Kirklees schools urgently need governors – could you help?
Are you interested in supporting and improving children’s education? Would you like to develop your own skills through volunteering? If so, why not consider becoming a school governor?
Governors are needed more than ever in Kirklees to help make sure every school can provide high quality education and support. There are vacant governor positions throughout the borough, so we urge you to consider if you could step up for our local children and young people.
Can you become a school governor?
You don’t need to be a parent or have any formal qualifications to become a governor, but you do need:
- A willingness to listen and to contribute to a team
- Time to commit to a local school
- The desire to improve education in the community
Our local schools are looking for new governor volunteers from a variety of different professional backgrounds; from finance to law, data analysis to IT and HR to premises management. They are also looking for governors to represent the local community in all its diversity.
What role does a governing body/board play?
Governing bodies play an important part in raising school standards:
- Help the school decide what its aims are for the future
- Ensure the school provides a good education
- Help look after the school’s finances
A governor’s job is to support the school and challenge the management team. They also share their professional knowledge and skills.
Meetings are usually in the early evening, last a couple of hours and take place roughly twice a term. Remote and face to face training is available for governors.
How has COVID-19 changed the work governors do?
In normal times, governors would physically visit schools, in order to build relationships with the staff and attend meetings. COVID-19 has meant that governor meetings have largely moved online, through digital meeting software like Zoom or Teams.
Other than this, the work of governors remains the same, although the challenges faced by headteachers to keep schools open and safe means that the support and guidance that governors provide is more needed and appreciated than ever.
How do you apply to be a school governor?
School governors and trustees make a valuable contribution to children’s education, opportunities and futures. You can learn more and apply to become a school governor on the Kirklees Business Solutions website.