Confidential information but....

[Basilplant]

I've name changed for this.

I have been listening to a friend agonise about the best secondary school for her son who has particular needs. I have been encouraging her to apply to the school one of my children goes to, which really is a "best fit" for her child. I am a governor of the school. Last night we were told something at a governor's meeting which will significantly change the school, and which will mean that it will no longer have the particular elements which would support my friend's child. I obviously can't tell her- but wtf do I do? Bugger. Help.

Parent, not patent.

Maybe suggest to her specific questions she could ask relating to the kind of support she will be expecting to be provided for her son when she applies.

The answers will hopefully show her that the school is no longer suitable.

What lougle said.

You take on responsibilities as a governor. If you can't act accordingly, you shouldn't be a governor.

You take on responsibility as a governor, sure, but it isn't the official secrets acts!!!! and I'm sure you could tell her what she needs to know without telling her anything you don't want her to know.

Really, making a mountain out of a molehill, you are only a governor. Is that more important to you than messing up a child's education, as you seem to think it would?

You undertake to keep the matters brought before you confidential. It's as simple as that.

I agree with Tabby, that the OP could suggest general areas that the friend could explore with each school she visits to compare, in the hope that this matter may arise, but that's as far as she should go.

I'm a governor at two schools with a similar remit. I don't discuss one school with the other.

? That makes no sense, Lougle, what about sharing good practice and all that, which is the whole point of having links between schools.

you are only a governor

Lugga - just what do you think a school governor does? It's not a club. It's not- or it shouldn't be - a boost to your CV. And it's not - or at least it shouldn't be - a nosey inside track on your child's school.

This is the group of people who make decisions about the school's future. This is a group of people who are responsible for the school's finance. This is a group of people who have agreed to standard set of behaviour.

Governors who want the power over their immediate environment without accepting the responsibilities that go with that, should not be governors.

I know perfectly well what a governor is, I'm in my second term at my second school. I just think the OP is seriously over thinking the situation.

The references to published minutes are a bit of a red herring - they're never published (or at least they shouldn't be) until they have been approved, which wouldn't be until the next meeting - so at least a half term away. Until then, they're not in the public domain. Presumably that's too long for the OP's friend.

Luggage yes, and we can discuss good ideas, but it's not appropriate, for instance, to be sat in a meeting at one school where they are struggling with an issue and say 'ooh yes x school is having real trouble....'

Good practice links can go on between schools, but governors have a strategic role, not an operational one.

I could say 'when x school are considering this sort of issue they set up a working party to explore it.' I couldn't say 'x school chose to do this in the end but these were the problems...' because it's not my place and it's confidential.

Luggage yes, and we can discuss good ideas, but it's not appropriate, for instance, to be sat in a meeting at one school where they are struggling with an issue and say 'ooh yes x school is having real trouble....'

Good practice links can go on between schools, but governors have a strategic role, not an operational one.

I could say 'when x school are considering this sort of issue they set up a working party to explore it.' I couldn't say 'x school chose to do this in the end but these were the problems...' because it's not my place and it's confidential.

The minutes are obviously published. However, anything which is considered confidential is not put in the published minutes. And this was.

I do find the suggestion that taking my responsibility as a governor seriously is "over thinking" it rather strange. However, I consider over thinking preferable to under thinking- so I will take it as a compliment even though I am am well aware that it was not meant as one.

I still think you would not be breaking confidentiality if you said Schools change, please go and look at other schools too. If your friend has any sense she will know you are dropping a hint, but you haven't told her anything.

and again, I would say that the governors need to decide if they release this info before people do their oct forms. Pretty poor attitude to parents if they don't.

You know you cannot tell her.

You can encourage her to look at other schools, and maybe give a general 'school is going downhill' but no reference to meetings or changes.