personal statement for parent governor role

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The parent governor role

Find out who can become a parent governor, what's expected and how to govern effectively.

Becoming a parent governor is a rewarding opportunity to give back to your local community and use your skills and experience to ensure that pupils get the best possible education.

This page covers:

• who can be a parent governor
• parent governor responsibilities
• offering a parent’s perspective
• providing effective support and challenge
• managing complaints
• dealing with conflicts of interest

Who can be a parent governor?

All parents and carers of pupils registered at the school can stand for election as a parent governor.

Maintained schools

• Maintained school governing bodies have at least two parent governors who are elected by other parents.
• Parents cannot stand for election as a governor if they are an elected member of the local authority or have been paid to work at the school for more than 500 hours in the last year.

Academy trusts

• Academy trust articles require at least two parent trustees or at least two parent governors on each local academy committee.
• In most cases, multi academy trusts choose to elect parent governors at local academy level (rather than parent trustees), helping to support the local tier’s stakeholder engagement function.
• Eligibility criteria is set out in the trust’s articles of association.

Parent governor responsibilities

The role of a parent governor is no different to any other governor. Governing boards make strategic decisions and work together to:

• develop a vision and strategy for the school
• oversee financial performance and make sure money is well spent
• hold the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school
• engage with pupils, staff, parents and the wider school community to understand their views

Once elected, parent governors should make use of the induction training on offer as this will explain parent governor duties, responsibilities and expectations in detail.

NGA members also have unlimited access to our guidance, tools and resources to support effective governance.

Find out more about becoming a governor and the work of governing boards.

Offering a parent’s perspective

Parent governors offer a parental perspective to issues being discussed; however, they are not expected to represent the parent body or act as a spokesperson.

Bringing a parent’s viewpoint to the board is important but should not be confused with the board’s overall responsibility to engage with parents as a collective. Our parental engagement guidance explains this responsibility and sets out mechanisms for meaningful engagement.

Providing effective support and challenge

Parent governors need to remain impartial, especially when posing challenging questions to school leaders.

For example, if school uniform is discussed at a governing board meeting, parent governors may have opinions based on personal experience but should ensure their questions remain objective.

Rather than stating:

“I’ve spoken to other parents, and we all agree that the uniform policy shouldn’t change”.

A parent governor might instead ask:

“Have parents been consulted on proposed uniform changes?”

“What opportunities are there to minimise the cost of this change to parents?”

While all parents are concerned with their own child's best interests, governors must make strategic decisions that are in the best interests of the whole school community – governing boards work as a team to make collective decisions.

For example, if data indicates that pupil progress is falling behind expectations in a specific year group, it is appropriate to raise this in board meetings.

Ask: " What support is in place to ensure all pupils make good progress?"

Avoid asking: " What are you going to do to support my child to catch up?"

It is important to keep governing board matters confidential. Parent governors should avoid sharing concerns away from the board meeting or discussing with other parents. Instead, it may be helpful to discuss any issues with the governing board’s chair .

Managing complaints

Governors may be approached by parents wishing to raise a complaint. However, it is not the parent governor’s role to attempt to resolve individual issues. Instead, they should direct parents to the school’s complaints procedure and avoid making promises to investigate the issue.

Similarly, if parent governors have concerns relating to their own child, they should use the school communication channels available to all parents and follow the complaints procedure where appropriate. Parent governors should not attempt to bring individual cases to the board.

View our guidance on managing complaints .

Dealing with conflicts of interest

All governors must declare business or personal interests that might affect their ability to make impartial decisions.

Parent governors may need to declare an interest and remove themselves from a meeting where the outcome of a decision could directly affect them or their child – for example, changes to after-school provision that the parent currently uses.

New to school governance?

Find out how to volunteer, get support and find new governors or trustees for your board.

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Ask A Clerk

Advice For School Governors and Clerks

What should I write in a parent governor statement?

If you are applying to be a parent governor or trustee you will be asked to write a short statement saying why you are interested in volunteering and what skills you would bring to the role. If an election is needed this statement will help other parents choose between the candidates.

In many schools volunteers are thin on the ground so the statement may not be vital, as you will be elected unopposed if you are the only volunteer. However, it is still a good idea to show you understand the role of governor/trustee in your statement.

This page provides guidance on what to include in your statement and some parent governor statement examples of 50, 100 and 250 words you can adapt for your circumstances.

Your Connection To the School

Say how old your children are and their current year. If your children have just joined the school you have a reason to want it to succeed for years to come and the same applies if you have more than one child attending.

