What does being a Parent Governor involve?

[ChanelNo5]

A vacancy has arisen for a Parent Governor at ds's school, and although I know I wouldn't have a chance of getting it, I do have the crazy notion to go for it. However, I don't really know what it involves in terms of what you are expected to do, to know, and how much time it would take up. Also, how would it affect your relationship with the teachers (and indeed other parents) at the school? If anyone has any experience or advice, I would love to hear from you - Thanks!

Chanelno5,I think you'd make a great parent govenor! I have no experience, so cannot give you the low down. I think a previous message thread was started on this topic. I know there are at least one or two parent govenors out there - catch Copper if you can! Can't remember who else.

Thanks Tigermoth, I'll have to get you to second me if I do decide to go for it LOL! Hopefully one of the Mumsnet parent govs will see my message and give me the lowdown before I commit myself.

I'm not actually a parent governor, just PTA secretary but I do know lots of people who are (3 current. I've considered it myself and decided I didnt't have enough time. It can be quite a commitment, and I think you'd need to make sure your family is behind you. The friend who is chair of the governors has to do a lot, and her husband resents it, which makes life difficult. But that the chair - I think you get put on sub-committees which meet quarterly, deal with appoitments, complaints etc, and have to be ultra-discreet which some people have found difficult (though thay have stuck to it). Generally, I think they all tend to have a very good relationship withteh staff. However, I did have an old friend who was very dismissive of the staff at her school, and felt that everything would be better done her way - she stood for several vacancies and somehow there was always a parent who got in ahead of her. I think its probably a valuable experience and worthwhile - and much easier if you do basically approve of the school.

My husband is a parent governor at my daughter's school. There is a big committment involved as there seem to be lot of meetings and committees to attend.As a teacher himself I think that it is a bit like "coals to Newcastle" but I persuaded him that he needed contact with school aswell as me! I do feel guilty when he has long days at school and then has to go on to be a governor but I felt we needed to show our support and this is a great way of doing so.It does make me smile as I do feel that my child's teacher is very attentive when I
go in and speak to her, maybe this has nothing to do with dad being a governor but it feels a bit like that.You do need support from the rest of the family but I think that you will enjoy it especially becoming involved and trying to make a "difference".Good Luck anyway with whatever you decide to do.

Thanks for your replies. Unfortunately a totally unforseen problem has arisen so (unless a miracle happens!!) I won't be going for the positon of parent gov, not at this school anyway.

ChanelNo5, how are you? Hope things are OK.

Oh Tigermoth where do I begin. To cut a long story short, last Friday I got a letter from ds's school informing me that they couldn't offer dd a place for this Sept as massively over-subscribed. Because I had taken it for granted that she would get one, I hadn't put her name down at any other schools (and they had offered all of their places too!) So this week, dh and me have been frantically phoning and emailing, visiting schools, reading OFSTEDs, searching the net for SATS results and the list goes on................. Things are rather more complicated than I can explain here without totally boring you to tears, but if you go to the Mumsnet meet-up I'll fill you in on all the gory details. Anyway, after lots of sleepless nights (and bottles of wine!) we've finally come to a decision, looks like ds is on the move again! Things should be more definite next week (I hope!) so I'll let you know how we get on - Thanks for asking BTW

Oh Chanel No5, that is awful. I am really sorry. I hope you manage to get something sorted QUICKLY.

Chanelno5, what a nightmare! Hope you reach a satisfactory resolution soon, Winnie x

Sorry to hear this Chanelno5. Whatever you decide to do, and however many feelers you are putting out for other schools, don't give up hope with he oversubscribed one.

Two of three schools my sone has attended were oversubscribed and the initial answer was 'no place'. With your ds at the school already, you must be near the top of the waiting list.

It really is worth putting your dd on the waitiing list and phoning up every few weeks to see what's happeining. IME, many parents will be on more than one school list. There are always drop outs at the last minute, as parents hedge their bets, and don't rush to inform the school they are sending their child elsewhere.

Hope you can make the meetup. We can talk schools ad infinitum - even if it bores everyone else silly!

Thanks for all your concern and support, I'm really touched. Will give you an update later as the kids are running amok, so I'm going to stick them in the bath and attempt to get them into bed early(ish)!

Sorry to have taken so long to get back. Things are really complicated to explain here without me droning on and on, so to cut a long story short, have accepted a Sept 2002 reception place for dd at the school attached to her pre-school group and am transfering ds over to start after Easter. Sounds really rash I know, but dh and me thought things over really carefully last week (considered all available options and all possible outcomes) and decided the situation was only going to get worse as lots and lots of building going on in the area, so massive demand for places. Our LEA's admission criteria rate any children (with or without siblings at the school) in the catchment area as a higher priority than those out of catchment with siblings at the school (us!!) It is our nearest school (less than 1 mile away) but we're still not in the catchment area. Funny thing is, talking to the Head yesterday (to tell her I would be transferring ds), she dropped big hints that dd would be offered a place, but dh and me had already considered this possibility and decided that by the time youngest ds would be due to start school (2004) there would be absolutely no chance of getting him in and then we would have to move 2 kids. The new school we are sending them to has just had loads of money spent on it and is lovely inside, has a really happy feel to it, and the Head was very nice. I feel that deep-down we're doing the best thing for all 3 kids, but I do feel sorry for ds having to leave his friends behind. Will let you know how we get on. Thanks everyone!

So, you fall foul of the catchment area rulings, Chanelno5. How annoying. It's mad that you could send two chldren to the same school and still not get a place for your third. Just out of curiosity, have any other families had to contend with this? Do you know of any younger siblings with two older siblings at the school who have not got a place? I just wonder how far the school will take this judgement.

But I agree, on paper it looks pessimistic for you, and you don't want to go through this again with your youngest ds. It sounds like the new school is great, anyway. I hope your oldest son settles in OK. If I remember, he's 5 or 6? My son moved schools around that age,(the move before his most recent move). He found his new classmates were very welcoming and he settled in within two weeks. And of course, your oldest son will not be alone, because your daughter will be starting school too. I'm sure that will help lots.

Thanks Tigermoth! Eldest ds is 5 (you've got a good memory) Took him to see his new school yesterday and I think he liked it, they never tell you much at the best of times, do they? Bought his new school sweatshirts today for when he starts after Easter. Dd is at the pre-school right next-door, so they will share the same loos and will bump in to each other from time to time (don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing!!) Really think we're doing the right thing, but's it's such a big change in youur life, does make your feel a bit nervous. Glad to hear you ds has settled in to his new school well. Will let you know how mine gets on!

To answer your other questions, yes, alot of other families were in the same position as us, but while some schools still have places, they (WLEA) won't even think about changing catchment areas. I think most people are looking at other schools as they know this problem is only going to get worse.

It sounds like you're happy with your decision, Chanelno5. By virtue of your dd attending the nursery, the school is not unknown to you. That must help a lot. To ease the way for your son, you could take him to a few of their fun events, like summer fetes, etc. If you're lucky enough to know the parents of any of his future classmates via the nursery, perhaps you could introduce your son to them.

I'm sure it will work out fine. Keep me posted!

Hi Tigermoth - Just thought I would let you know how ds is getting on at his new school (even though he's only had 2 days there so far!) He seems to be happy, making friends etc and I've been very impressed by what I've seen of the school/teachers so far. Will tell you more at the May meet-up. Glad to hear your ds is doing well.

Glad all is going well so far, chanelno5. Your son's term starts early - my ds is not back till monday. Yes, looking forward to talking schools with you and Batters in May