Hi Suecy
I became a parent governor in June this year, so I am still quite new to it.
It has been a bit of a mixed bag for me TBH - I'll try and keep it brief....
No-one at my sons' school wanted to do it - at one point there were 3 vacancies for parent governors and not ONE person applied which is indicative of the schools relationship with parents IMO.
I ended up doing it as one of the TAs who I had worked with when I helped in class asked me to. I would never have volunteered but when I heard no-one else wanted to I was quite shocked.
I'm told some governor things can become a popularity contest when more than one person applies etc, I have no personal experience of that obviously!
Once I was on board I learned that the school had all sorts of problems and if Ofsted came now it would possibly be put into special measures.
None of the parents (ie my friends!) know this at the moment. So bear in mind there will be confidential things you can't discuss. It can be really hard.
I feel at meetings so far, although everyone is 'nice', they don't give a toss about any of my views and I am talked down to and generally patronised. They have a kind of attitude like 'we know what we are doing, and have been doing it for years so shut up and learn from us' - of course I do want to learn from them, but I'm not a complete idiot and when I've rushed in for an 8am meeting en route to work with kids in tow, it would be nice to be listened to!
Saying that I don't want to back out now because a) no-one else will do it and b) at least I am having some input into the school and am in the loop on what's happening.
I just have to be bloody careful what I say after a few wines with the girls!!
Sorry that wasn't brief at all was it 