We are looking for a new Co-opted Governor to join our friendly and supportive Governing Board.
Governors play an important role in helping the school provide the very best education and opportunities for our children. We are particularly keen to hear from parents who are passionate about education and want to make a positive difference in our school community.
What is a Co-opted Governor?
In simple terms, a Co-opted Governor is someone who is appointed by the Governing Board because they can bring useful skills, experience or perspectives to support the school.
Although some governors are elected by parents, co-opted governors are selected by the Governing Board to help strengthen the range of knowledge and expertise available to the school. Many co-opted governors are parents, but they can also be members of the wider community.
You do not need to be an education expert or have previous governor experience. What matters most is that you are willing to:
- Support the school's vision and values.
- Ask thoughtful questions.
- Work collaboratively with others.
- Help ensure the best possible outcomes for all children.
What do governors do?
Governors work with school leaders to:
- Set the school's strategic direction.
- Support and challenge leaders to drive continuous improvement.
- Monitor educational standards and pupil outcomes.
- Oversee finances and ensure resources are used effectively.
- Promote the wellbeing, safeguarding and safety of pupils and staff.
Governors are not involved in the day-to-day management of the school – that is the responsibility of the Headteacher and staff team.
Time Commitment
The role is voluntary and typically involves:
- Attending around 6–8 governing board meetings each year, held as a mix of morning and evening meetings, with each meeting lasting approximately 1½ hours.
- Reading meeting papers in advance to help you prepare for discussions and decision-making.
- Undertaking at least one visit to the school during the school day each year. This is an important part of the governor role, helping you to gain a good understanding of how the school operates in practice. These visits provide valuable first-hand insight and enable governors to seek assurance, ask informed questions and effectively support and challenge school leaders.
Training and support are provided throughout, and no previous governance experience is required.
Interested?
If you would like to contribute to the continued success of our school and make a difference to the lives of local children, we would love to hear from you. Please contact the school office or the Chair of Governors for an informal conversation and further information about the role.
Help us make our great school even better – could you be our next Co-opted Governor?