School Governor question.

[figleaf]

If anyone is a school governor or Clerk perhaps they can answer this.

Who gets to say who goes on what ctte ? I have been a governor for 2 years and our GB has only 1 ctte that seems to do everything (staff,cash,buildings etc). Its officially called the finance ctte.

I asked the head if I could be on it and she said shed think about it. Months later I had no answer so I wrote to the chair and asked him and he wrote back and said hed keep my request in mind for reconstitution.

At the recent final meeting of the GB a date was set for the 1st one next academic year, no mention of ctte membership.

As the finance ctte always meets before the full GB I thought I should ring the chair and ask again about joining the ctte. He said that I could join it and that he`d write to me by way of a confirmation.

A week later no letter had arrived so I popped into the office today and asked the school secretary (also clerk to GB) if one was on its way. She said no and that the Chair has to ask all the other governors before I can be on the ctte. When I said the chair had already said yes to me she said well we`ll have to see what happens next term.

What should I do?
Truly I`m not pushy I just have spare time and want to get involved in school life. I feel sad and cross now.

Figleaf

DH is a governor at DS primary school

He is on cirriculum committee {he is a teacher at senior school} which meets loads of times.

Also another committee {can't remember the name atm - it doesn't meet really}

The committees are descided by interests or jobs etc. I think.

I will ask him more details when AI talk to him later on.

That sounds very odd, figleaf.

On our GB (I am a parent governor) people just volunteer for the various committees if a vacancy arises. This is how I - who still add up on my fingers - ended up as numeracy governor! I know that some committees have to have certain people on them ex officio, but otherwise it should be open to all.

Sorry, but I don't know what you should do now, other than perhaps contact the Chair again.

I did have a slightly similar thing at my school, when I asked if I could go in and watch some Numeracy Hours (I could probably do with it!) so that I felt 'informed' as numeracy governor. I was put off politely by the Head, as the kids were in the throes of SATS tests (it's an infant school, and I don't want to disturb my dd by going in to her class, so there were limited possibilities for me to attend). That was several months ago, but I haven't heard back from the head, and I don't like to ask again in case I look excessively pushy.

We had 3 committes IIRC - finance, curriculum and something else I've forgotten! - and everybody was on one of them. This was for a 300-pupil primary.

I thought about ringing the chair again but somehow feel like I`m being a pest. I was led to believe by a mum at my youngests playschool (who is clerk to a GB) that if you want to be on a ctte you're in. Both of your experence seems to back this up.

Im and ex senior school teacher and Im the LEA governor at this school (my sons primary).

I know everyone cant be on every ctte and all that but it leads me to believe that they dont want me for some reason.

DH goes into school at least once a year to observe science and sport {his subjects}all the way though the school {nursery, infant and junior} The children love him going in the younger ones all want to show him their work etc.

IMHO I would ask to go in again at start of october after they are all settled into their classes but before christmas stuff starts getting done

Figleaf try bringing it up at next meeting then it can be put into public then everyone will hear your request. And it can't be ignored.

good luck

When I say everybody was on one of them, I mean the govs were divided among them, not that they were all on one and none on the other 2 (just realised it sounded funny the way I put it )

I still have some bumf and just checked our committees:

Curriculum & Development
Staffing & Admissions
Finance & Buildings

I was on curriculum.

we have a rejig evry so often
tisnt it in your terms of refernce?

we have personnel ( me)
finance
and learningg and teaching

Also, looking more closely, the parent govs were all on different committees and so were the LEA govs - I think this was our Head Dividing and Ruling!

Your LEA will have a Governors' Support section, won't it? Could you ring them and ask what the normal procedure is - or if there is one - only having one committee and not having everybody on it sounds very selective and a bit dodgy. Not surprised you're fed up, figleaf. Maybe they are defensive because of your education background?

Think you could have a point Janh. I will dig out the Gov development office and ask.

Ellbell, I started out as SN Gov, went on a course and then very enthusiastically approached the SENCO (Head of Infants) who politely told me my input was not needed!

I found the whole Parent Gov thing a big disappointment in terms of what I'd hoped to contribute, actually - I didn't know what they were talking about more than half the time - so much jargon. And the Head and Chair were terribly cosy - 2 different Chairs.