Mention any other ties you have to the school such as previous volunteer work, helping out in classrooms or on trips, or supporting the PTA; anything that shows your commitment to the school and your reliability as a volunteer.

You could mention how long you have lived in the area and what the school means to you. If it is a church school talk a little about your faith and show you understand the aims of the school in this respect.

Your Understanding of School Governance

All school governors have three main roles.

• To ensure the school has a clear vision, ethos and strategic direction.
• To hold the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school.
• To oversee the budget and finances and make sure money is well spent.

Write about any aspects of governance you could contribute to. Governor responsibilities are wide but include scrutinising budgets, approving policies on all aspects of school life, planning how the school will improve, discussing why some groups of children are not achieving as well as others, making sure children are safe and dealing with staffing issues.

Governors are often described as being a “critical friend” to the school. They are there to support the school and help it improve, but they must also be willing to challenge the headteacher and senior leaders when necessary, ask why the school is struggling in a particular area and what can be done to improve it.

Search for the school’s latest OFSTED report and look for any remarks about governance. Are there any weaknesses of governance you could help to improve? Do you understand the challenges a school might face in terms of catchment area, budget restrictions or high levels of children with special needs?

If you are volunteering at an academy within a multi-academy trust show that you understand whether you will be governing as a trustee on the main governing board or a local governor on a local governing body.

What skills can you bring to the role?

Any of the following skills will be useful on the governing body:

• accounting, budgets and finance experience
• management of buildings
• health and safety
• data analysis
• human resources experience
• interpersonal skills, working in a team
• knowledge of education, the curriculum, special educational needs and safeguarding or child protection
• managing staff and hiring employees
• work where you had to keep things confidential.

You could also write about your commitment to undertake training and show that you understand governors need to attend regular meetings and visit the school.

What Not To Include!

If you mention any of the following items you will show that you do not understand the role of the governing body. Parent governors do not :

• fundraise – this is usually done by a parent teacher association (PTA)
• represent parents – this is a common misunderstanding but parent governors are not the voice of the parents. They have the same role as any other governor on the board
• vote in favour of whatever the majority of parents want – if there is a controversial issue that parents are angry about it is any governor’s job to vote for whatever they believe is best for the school as a whole
• discuss individual children (in most cases) – governors take an overview of the school and make strategic decisions about budgets, policies and development plans (although one exception would be if a child is at risk of exclusion)
• interfere with the day-to-day running of the school – the headteacher runs the school, governors hold the headteacher to account
• rubber-stamp everything that comes their way – you will need to be confident enough to ask some difficult questions if results are disappointing or mistakes are made

Parent Governor Statement Examples

Here are some example statements you can use as a starting point. I have written these with the assumption that you are a new parent governor, but if you are already on the board you should also include details of your governance work, eg: feedback from OFSTED or external advisers about how the board is run or what contributions you have made in a link role .

Don’t worry if you don’t have a job that particularly fits in with governance (or you’re not working at all) as people from all walks of life can do the role – just show your enthusiasm and demonstrate your understanding of school governance.

Parent Governor Statement – 50 words

My son Tim has just joined the school in Y1. I work as an accountant and would like to use my financial skills and experience analysing budgets to give back in a volunteer role. I am keen to attend training and get to know the school.

Parent Governor Statement – 100 words

I am keen to join the governing body as many of my family members have attended this school. My two older children attended and my daughter Sarah is in Y9.

I have volunteered for many school trips and I would now like to become a governor to help steer the school in the right direction and retain its excellent reputation for academic success and happy, friendly children.

I have been in retail for 10 years where I have worked well with people from all backgrounds and gained knowledge of health and safety. I understand the need for governors to be demanding but fair.

Parent Governor Statement – 250 words

Malory Towers Primary is a terrific school with an outstanding OFSTED rating and I would like to help the school continue to improve and develop.

My name is James Mallow and my twins are in Y4. My day job is in data analysis and I believe these skills will transfer well to the work of school governance, helping the school to analyse the attainment gaps between groups of pupils and pinpoint where the school needs to be doing more for our children.

I am lucky enough to have the time to commit to a demanding volunteer role as my firm provide time off for school governors. This means that I am able to attend meetings, governor training and visit the school during the day.

I am particularly keen to ensure that all children are safeguarded well and can fulfil their full potential whatever their background, special educational needs or disabilities.

I am not afraid to ask difficult questions if necessary on behalf of all the children this school serves. I am also keen to support the school and all of its dedicated staff who work so hard to keep this place running smoothly.

