Why Steph is a school governor

Why I choose to volunteer

It goes without saying that I chose to volunteer as a governor because I care about positive outcomes for the children in our community. However for me, it was also about personal development.

I initially volunteered as a staff governor at the school I worked at. I knew I wanted a career in education and being a governor gave me an invaluable opportunity to understand how a school works from the inside out. I am now co-chair of my board which enables me to develop my strategic and leadership abilities.

What I like about being a volunteer

Mostly really good fun! The governors I have met, both on my board and outside of it, are amazing people with similar outlooks to mine, and so very welcoming and friendly.

The children are by far the best part, going in to visit them in school and listening to them is so rewarding.

What the role involves

As a governor I attend board and committee meetings roughly once a term. I also try to visit whenever I am needed for my link governor role. There is quite a lot of reading involved, as well as asking relevant questions about the subject you are discussing. Our board also tries to be really visible in the school so I attend school events where I can.

As a co-chair I work closely with the headteacher to fully understand what's going on in the school. I also share the chairing of meetings, organisation and administration of the board and work on governor recruitment.

Steph, School governor