The Local Governing Body for East Brent C of E Academy currently has a vacancy for a parent/governor.

Parent Governor

This is a parent or carer of a pupil attending the school who is elected by the parents/carers of that school to give a parental perspective in discussions and decisions.  In addition, it would be expected that Parent Governors bring a range of skills that will help them to contribute effectively to the work of the Local Governing Body.

The procedure for recruiting a Parent Governor is as follows:

• A letter is sent inviting nominations from parents and carers of a pupil attending the school.
• Candidates complete the nomination form and submit a brief (100 word max.) summary, and details of your knowledge and experience in areas that can contribute to effective governance, outlining your suitability for the role, which will be distributed to all parents/carers in the school with the intention of helping parents/carers to make an informed choice when voting
• In the event of there being more than one nomination all parents/carers will be invited to cast a vote in a secret ballot to elect the person in their opinion that is most suitable candidate for the role.

The role of Governor

There are 3 main functions of a governor –

1. 1. Making sure there is clarity in the vision, ethos and the strategic direction of the school;
   2. Holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and the performance management of the staff; and
   3. Making sure that the school spends its money effectively.

The role of a governor will be –

• • A thinking and questioning role not a doing role  - the head and staff are employed to do that.
  • Required to get to know the school by knowing its strengths and weaknesses.
  • Expected to commit to the time required to undertake the role which could equate to up to approximately 20 days per school year.
  • To always act in the best interests of all of the pupils in the school to better their outcomes

The expectations of governors have increased and it is important to understand that, in order to contribute effectively, all governors will be expected to:

• Be committed to upholding the values and ethos of the schools;
• Attend & contribute to meetings of the Local Governing Body (LGB) and any relevant committees (the LGB meets four times a year and governors are expected to sit on one of two committees that each meet at least one per term);
• To visit the school throughout the year in line with the visits schedule linked to driving forward improvements in each of the schools (governors aim to visit school to formally monitor activities once per term);
• Analyse information, make observations and be proactive in seeking ways in which the schools could further enhance outcomes for all pupils;
• Engage in constructive discussions that will involve questioning and challenging points of view;
• Review and agree policies & guidance, ensuring that the school is working effectively within legal frameworks.

The is not an exhaustive list of responsibilities but it does give a flavour of the demands that the Local Governing Body will face.

So why do people do it?

This is a question often asked; here are a few of the reasons:

• No single governor is expected to know everything about education and in relation to schools the law, finance and strategic planning – they are part of a corporate body who have the combined experience, knowledge, skills and commitment to work together to meet these demands effectively,
• It is a great chance to give something back to the school and to take an active role in shaping their future and bettering the outcomes for all the pupils within the school and within the wider school community,
• Governors are privileged to be able to see at first hand the impact of the hard work that they put into the strategic planning of the school.

If you are interested in becoming a parent governor for this school please  collect a nomination form from the School Office and return to the Clerk to the Governors, Lynette Blacklock (via the school office).

The closing date for nominations is 12 noon on Friday 18th October 2019.