who can tell me about governors?

[wannaBe]

there is at least one place on our board of governors for a parent governor and I have expressed an interest and have a meeting tomorrow with the head to discuss. HAve also met the chair.

so, can anyone tell me what is involved? how much work is it/how much of my time will it take/what is expected etc of a parent governor? And should I go for it?

bump-anyone?

thank you.

The former parent governor resigned at his first meeting as he had no idea what it involved and as far as I'm aware they've had no interest from anyone else wanting to fill the position.

According to what I've read on their website if there is only one applicant for the position then it is automatic and an election doesn't have to take place..

Am already fairly involved with school - parent helper, PTA etc and governors is something I'd thought about before my ds started there.

I was a parent governor. The head only had them because she had to. All we did was cross her t's and dot her i's. You have to do training, they had meetings every half term, sometimes more. I got a roasting because I couldn't attend due to a meeting with my MP. It was pathetic. I resigned after I was overheard saying that I may move my son to a private school. Had such a bollocking. They were all stuck up middle class. I was expected to go to every single event the school had, I'd never do this again. I hope your school's better.

wannabe .. don't do it

being a member of PAF and active in school .. good

being a member of the governing body is bureaucratic and mind-numbing and in our school a meeting a month, incapable of getting things done .. you are NOT a parent representative you are a representative parent .. so you are not allowed to put forward parental concerns as they should be directed to the senior management of the school

why not twig?

ah xposts.

sorry belgian but at our school you are shat on from a great height for daring to 'represent parental views'

yet if you put forward your own view, you're a lone voice / not representative of the parent body

I would like to do it but the whole vote thing scares me. Icouldn't face the rejection! I'm on the PTA for now.

our head is very approachable. She is very visible/always in the playground before/after school/knows every student's name - even spent a morning in reception so she could get to know each child's name etc.

Is very open to suggestions re PTA etc although obviously that's different.

and pre ds I used to work with her dh! .

well do it if you want to

it's only 4 years after all

shivers

It can be bureacratic and mind-numbing and yes, the meetings do go on a bit, but having been a PG for 3 years I would recommend it. I guess a lot depends on the Head and the ethos of the school, but I do feel that I represent the view of the parents reasonably well. A lot depends what you make of it - you can attend the meetings and say very little, or you can decide to be proactive. Governors are "critical friends" - we're not there to be dot the Ts, etc. The current chair of our Board of Govs is another parent governors - and we challenge, we argue, we suggest. I care very much about the school and feel I have a vested interest in the school being successful and the staff being happy - being a PG is part of being involved in that.
Here endeth the sermon.

Hassled I was never one for saying very little .

wannabe, please can you contact me urgently?
olivia at mumsnet dot com

I did a proposal for a 'parent's council' .. based on govt. literature, I summarised it to a couple of \A4 pages (from a big doc) .. also shat on from a great height

ie it didn't get through to governing body .. kaibosh put on it by head and chair

I really don't know why I stick at it tbh .. it'll look good on a cv I suppose

Have also been a PG - finished now at end of 4 years! It's a long time to be involved. Govs didn't like being asked to pay for my childcare while I went to meetings, though it is national policy that every parent should be able to get involved. Having come from a teaching background, I thought I'd make a good voice for the parents; but people with personnel or local industry jobs seem to be more useful. Some govs had also been there for years and years so there was no space for a new voice. I became very disheartened and was glad to finish.