Although I have no experience of school governance specifically I have served on the board of a small charity which had responsibility for a modest budget and made tough decisions about which projects to fund and how money could be best spent.

I hope that you will consider voting for me and thank you for reading.

Related posts:

• Can a parent governor continue if their child leaves the school?
• Who can be a parent governor?
• Must school governors write an annual report to parents?
• How do we hold a parent governor election?
• Can the board stop an unsuitable parent governor being elected?

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Understanding the Parent Governor Role From an Experienced School Governor

Have you ever wondered how you can be more actively involved in your children’s school and education? The parent governor role is vital in schools and can also be really worthwhile and make a positive contribution to the community. Read on to find out more about becoming a school governor and the impact that it can have.

Sending our children to school is such a big milestone to reach. For them and also for us as parents. They start a new chapter in their lives and one that you are less involved with. All schools are different and are now run in different ways with some being part of multi-academy trusts and others still not. Some schools will have apps and websites where updates and pictures are uploaded, some don’t have anything and you rely on your child telling you what is going on.

As parents we can feel lost in the school education system and becoming a school governor can be a positive way of giving back to the school and community whilst being actively involved in the school.

Nurseries and PTA’s

Private nurseries and childcare give you a chance to have a full rundown of what is happening, so the school can feel like you are totally out of the loop. Many parents like the idea of joining a PTA where they can help raise funds for the school and develop a great relationship between themselves and the school.

However, some schools don’t have a PTA, so what other options do you have to be involved with your school and make a real difference? This is where you might want to consider becoming one of the parent governors who work closely with the senior leadership team.

So what is a parent governor?

The definition of a parent governor is a person who is elected to become part of the governing board of a school where their child is in attendance at the time of election. They are voted in by parents of children who are registered and attend the school. You can become a parent governor in a primary or secondary school. Governors can come from all walks of life and they provide a variety of skills and experience to the governing board, which ultimately has a positive impact on the school. 

I have been a parent governor for about six years at my local primary school, I started off as a parent governor when I left teaching. I knew I had a great deal of value to offer the school and wanted to continue to make a difference in children’s lives in an educational setting and be active in school life. School governor is an important role and in this post, I’ll share my experience as a current parent governor alongside the legal requirements for taking up a parent governor role.

The governing body is made up of a number of representatives including a staff governor, the head teacher, parent governors and those who come because they have a specific skill set that the governing body needs. There is a clerk who takes the minutes , as the board meetings are a legal requirement.

If you like the idea of becoming a parent governor you may be wondering what is involved and how you go about being elected. It isn’t just as simple as calling up the school office and asking for a place on the governing board, there are processes in place. You also might want to ensure that the role is right for you, after all, it is a voluntary position that requires a fair bit of commitment.

So here is a complete rundown of what is involved in becoming a parent governor and how you go about becoming a candidate and being elected. 

You do need to be aware of the expectations around behaviour, for example, you will know confidential information and therefore you will follow a code of conduct.

What does a parent school governor do?

First of all, it is important to understand what is involved in the role of the parent governor. You may not realise that there is a requirement of your time to attend and participate in regular meetings, and also it is a voluntary role. When you apply to become a governor, you are making a commitment to attend those meetings and complete paperwork and analysis of processes and things going on in the school. You may also be asked to be part of specific committees where you are responsible for areas in the school such as finances, curriculum, safeguarding, and SEND.

It is important to recognise that this is an active role and your term of office runs for three years initially, although it is common to stay longer if you are enjoying the role. There may be training involved as well so that you understand the responsibilities. Some schools suggest that it is volunteering 20 hours of your time over the full school year, although to be actively involved is probably more than this! However, each school will have different requirements and expectations, so speak directly to your school if you are considering this. 

How do you go about becoming a candidate?

So how do you become a parent governor? It isn’t just as easy as calling up the school and asking to be appointed. You need to wait until there is a position available which can occur at any point in the academic year. Governing boards usually have 2-4 parent governor positions, so there aren’t too many but they approach things from a parent’s viewpoint. However, the truth is, not every parent wants to take on the role or the responsibility, so it may not be as popular as you might expect.

Once the school has advertised there is a position available you can enquire to fill out the application form to become a candidate. If there is more than one position and more than one candidate, you may find that it then goes to a vote. 

The local authority also recruits governors for schools – many businesses will encourage their staff to take up voluntary work and will even give paid time for staff to carry out their voluntary work. Have a look on your local authority job board for vacancies. I know my own children’s schools often are looking!

