintained our Good rating from Ofsted. I still do not understand what went wrong for me. I was never aware that I was not wanted and no-one ever spoke in a negative way to me apart from the Nursery issue and not liking the advertisement for the Head. I then concentrated on my own children at their schools and tried to move on. Being a Governor went from the best experience to the worst.

Siouxsie, it's shit when people treat you like that, it must have really hurt. talk about being knifed in the back (et tu Brute?), you poor thing. glad you have moved on though. I am truly feeling the weight of responsibility lifting off my shoulders now, and tbh am quite enjoying it. I can complain about what I like when I like, without worrying about internal ructions, and I can even re-friend my children's friends on the dreaded Facebook, should they want me to!

Hey boschy I was a PG for 4 years during a time of huge change at my DCs primary. I put a lot in to the role, and to school, but by the time I left (chose not to stand again) I was relieved...the CofG was IMO not fit for role and I found the meetings harder and harder and got increasingly pissed off with every PG that joined for their own motivation, not to add value to their DCs school.

Our committee meetings were also set for 7.45 am weekly as it suited head and chair but i struggled with this most weeks and impact on my kids became intolerable.

I am glad I did it but I am really really enjoying being a parent again, but a better more informed one. I have a fair degree of insider knowledge because I know what the targets are etc and feel able to challenge school when i need to. I am also unhappy about a fundamental change that has been made with regards collective worship (we are a non faith school) without parent consultation and I feel I can tackle this better as a parent without towing the party line as a PG.

Interestingly I have missed not being in the loop wrt daily life and decisions and i have felt pangs when i see changes and think 'well i would have challenged that'. But while DCs missed seeing me in school at first, they are enjoying my absence now and I feel less of a goldfish bowl if they misbehave or produce crappy work.

I know how you feel tho re sadness, I had worked but got no acknowledgement, not even a card to say goodbye and thanks but you just have to let this part go safe in the knowledge that you have it your best for the time you did it. I do think that some schools are rubbish at thank yous though... in 4 yrs on pta our .chair has got not so much as a bottle of wine or a Xmas card from staff... And she works bloody hard! There are only ever 2 of us helping her and she just carries on.

Sorry many typos... Typing in haste on lunch break!

oh yeah forgot the Facebook thing. that really annoyed me

Far too many school governors are self serving. Slithering up to parochial business and power nabobs/networks, to further their own, or their children's, prospects.
Some seem to cling on like limpets year after year without having any obvious skills sets or anything special to contribute.

Good people can get ousted when a coterie of "yes" men/women forms around the head and chair of governors.
The role is supposed to be that of a "critical friend." But I've seen mild mannered and kindly souls squashed and smeared as being too "negative" for making the slightest dissenting squeak on some of these bodies.
As Dayshiftdoris said, I'd volunteer elsewhere, where I felt more appreciated, Boschy. Don't let the bullies win by giving up altogether!

When I first became a governor there were no critical friends, just friends. When I questioned something, ever so humbly, I was shot down in flames. I also felt that I was being excluded: when the meetings officially finished, everyone said, "Goodbye, Lainie," and went on sitting there. So I'd get up and go, and I could see them all settling in for further chat. Whether it was about governory things or someone's irritable bowel syndrome, who's to know, but it was awkward nonetheless.

Four years later it was all change and the gov body was excellent. Good mix of expertise and commitment.

Gov bodies will always have churn, and after four years I had had enough - been through full OFSTED inspection, dealt with an extremely difficult staff situation and was bored with new parent governors asking the same old questions. Sorry, that sounds mean, and it is inevitable when you have churn in a body, so I admit that was unreasonable there!

I am sitting on the sofa yelling at your post OP... the Head has no say whatsoever in who sits on the Board of your PTA. It is not a part of the school, it is separate entity... and please remember that thePTA can also tell the school how they would like any monies, which they raise, be spent. Reading this post worried me.

Am a little concerned as to what you mean by lesson obs... Lesson obs per se are part of day to day management and performance management, and are not the remit of a governor. If you mean being in a classroom as part of a learning walk, then that is an entirely different entity, if you are looking at behaviour within the school then fine but if you are making any commentary on the way in which a lesson is delivered, then this is not for you to do.

I am not surprised that other candidates mentioned their professional skills, this is certainly something which GBs are encouraged to look for in their skillset, especially as . If you really enjoyed it, then consider applying for a community governor role or an LA governor role with another school. I have been a governor for over 20 years in seven schools, often as an additional governor due to my governance experience, so go and share your experience elsewhere if you miss it.

