School Governor (St Albans) - Volunteer

Do you want to be inspired by the impact of education? Schools across St Albans are looking for skilled volunteers to support education by becoming school governors.

Governors make decisions that affect schools for years to come. Our recent impact survey found that our volunteers bring £9.9 million worth of value to schools each year, and 9/10 volunteers would recommend being a governor to a friend.

As a governor, you can visit the school to gain an understanding of the culture and ethos and to get the most out of the role. You’ll also have the opportunity to meet children, parents, and teachers, and see the impact of your work first‑hand.

You don’t need any specific skills or experience to be a school governor. You must be over 18, but you don’t need to be a parent or have experience working in education. Often, it’s the outside perspective you can bring that a school needs.

Professional experience in areas such as HR, finance, law, or project management are all useful to a school. Soft skills such as leadership, communication, and problem solving are also great additions.

Governing bodies are responsible for the strategic management of a school and will make decisions about a wide range of issues.

• Ensuring accountability
• Acting as a ‘critical friend’ to the Head Teacher
• Monitoring and evaluating the school’s progressBudgetary allocation and control
• Shaping plans for school improvement and overseeing their implementation
• Setting the school’s aims and values
• Appointing senior members of staff including the Head Teacher

The governing body is usually split into a small number of committees, each responsible for one area such as finance or pupil achievement. These committees meet separately from the main governing body to discuss relevant issues in more detail. Discussion is then fed back at a full governing body meeting. A school governing body is made up of representatives from the school, the parents, the local authority, and the local community.