Filling out the application form and writing that personal statement 

The application form is relatively straightforward. You will need to put forward your full name, address details, and contact number. You may also need to commit to the time they are requiring and stating, so make sure you can do this before submitting your application. Within the application, you will need to write a personal statement that the whole school community will read. These don’t need to be too long, and your school may ask you to stay within a word count of around 150 words.

But this is your opportunity to share your experience, any special qualifications, why you will be a valuable and effective school governor, and also why you want it and how you will make a positive contribution.

Remember, if it does go to a vote, this personal statement will be what the parents read to vote for you, so keep that in mind. Keep it short, direct, and straight to the point. You want to cover who you are and your experience, but also why you care for the school and your reasons why. 

What if it goes to a vote?

So what if it goes to a vote? This can be the nerve-wracking part as you now are in the hands of the parent community. While there is no expectation for you to go canvassing for votes, speaking to the parents you are friendly with is a good idea. Letting them know it is you that has applied is also beneficial. Then it is down to a secret ballot. The school will likely give it a few weeks for the votes to come in and then if you do get the most then you will be appointed to the role of the parent governor.

Once you are voted in, what next?

If your parent governor application went to a vote and you have become successful in securing a place on the governing board you might be wondering what next? There are a few things that you will need to do once you are elected. There will be training involved that is delivered by the local authority and things you will need to complete before you may even be part of a governing board meeting.

There is a lot of information, and you may even be placed on specific committees which take care of certain areas of the school such as curriculum, finances, health and safety, etc. This is usually decided after a conversation about your preferences and what is needed for the school community.

At this point, you may have a conversation with the headteacher of the school and the chair of governors to find out more about you and how you can help the school move forward with the school improvement plan and its strategic direction.

For example, if you come from a finance background you may be asked to sit on the finance committee, if you come from an educational or teaching background you may find you are best suited to a standards and achievement role. Becoming a parent governor is a really important contribution to the school, you will have a parent’s perspective and this is important and valid.

But what does a school governor actually do?

The parent governor role will include a number of responsibilities, in the past, it has been described as a critical friend to the headteacher. However it is more than that, essentially you are monitoring the educational provision at the school and ensuring that it is robust and supports the learning of all pupils.

In my experience as a school governor, I sit on the full governing body meetings and also the standards and achievement committee but the real work comes in supporting the teachers strategically. As governors we don’t get involved in the day to day running of the school, that is the senior leader’s responsibility but we meet termly with the teachers we are linked to in order to ask questions about their area of responsibility.

For example, I lead on pupil premium and SEND therefore I also have meetings to look at the data and provision for those students. This can include observing them in the classroom, looking at their books, discussing the intervention and policies in place to support their learning, even talking to the children about their experiences of school.

I also have meetings with local authority representatives and spoke to Ofsted during a recent inspection on specific issues that I have responsibility for. If there is ever an appeal to a decision that the headteacher has made maybe about an exclusion or a behavioural issue governors can also be asked to make up an appeals panel along with a couple of fellow governors to ensure that the policy has been followed appropriately. This is an interesting part of the parent governor role and

The parent governor role is a vital role in the local community as we have a collective responsibility for the education of children. School governors help drive continuous improvement and look the best outcomes for a child learning.

Once you have gone through the basic training you then just need to be on hand to attend meetings and complete paperwork. Remember, you have been elected to be there, so always speak out if you have an opinion on something, and offer your expertise. After all, this is to help the school thrive, and will ultimately help your children and young people in the long term. 

What you get from the parent-governor role

Being a parent governor has given me new skills and helped me understand the ethos of the school. It is a great way to get involved and work in the best interests of the school and child. It also offers great career opportunities for the individual as you can use this on your CV to show your wealth of experience in the wider community and it demonstrates a number of important qualities that you hold.

Hopefully, this guide will help you to become a parent governor in the school your child attends if not maybe there is another way that you can get involved in your child’s school life .

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Election of parent governor

Dear Parent/ Carer

The role of a school governor is extremely important and many essential decisions about this school are taken by our Governing Board.  School governors work together with the school leadership team to continually improve the education for every child at our school. 

I have received nominations from six parents who are willing to become school governors.  I hope you will vote in the election to select one parent governor. The parent elected by you will serve as a parent governor for four years.

Please read the personal statements carefully and bearing in mind the role of the school governor, choose the candidate you feel would be best suited to the position.  

Parent Governor Election Voting Instructions

Voting will close on Wednesday 21 October 2020.

In the event of a tie the returning officer will decide the election by the drawing of lots.

Votes will be counted on Wednesday 21st October 2020 the result will be announced by Thursday, 22nd October on the website and in the school newsletter.