We had enormous unhappiness among parents and staff about the Head's attitude and behaviour and I tried to explain to the Chair, shortly before an Ofsted, and he behaved as if I was making it up because I didn't like the Head - because of course she was always polite and nice and sucked up to him! When the Ofsted inspectors revealed to him, off the record (because reports have to be worded so circumspectly) how unhappy everybody was, he didn't even have the grace to apologise to me.

figleaf that does sound odd.
We have several committees, most people are on one or more.
I am on premises, there is also pay and personnel, finance and appeals.
I think we decide at the start of the yr who wants to be on what but basically it?s anyone who?s interested.

figleaf, surely if there's only one committee you shouldn't have to ask to be on it. I would just turn up to the next committee meeting.

from Governornet website

I am a parent governor at a junior school of over 300 pupils, we have 3 committees and each governor sits on 2. I'm on Finance (as chair) and curriculum.

Ellbell - ask at your next full governors meeting what the procedure is for curriculum visits.

Just contacted the gov devel office who said similar to all of you ie it should be decided each year who is on what cttee and that interested governors usually get on to a cttee where their interest lies. (the last 2 years of being a governor this hasn`t happened).

As this ctte will meet before the first meeting of the full GB the lady suggested that I ring him again (now or in September) and remind him of his agreement to my membership and check he is expecting me at the meeting. She says an alternative approach would be to just turn up at the meeting. She threw in that the worst that could happen is for me to be turned away - I`d just die though!!

Figleaf do yolu know any of the others that are on the cmmtte?

The head the dep head (staff rep) the chair of full GB, a Health and safety guy (but he frequently fails to attend and appologies always accepted) and a Foundation governor who I have never heard speak in 2 years.

Figleaf - I am a P/Gov but not for much longer.

I am 'premises' and 'curriculum' but there is another committee 'finance' at our school (SN). We decide on the committees annually and allocate who wants to be on them. The chair asks people to go on them and more often than not it's OK.

The reason why I am resigning (this next week) is that there has been an overspend at school which happened between the last permanent head (who retired) and the new permanent head (in the year between appointments we had a caretaker head - long story, more to it but I'll keep it brief for now).

Ofsted (April) picked it up and gave governors a '7' which means very poor because we hadn't monitored the situation and 'asked questions'. When I pointed out to the chief inspector that I wasn't an accountant by trade, he replied that I along with my colleagues were ultimately responsible as the GB. My grievance is most of the GB do it for free, whereas the LEA (who are also fobbing the responsibility on to us) and SMT (senior management team of the school) are paid good money to be entrusted with these things.

The point I'm making is you're not being pushy. you're being 'accountable, effective and a critical friend' which are the official elements of being a governor (according to the Dfes). Ask all you can (and collect evidence). Because if Ofsted find irregularities, you've covered your back. Ask for training and contact the LEA if necessary. You are in a very responsible position.

A sad end to your good intentions dottee.

I'm pretty sure on our Govs, any of the governors can turn up to any of the meetings although the committees get sorted out at the begining of each year.
Also, figleaf, it's not down to the Head who goes on the Cttees. Y0u defiitely need to bring this up at your next Full Board - let me know how you do - I feel a bit the same as you on our Govs about diferent things - sometimes I feel like everyone else knows stuff and they haven't bothered to tell me!

Will update as I get info. Got to leave to get DS1 from school (via quick shop trip - milk!). Thanks for advice so far.

So basically, the Head, Deputy Head and Chair are running the whole outfit. GBs are supposed to exist to stop this happening, aren't they?

Our staffing committee was chaired by a local businessman and our finance committee by an accountant.

That is what I feel Janh and I suspect they think I`d rock the boat.

our terms fo ref say thet personnel cttee has to be governor heavy ( rather than teacher governor)

For anyone who remembers this thread from before the summer hols I got the agenda for the first GB meeting of this year. The finance ctte will meet for the hour before the full GB. I have not been asked to it so don`t know what to do next.

For the first time the reconstituting (sp?)of cttees is an agenda item so I guess I could say I wanted "in" then. Im also confused because if we are reconstituting why are they having a meeting before that. To my mind it could mean that the head is aware of my interest but perhaps isnt keen. Perhaps my interest will be discussed at the meeting and they don`t want me there to hear.