School Governors

[Tw1nkle]

Hi, I've recently become a school parent governor at my daughters school.
It has been suggested that I spend a lot of time in the school.....at least a day a week, and also, all the 'committee' meetings are in the day too.
I work 5 days a week, so will find this difficult!
Is this normal?
Any advice appreciated!
I'm happy to help in the school when I can, and attend evening meetings.

I was told it would be an hour a term! Fat chance! We meet 4.30-6.30 once a term. Committee s meet as and when at the same time. Some of us work,some don't so we always pick a time most people can make it. Were probably invited into school once every half term for an event. It was the training which was the killer,trying to find childcare.

Thanks everyone!

The termly meetings are in the evening.
The Committee meetings are all in the day, but that might change I suppose if no-one is able to attend!

The things the governors do each week in the school are: Help at Forest School, do 'Book Bags', sort 'Activity Bags', do extra reading with some children, one even does the talks on Sex-Ed and drugs. I see all these things as being what any parent could volunteer to help with.

The things you list happening in the day have nothing to do with being a governor. school need to seperate the roles and open the listening to reading etc up to any parent, and let the governors concentrate on strategic matters.

Agree with bakingtins. The school have the governors acting as parent helpers, which is absolutely not what you should be doing.

Our school has evening meetings for the GB and all committees because most members work during the day. If there was a day a week commitment we wouldn't be able to attract the necessary skills mix which Ofsted and DfE are looking for.

Good luck with changing things!

The things you mention op is parent volunteer stuff. Of course a governor can be a parent volunteer if they want, but it is a separate role to being a governor and is a choice you make to do or not as a parent, not as a governor.

Sounds like they're trying to use governors as cheap TAs. As bakingtins says, none of those activities have anything to do with being a governor. You are basically there to be a critical friend. Yes, it's worth getting to know a bit about how the school functions, but the best way to do that is having the occasional (e.g. once or twice a year) morning or afternoon in school which should include observing classes and talking to teachers.

At our school we used to have committee meetings at 4.30. After a number of governors complained that was changed to 6 p.m. for one of them.

I think few schools make it clear to prospective governors when meetings are held. Neither are they up front about the time needed either! Many governors work and it is a reasonable assumption that meetings are in the evening. In many schools, no-one could attend day time meetings, including the teacher/staff governors! I would see what committees you would be best suited to OP and see if they can hold some evening meetings. Otherwise, you will not actually be involved very much. Governing bodies should be open to all and just because a school has had maybe retired folk who are available during the day, there cannot be an assumption this will continue.

Also there should be a proper timetable for appropriate visits for school governors. These should be agreed in advance, have an agreed focus and should inform you and the other governors about an aspect of the school's work. Ideally visits should be tied in with any improvement plan the school has. Just helping out is not what a school visit is all about. None of the visits you mention fit the normal criteria. May I suggest you urgently go on the New Governor Training you will be offered as this will help you in your new role. Good luck!

I may be repeating but ...

... suggested that I spend a lot of time in the school.....at least a day a week ...
Eh? As a Governor? Why??

I'm happy to help in the school when I can, ...
A Governors job is NOT help in the school

I see all these things as being what any parent could volunteer to help with.
Absolutely right.

Governors do not participate in the running of the school; they are there to take an overview and see that it delivers.

A few notes ...

Being a Governor varies slightly from school to school. The main thing is ‘time and commitment’. You should think of the Governor meetings as meetings that you must attend and arrange your social/work life around them. You should attend the training sessions that your Local Authority provides.

School Governors are the biggest volunteer organisation in the UK. We estimate that it takes up about 35hrs per year although, of course, it depends on how involved you want to be.

Governors deal with Budgets, Policies, Targets and things which are 'a step away' from the 'day to day' running of the school.
Any question like 'My child doesn't ... isn't ... can't ...' is not for a Governors meeting.

School Governors do not run the school; they are there to take an overview and see that it delivers.

In all types of schools, governing bodies should have a strong focus on three core strategic functions:
a. Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
b. Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils; and
c. Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.

Sometimes one can get involved with sacking/redundancies and discipline matters.

Some useful sites: UK Governors Forum and Governor Line and Being a School Governor and Governors for Schools

I enjoy it and I've learnt a lot. I like being involved with the school and making a contribution - watching and learning how others deal with and solve problems. I have gained in self confidence and speaking up in meetings.

I’m sure you can Google ‘being a school governor’ yourself but:-

The Role of a School Governor

1 To Provide a Strategic View
2 To Act as a “Critical Friend”
3 To Ensure Accountability

Good Luck

DanFmDorking. I think your section on "sometimes you can get involved with..." is a remarkable understatement! I can think of a huge variety of important issues that governors are sometimes involved with, and indeed, have responsibility for.

Any new governor must do the training to gain an overview of what your role and responsibility is and then seeing what committees you feel comfortable joining. For example, you might be best placed to be the SEN governor, be involved in performance management or be someone interested in finance. Whatever you do, it is vital you understand what is expected of you, legally. Governors have a very important role and Ofsted do report on their quality. It is absolutely vital for Governors to know exactly what the school does well and where it needs to improve and how it is going to do it. I am not so keen on the phrase "Critical Friend". It has been around for many years but I think Governors are there to challenge the leadership of the school to do better. This does not mean they have to be critical or friendly. They need robust information and data in order to challenge appropriately. A lot of the things mentioned by the OP have nothing to do with the role of a Governor, only the role of a friend.