 I hope you will participate,  the governing body plays a key role in keeping our children safe, supporting and holding leaders to account.

Please scroll down to read all SIX statements and at the end of the statements you will find the form where you can select our preferred candidate. 

Yours sincerely

Julie Newman

Clerk to Governing Body and Returning Officer

Candidates’ personal statements 

Personal statement for sabaa asim aslam.

What Can I say in a short snap that would make you think…Vote for her!

Like you, I have a child at West Thornton and am still trying to measure the impact this last year has had on my child’s learning and wellbeing.

As we adapt to the ‘new normal’ its fundamental the ongoing changes have a positive impact on the school environment. That means supporting new initiatives for progression, but also retaining consistency with what already works, to reduce the chance of overwhelming our children.

I’ve worked in higher education for nearly 10 years, & currently the treasurer of the PTA. If I’m voted parent governor for WT, I will endeavour to curate new ways of collaboration and cohesion between parents & teachers…because now more than ever we must work together!

Come and talk to me if you find me, I’d love to hear from you.

Personal statement for Rohina Ibrahim Aziz

I am looking to gain a career in this field. I have 3 children & have also brought all my nieces up which is where my passion comes from. I have the preamble skills to work as a part of a team and work on my own, I would love to see the school develop, as well as the kids’ curriculum and changes for the best.

Having kids of my own has made me realise the importance of being a role model.  Being young I feel I can relate to children at all ages and have more of an understanding of how kids are in this day and age. I would appreciate it if I could have the opportunity to put my skills into action and show we can all work together for the best, especially with how much disruption all our kids have been through this year with Covid.

Personal statement for Suregah Balachandran

Education is one of the best foundations that any child can receive in their lifetime. Being a full time working mum with two children, I am truly passionate and have a desire to ensure that every child gets the best possible education and opportunity to succeed in life. During schooling year, I myself had an opportunity to be nominated as senior student representative and have gained vast experience in attending regular meetings with governors, teachers and parents and was responsible for planning and leading meetings to communicate the vision of the society with local council.

If successfully nominated as a parent governor, I promise to fully support the school needs during the transition to Inspire Partnership Trust. I will take an approach to raise questions and challenge not only to achieve targets for every child but to also continuously strive to exceed to give the children a good learning experience.

Personal statement for Maria Chiara D’Argenio

I would like to become a Governor because I am passionate about education and because I want parents to play a more active role in supporting West Thornton Academy. I am a teacher and lecturer, and the mum of Fabrizio and Arianna, both attending the school. My primary aim as a Governor would be to follow closely the changes the school is undergoing and promote a new relationship between the school and the parents. Given the current circumstances, it is crucial that all of us parents are supportive interlocutors of the school and voice our suggestions and concerns. I have already been quite active in this. Thanks to my feedback on the zoom lessons and my formal letter to the leaders regarding the September closure, the school changed its initial decisions; this is a sign that parents’ proactive and constructive attitude can be beneficial for the school and our children.

Personal statement for Cherise McDonald

My daughter is currently in year 2 at Canterbury Road. I work full time as a co-director at an estate agency, as well running my own cleaning business. I gained experience in working as a team, supporting others, and being involved in monitoring the standards of staff for the team to succeed hopefully being a transferrable skill to monitoring the governing board.

I would like to be a parent governor I have a strong belief in giving all children the maximum opportunity to discover their full potential through education as well as extra curriculum activities, whatever their background.

I now have the time to devote my skills to an area I feel passionate about with the required commitment and enthusiasm  as well as being prepared to learn new skills I would like to be given a chance to help develop West Thornton at such a crucial turning point.

Personal statement for Sarah Mckenzie

I would like to be elected as a West Thornton Primary School Governor to offer my unique skills and insight and help steer the direction of the school for years to come. 

I am a dedicated Civil Servant currently delivering the school values in my professional life. I have extensive experience working with schools as a Pastoral Lead, Social Services supporting Looked After young people and Charities working to send at risk children to summer camps, children that would not have been able to have a holiday otherwise. I strive to improve the opportunities of children and young people believing engagement between home and school is invaluable. 

My daughter has recently started reception here and I have another in nursery eager to follow so I have a vested interest in supporting the school to provide an excellent and well-rounded education for all pupils (both present and those still to come).

Complete the form on the link below  and select the button against the name of the candidate for whom you wish to vote

• Election letter

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• Being a Parent Governor

WHAT IS EXPECTED OF A PARENT GOVERNOR?

