Today is National School Governors' Awareness Day. Bracknell Forest Council is encouraging residents to find out more about the role and how it can make a huge difference to the school lives of local children and young people.
Governors are volunteers who work closely with the headteacher and other members of school staff. They make sure schools are performing to a high standard and as efficiently as possible. A school governor may get involved in:
- headteacher performance management and recruitment
- analysis of performance data
- approval of policies
- admissions (not all schools)
- school improvement matters such as the quality of teaching and raising attainment
- making sure that the needs of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) are met
Governors can be parents of children at the school, or people from the local community and businesses. They can be of any age or background, and bring with them a range of useful skills and experiences.
Cllr Dr Gareth Barnard, Executive Member for Children, Young People and Learning, said:
“Being a school governor is such a rewarding role and one I have proudly done for 25 years.
“It’s a chance to make a real contribution to your local community as well as improving school life for the local children.
“Free advice and support is available throughout the time you serve, don’t worry if you don’t know everything at the start, but be prepared to dedicate some of your spare time to building up your knowledge and attending governing body meetings.
“This National School Governors' Awareness Day, I’d like to thank all our school governors who are currently in post for the vital work they do.”
Any individual over 18 can make an application to become a school governor. If you are interested in becoming a school governor, fill in the governor registration form or visit the school governors page for more information.
