School governors needed across Greater Manchester
This grid shows when you can volunteer for this organisation. E.G Monday morning.
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Governors volunteer at board level to set the strategic vision for their school. This involves constructively challenging current processes, using your unique skills to support senior leaders, and overseeing school finances. You’ll be involved in areas such as monitoring, budget management, and data analysis. As well as putting your expertise to good use, you’ll have the opportunity to develop your professional skills. Ultimately, you’ll work towards facilitating the delivery of a broad and exciting curriculum and oversee wellbeing and inclusion initiatives. Governance represents a fantastic opportunity to develop yourself while making a real impact on the education of children and young people.
Governors work collaboratively with the headteacher and other members of the board, including parents and school staff. In most schools, full board meetings are held termly, as are committee meetings. Many governors will sit on a committee linked to their expertise or interests, such as teaching and learning or finance and resources. In addition to attending meetings, governors will need to read the papers in advance, complete training courses, and occasionally visit their school.
Governors usually support schools for a period of four years and with an estimated time commitment of 7 hours per month. During these hours, you will attend meetings, read papers, attend training sessions, and make occasional visits to school.
Who can be a governor?
The most important part of being a governor is the ability to ask questions, provide support and have the best interests of the school at heart. You don't have to be a parent or have experience in education to become a governor. Schools seek a wide range of skills to support the board, including finance, HR, and data analysis.
Boards also need governors with a diversity of backgrounds and lived experiences to ensure a range of perspectives are considered during board meetings.
Schools welcome professional experience, as well as community insight and experience of working collaboratively.
Governors for Schools isn’t just a matching service. We want to help you thrive in your role through bespoke and ongoing support. We provide eLearning and monthly webinars covering a variety of topics to increase your knowledge of the education sector and governance. You’ll also have access to The Key for School Governors, an information hub designed to show new governors the ropes and offer a useful point of reference for existing governors.
No formal qualifications are required, however and interest in education is important. You'll need to be able to read meeting papers in advance of meetings and actively contribute to meetings, providing support and challenge.
You don't have to be a parent or to have worked in education as a range of skills are needed, including finance, HR, marketing, data analysis, legal, safeguarding, leadership and strategic planning.