Governors are in a unique position on a Governing Body. Not only do parent governors have to work in the best interests of the school, but they have to balance this with their natural desire to see the best outcomes for their own child(ren). The aim of this information leaflet is to provide details on the specific role of a parent governor and suggestions for how to deal with some of the tricky situations which may arise.

The Role of the Governing Body

The Governing Body acts collectively and the first loyalty of every governor must be to the school. Governors support the staff and headteacher of the school but also act as a ‘critical friend.’ The role is strategic, not operational. This means that the role of the Governing Body is to plan long term for the school, make sure it is well staffed and spends its budget wisely, and to help construct all the general policies which make the school an efficient, caring and fair environment for learning. It is the delegated responsibility of the headteacher to manage the space, time, equipment and people on a daily basis and respond to any inappropriate behaviour or dangerous situation as it occurs.

The Role of the Parent Governor

Like all other governors, parent governors have three strands to their role:

• Take a strategic role
• Act as a critical friend
• Ensure accountability

What are the good bits about being a parent Governor?

• You have a very privileged and responsible role
• You have the opportunity to make a difference for children now, and in the future
• You have an opportunity to make a difference for parents and to influence the way in which school works with them
• You will learn a lot and develop new skills

How to fulfill your role:

•  Attend Governing Body meetings regularly. These are held three times a year, usually at the end of the school day, and can last up to 2 hours.
• Play an active role in sub-committees and decision making
• Learn all you can about the school
• Be approachable to other parents, but make sure you are clear about your role
• Always represent the school positively
• As a governor, you are one of a group and must never act alone
• Always support the decisions of the full Governing Body
• Have your say on decisions in meetings, and vote in the way you wish, but then support the outcomes of the vote, even if you disagree with them
• Always, always observe confidentiality. You will get to know a lot of highly sensitive and confidential information.. Do not discuss this with anyone who is not a governor. A governor can be suspended for serious breaches of confidentiality.

Myths and facts explained and common misunderstandings:

A. Representative NOT Delegate

Parent governors are representative parents rather than representative of parents. A Parent Governor is NOT a delegate. This means you don’t have to adopt the opinions of other parents when you vote. You are a representative, which means you listen thoughtfully and can report to fellow Governors vital matters shared by many parents. But when it comes to voting, a representative follows their own conviction of what is right for the school and also heed the views of other governors. That’s the difference between a representative and a delegate.

The important thing to remember is that once a decision is made, irrespective of whether a parent governor supported it or not, then their loyalty is to the governing body and the school. Sometimes, other parents do not understand that you are not a delegate and not elected to represent them or their personal views. Other parents cannot mandate parent governors on how they should vote or what they should say in governing body meetings.

As a parent governor, you may find situations where you need to act as a Governor first and remind yourself that you are a representative parent and NOT the parents delegate on the Governing Body.

It is not the role of the Parent Governor to gauge views of parents and carers in the school playground to be discussed at governing body meetings. A parent Governor must have a context for an agenda item and it isn’t efficient to bring in the latest school-gate report.

If the Governing body agrees that it would like the views of a wider cross section of any stakeholder group, it is for the whole governing body to decide how to do this.

B. The Reality

What makes the reality of a parent governor a little different is the extra dimension of having your own child(ren) attend that school. Parent Governors should deal with personal issues in the same way as any other parent and not through their role as governor. Equally, parent governors should not use the meetings as an opportunity to raise any personal issues or issue relating solely to their own child.

C. Acting as the Critical Friend

Often, parent governors who have lots of contact with the school say that this aspect of their role is difficult. Parent Governors must put personal interests aside and participate in governor meetings in the interests of the school as a whole and specifically the interests of the children in the school.

D. A Democracy

No individual governor can make anything happen. The only ‘power’ belongs to the Governors acting together by majority vote. Sometimes you may care very strongly about an issue but must accept that your view is not supported by the other members of the Governing Body.

How to deal with approaches from individuals

Sometimes parent governors find they are approached by parents with individual concerns. Parents may feel that you should become involved in their own child’s issues with the school or a complaint. But it is not appropriate to take the issue to the governing body and they should encourage the parent to take the matter up with the child’s class teacher or the Headteacher. The governing body deals with school policies and meetings are not the place to take individual problems. Parent Governors must make it clear that they can’t act for the governing body. Sometimes parent governors may have to explain why the Governing body has made a decision a certain way and must be prepared to explain why.

Unfortunately not the ones with chocolate chips.

