School Governors play an important role in any school. Governors set the aims and objectives for the school and set the policies and targets for achieving those aims and objectives. They monitor and evaluate the progress the school is making and act as a source of challenge and support to the headteacher and their management team.
The best governing bodies act as the school’s critical friend, take difficult decisions where necessary and make a major contribution to the leadership of the school and its successes. They ensure that the schools fulfil their duty to their students, their budget and their staff.
For governors to be effective there must be a good working relationship with the school, especially between the principal and the chair of governors, with candour and mutual respect. The chair of governors should be a head’s greatest advocate and so it’s essential to be totally open and frank and kept in the loop about all major events and decisions. A good chair will listen, ask questions, seek answers, offer advice and discuss issues.
Governors volunteer for the right reasons and they have the students at the heart of their thinking and want to give something back to the community. They are knowledgeable, they challenge and support the principals and they act as a sounding board for their thoughts. One important member of the governing body is the staff governor. A staff governor at the school where we work can be beneficial to teachers as they have a first-hand experience and knowledge of what teachers/staff are going through. Staff governors can take part in the full range of roles and responsibilities of the governing board including of matters of staffing and policies which affect staff. As staff governors are effectively holding their line managers to account, the role can be challenging. Find out who your staff governor is. Have they been involved in the process? Have they been included in the decision making? Have important decisions been made in consultation with them? Additionally, staff must voice their worries or concerns to the governors despite the idea that they constitute part of the management team. Governors do not.
It would be great if our governors at WCC conducted focused visits to different departments of the school, talked to the teachers, students and admin staff. We acknowledge the fact that they are busy with their own jobs but they would be most welcome if they managed to see what their own children's teachers are faced with. Some of the governors may be even educationalists and therefore their presence would reassure and encourage the staff to share their views, positive experiences and expertise.