I am afraid, Latte, that you are not entirely correct. My Dneice attends a school where there is no PTA at the moment. The school's Head hosted a meeting of interested parents earlier this term to set one up. After the meeting, a draft constitution was circulated to parents which stated that a member of school staff would be the Chairman. Beats me that any parent would agree to this , but if the parents have never bothered with a PTA sounds like they might accept what they are given. So, schools do try to say who is on the PTA committee and it is normal to have teachers on the committee. Some of whom will be delivering the thoughts of the Head! A PTA might be a separate charity but it is hardly a separate entity as it's work is entwined with that of the school.

I dont agree with all of Latte's points either. Though if I am out of date, then they may be more right than I thought.

The parts I dont agree with. The PTA may indeed be a seperate entity, but if you have not got at least one member of staff either there or a member, you are somewhat going to be up the creek without a paddle

Lesson obs. In our school, it was a definite requirement, I presume coming from our LEA that lessosns were to be observed by a nominated Governor. Once a month. Someone was allocated Maths, another Governor English, and I think another Governor some other subjects.
And a report had to be made, after going through some poiunts with the head of English, Maths etc. It was also an oppurtunity for the teacher to say that they could do with some PTA money spent on more blah blah etc, if the board thought it appropriate which we often did. It wasnt about delivery, but it was about general observational things.

professional skills. Yes and no. I think I mentioned that upthread. A very mixed board worked best for us.

No need to yell latte. I think you have misunderstood...

the PTA was existing. head felt it would be helpful if a gov was on the committee, in order to create a link/feedback route. I ended up chair by default because no other bugger would do it, not because head is a megalomaniac.

lessons obs: we most certainly do them, as part of SSR, and are expected to write up a report afterwards.

Sorry to sidetrack but I'm interested in the differing views coming out of this discussion regarding governors doing lesson observations.
I'm a parent governor and have been for 5 years. I worked with one head for the first 4 years and we did 'learning walks' and 'classroom visits' where we looked for positives and passed back what we saw.
The head left, a new head started and straight away Ofsted arrived. The school got rated inadequate, we as governors got totally slated. The LA swooped in and they and Ofsted supervised our new monitoring programme which definitely involved lesson observations looking for examples of good/ outstanding teaching ( and by default also it's absence ie crap teaching). None of us on the GB were happy with this and complained bitterly but had to suck it up. Ofsted came in the Summer for an interim visit and were very positive about our reports.
Fast forward to now, post-academisation and our sponsor is ( quite rightly I feel) horrified at our 'judgemental' reports which could potentially open us up to all sorts of potential legal problems with staff. We have now swung back to attempting to write purely 'what I saw on my visit' reports with no subjective comments at all. N idea what Ofsted will think about that when they return next year.

I'm more than a little fed up of the lack of clarity regarding exactly what role the education system expect us (as essentially 'laypeople') to play. Interested to see similar contradictory opinions here.

Re the OP's point, after the last year I would be absolutely delighted to be voted off but unfortunately there's not exactly a bustling line of people waiting to take my place and I'm loathe to leave my fellow governors in the lurch.

Right, taking it from the top, the PTA is a separate charitable entity, the HT has no right to say how it is run that is down to the membership and will be in their constitution. Of course, you should have close links with the school but this does not give the school a divine right to a place on the Board or Committee of a PTA as the PTA UK umbrella organisation sets out. There are HTs who like to control what happens but they do not have that right in law.

Next, I thought I made it very clear in my statement that I have no problems with governors being in classrooms as observers but under no circumstances should they be commenting on the manner in which a lesson is delivered, this is performance management and as such is under the remit of the HT and Leadership Team. As a former Ofsted Inspector I deliberately don't go into classrooms during lessons as I know I go straight into assessment mode on auto pilot. This is why I stick to playgrounds, communal areas and going through classes after school.

Finally the reason why the other candidates included their professional skills will be down to the review of governance which was undertaken by Ofsted earlier this year.

another advantage is not having to put up with shouty people
at least not in a voluntary position

I agree with LatteLady.

The PTA is a separate organisation and while its constitution must be for the benefit of the school, the school should not be telling them how to operate. Having said that, the school may make requests and even decline an amount of money/resources if they feel that it is not in the best interests of the school. E.g. if the PTA wants to spend £5000 on a new set of football goals and the HT feels the existing ones meet need, but would really value £5000 for some other resource. The HT can go back to the PTA and decline the offer of football goals and say 'but this would be really useful. The PTA then considers and responds.

Lesson obs are not a necessary to determine school standards. You have the evidence of the HT/SLT Performance Management reviews and Lesson Observations. That should be good enough. If you don't trust the judgement of your HT then that is something that needs to be addressed through their own Performance Management, but you are not there to take an operational role.

Lesson ops.
Maybe it is different according to different LEAs. Or interpretation of their suggestions?

Am wondering here if people are getting confused with the Board of Governors and the PTA?