What governors do

You have to put some time in. The exact amount of time depends on the particular circumstances of your school. It needn't be daunting and it can be an interesting and rewarding experience.

Working for the best interests of the children, the school and the wider community

Governors work as a team, in the best interests of the children and the school, to raise educational standards. More specifically, they

• Appoint the headteacher, who has day to day responsibility for everything that happens in a school and is accountable to them
• Agree how the school's money is allocated
• Agree policies about the way the governing body and the school work
• Ensure new initiatives and guidelines from the Department for Education and the education authority are put in place

Community involvement

More widely, schools are increasingly becoming a focal point in the community they serve. Some open their sports facilities to the community while others offer education and life improving chances for adults. So you could influence community involvement with your school.

Accountability

A governing body is not a supporters club. Governors are not there to 'rubber stamp' decisions. You have to be prepared to give and take and be loyal to decisions taken by the governing body. You may become involved in confidential matters and must respect that confidentiality.

How governors report to the parents

The governors of each school report to the parents through the school profile which is initiated in a standard national format by the Department for Education each year. You would normally find it on the school's website. Other ways of reporting to parents are influenced by the governors and vary from one school to another. Please contact the headteacher if you would like to know more.

School inspections

When a school is inspected by the Office of Standards in Education (Ofsted), the effectiveness of the school and its governors is taken into account.

Meetings and time as a governor

The full governing body usually meets at least once a term and to be effective and remain a governor, you attend.

Committee meetings

Most of the governors' work is done in committee meetings when financial, staffing, curriculum and premises issues are discussed in detail. You would be expected to join one or two of the main committees and they would also meet at least once a term. They may meet more often if, for example, there is a lot of building work going on. And there are other occasional committee meetings that you might be asked to join, from time to time.

Time in post

Governors are usually in post for four years and may serve for longer. If you need to give up because your circumstances change, the governors may be sorry to lose you, but will understand.