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Primary education

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Parent Governor Application

FreezerBird · 22/06/2017 22:13

Does anyone fancy having a look at this draft personal statement thing for me? I'm finding it difficult to work out who I'm writing it for - in all the time I've been involved with the school there's only been one occasion where there was more than one applicant for a parent governor vacancy so only one election where the statements were circulated. I'm assuming though that the personal statement bit goes to the head and current governors even if it's not circulated to parents? It's a fab school, in a fairly deprived area, and they really struggle to get parents engaged - quite often I am one of just a couple of parents at PTA meetings - the PTA is primarily staff. Some of the example statements I've read online read like high-powered job applications and that just doesn't really fit somehow. Anyway - draft thus far is as follows (120 word limit) "I currently have a daughter in year four, and my son is in year seven at secondary having previously been a pupil at [school]. [School] is a great school. I would like to play a part in maintaining and supporting the school by becoming a governor. I am interested in provision for pupils with SEN and their successful integration into the school. I have lived in the area for five years and have several volunteer roles including at the foodbank based at [church]." For background - the school has several learning support units on site and is also very successful about supporting children with SEN in the mainstream - my daughter is one of these. I feel like I need to have something about wanting to work for all the children not just those with SEN as otherwise it just seems like I'm banging that drum, which I'm not. I haven't put anything in about professional background as a) it's not really relevant and b) I haven't worked since my son was born 12 years ago. Quite frankly the whole thing is giving me flashbacks to UCAS...

It's passable. I'm a Governor. (You need to capitalise Governor as it's a job title). I think you need to inject a bit more passion into it maybe? Words like 'great' and 'interested' are okay but don't grab me. Instead of saying the school is great, could you say you have great faith in it? That you are passionate about involving yourself into the workings of the school and feel you have x/y/z to contribute towards that? When do you have to have it in by? I need to head up to bed because I've got an early start but I'm happy to help you elaborate on it tomorrow if you drop me a PM.

It is circulated to all parents to vote, by the way!

Your personal statement will be circulated to all parents. I'm not grabbed by your personal statement to be honest. I find the most successful statements say things that parents want to hear about the school rather than about you. Imagine you were a parent considering a new school for your child, what would you want to hear about the school? It depends on defining your personal focus. Maybe you are drawn towards words like

• Caring, helpful, empathetic, kind children
• independant, free-thinking, creative children
• hard working, resilient, children of strong character
• academic, high achieving, high expectations

All fair enough! I could be wrong, but in the past I think when there's been only one applicant, the statements haven't been circulated as there's no election. Or is that not the way it should be done? This is the second or third time of inviting applications for this vacancy as no-one has applied yet.

Also (sorry, I forgot this bit) I wondered about putting something in about volunteering at the food bank (which is based over the road from the school and is used by families from there) giving an insight into the challenges the area faces and wanting to work for the best possible outcomes for the children. But it feels quite patronising and not sure if it's appropriate, even if worded differently.

If there are only 1 applicant for 1 post, there will be no election. But the personal statements have to be submitted at the time of putting your name forward to be considered. So if you don't write one, or write a rubbish one, then you do not have the opportunity to add or amend the statement once it has been submitted. So in my view it is worth putting in a bit of effort to write a good statement, because you cannot know if someone else (or a few others) are thinking the same.

I would suggest your background may be of relevance if it would be of use to the school (law. finance, building/facilities/HR, communication etc etc). You may be 'rusty" so to speak but your previous experience will be what may differentiate you from another candidate. This is what you need to be saying - why should parents vote for you and not someone else.

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find out if there is a maximum/suggested word count make it personable, but bring out your skills, knowledge and experience a lot of schools have the personal statements for their parent governors on their websites. When writing mine, I searched online, read through some and thought about who I would have supported if I were choosing, then thought about what I did and didn't like about the different statements to structure mine good luck!

I am a Governor at my sons primary. I would suggest that you put a bit more about your background and how your specific skills and experience would be useful to the governing body. E.g. If your background is in finance then you would be useful to the finance committee or if in HR then relevant for the staffing committee. It may not be a directly relevant as these 2 examples but I'm sure you could find something in your experiences that could be relevant.

As parent govenor you're their to represent the parents voice so need to be approachable to parents. Adding a line I can be found outside year 4 class (yr 5 from September) at drop off/ collection time or a way you can be contacted might help.

As pp said you need more about your skills not just interests. Governors are now recruited based on skills. This changed a couple of years ago when the rules moved towards smaller governing bodies with a variety of skills. It sounds as though they will be glad to have you on board if there is a lack of volunteers but it will help the recruitment process if you sell yourself.

