Why be a Governor at Selston High School?
Selston High needs you! We have a very good local governing body made up entirely of volunteers and we are now looking for some more governors to join us. I hope you will consider standing for election, especially if you feel you can bring the voice and view of a parent to the governing body. We are very keen that the governors have fair representation from different groups in our school and the wider community. You may have never considered doing something like this before but please do. If you want to speak with me or a governor in more detail about what is involved please contact school. Governors are the largest volunteer force in the country, if you are thinking of becoming a parent governor, you’ll be in good company, but you will need to know what’s involved.
What do people get out of the role?
Becoming a governor is one way of establishing and maintaining links with Selston High and the wider education sector. You do not need to be an educator in order to be an effective governor. As a governor you are serving a community. At Selston High this will be the school community but reaches into the parish and wider into helping the local area. Primarily it will be serving the pupils, parents and staff of the school. As a governor you can get to understand the school and bring a fresh perspective to the meetings. Selston High governors support and challenge the leadership of the school by helping them, by asking questions and by solving problems as a team. Governors coming from different backgrounds strengthen that commitment and every person brings a different skill set. These are beneficial in helping the school look at new ideas and new developments and think through what is best for the school. Part of the job is to monitor the performance of the school and ensure that the pupils are being afforded the best opportunities to fulfil their potential, within the resources available. Governors can provide an objective viewpoint to help in setting the direction of the school to maintain Selston High as a great school. One that the pupils and staff deserve and parents desire. Like in other sectors, good governance will lead to good decision making which will result in good overall performance.
You might learn new skills such as how to consider data, how to interview and appoint senior staff, how to conduct meetings and lead a team and get the best out of each member of the team. The skills you bring from your day job or family position will be very useful on the governing body and you may find that the skills you develop will be useful outside of school. You won’t be on your own, there are always teams of governors and it is a great opportunity to work with other committed people. It will be an enjoyable and rewarding commitment.
What is involved in becoming a governor?
It may be a voluntary post but it does demand time and work from people who are passionate about Selston High in particular and education in general and is about giving the young people in our school the best possible opportunities in life. There are 4 full meetings each year from 5pm until 7pm and we also have 2 Challenge Days per year, where we ask governors to become a link governor to an area of personal interest, e.g. Safeguarding, Careers, Health and Safety etc. There will be papers to read and digest and visits too. During the pandemic we have been having virtual meetings and we plan to continue with hybrid meetings to make it easier for Governors to attend. You will also get help, a full induction and training from the Trust when you join and then other courses as and when needed. This does include Child protection and Safeguarding training. All of this will help you understand your duties and how to perform those duties. You will also receive membership to the National Governors Association website where you can access training and a wealth of up to date information.
Most employers understand commitment to governing schools and will be willing to release you on some occasions to come into school. So please think about joining our Selston High LGB Local Governing Body – we need you!
Gill Haslam, Chair of Governors
Why Be A Governor At Selston High School
Appendix 5 Model Governor Role Description
Appendix 4 TTCT Vision Aims And Values
Appendix 3 Qualifications And Disqualifications