No, you are a representative parent, not a parent representative.

Agree with Peusdobadger. A parent governor is not there to represent parents although this is a common misconception. You have no specific role to take parents concerns to the Board. If a parent has a concern it should be raised with the teachers and head teacher and only if not resolved appropriately should it be taken to the all governors via a written complaint. If a parent tries to discuss an issue with you at the school gate this will preclude you from being independent concerning that issue and you would not be able to be involved in its resolution if a formal complaint is made.

Agree with above that is absolutely not the role of a parent governor. I think you need to give more info about the skills and experience you can bring. I used the relevant experience gained in my career and voluntary work. Governing bodies need a broad range of skills, you need to show what you can bring to that mix.

As parent govenor you're their to represent the parents voice so need to be approachable to parents No, you are definitely not. And there is absolutely no need to be approachable. In fact I'd approached, the opposite is true. A parent governor is not the place for other parents to raise concerns for the governing body. All sych concerns made personally to a governor should be deflected to the Chair of Governors. Even when death with by the CoG, it is usually deflected elsewhere to be dealt with. The staff would deal with any concerns first, then the head teacher, sometimes in discussion with the Chair of Governors. Complete misunderstanding of the strategic role of a governor to assume you will directly deal with any school "issues" that a parent may have.

120 words is hardly enough to give parents a good understanding of any candidate and does to some extent worry me about the expectations of the school and GB. I would as parent want to know that you are a "stay at home mum" but also what you did do professionally previously. It actually is a skillset that is useful on the GB being a "stay at home mum". You do need to be careful to ensure you divorce your role as "mum" from that of governor, especially around SEN given you say that daughter has some level of SEN. At times this distinction can be difficult and you need to be sure that you can keep them apart. So for instance how would you handle an SEN issue around your daughter without you seeming to have your governor hat on.

As a former trainer of Governors, I hope the following is useful. All Governors must show they have relevant skills but electioneering is different, slightly! In many ways the food bank is irrelevant and I wouldn't mention it. I assume you were seeking the 'she's a good egg' vote! I would mention what you do for the school community and that you wish to be part of the school to maintain the high standards that the school has. Where do your skills lie? If it is SEN, what skills? Are you skilled in HR, Finance or Marketing for example? How will your skills benefit the school and the children? If you have strong community links, this is good, but how will the children benefit? Parent Governors often say they have children at the school or who have gone through the school to prove they know the school well. Say that you will give a lot of time to the role, undertake training, understand that you work with others for the benefit of the children and you are committed to all children doing well at the school. Don't just pidgeonhole yourself to SEN. You could show an interest in pp children and their progress for example. Lastly, do make sure that you understand what a Governor does. You are not a fluffy supporter who brings in cakes and hears children read. You must know the strengths and weaknesses of the school, monitor the improvement plan, evaluate the effectiveness of the GB, understand progress data and benchmarking, make tough decisions on staffing, finance and pay and be strategic. You are not involved in everyday management. Ideally you need skills and knowledge of the school and demonstrate these to the parents. Hope this helps.

It is also ok to have a chat with the Chairman to talk about the role before you apply. You can then judge if your skills would be a good fit.

Live and learn, i retract the above be contactable advice!

Hi all, thanks for your input, and sorry I disappeared! Had to get form in quick, and was then away for a few days. Anyway, I've had an email from the LA to welcome me to the Governing Body so I guess I was the only applicant. Now immersing myself in their online induction material.

Well done Freezer! Do take up the offer of training and if there is anything you need to know, do ask. It can be daunting at first but when you get into your stride, very rewarding. Good luck.

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• Who are the governors? - personal statements

Who are the governors?

I am a father of two children, including a son in year 6 and a daughter who left Bovey Tracey Primary School in 2018 having been at the school since reception.  We live in Bovey Tracey and I work for the Dartmoor National Park Authority where I am responsible for ICT Services and also managing the Authority’s premises including offices and visitor centres.  My lead responsibility on the Governing Board is for Premises, Security and Health & Safety which are all areas I am very familiar with through my day job.  Prior to working for the National Park Authority I worked in adult education and at a number of secondary schools in Devon.  In my spare time I enjoy road cycling and walking on Dartmoor.  Both of my children have thrived at Bovey Tracey Primary School and I am delighted to be able to support the staff and wider school community and give something back in any way I can.

Rob Daniels

I am a father of two living in Chudleigh Knighton and my eldest started in reception in September 2021. I am a quality engineer with over 7 years' experience in the aerospace industry. As a quality engineer my focus is on compliance to all stakeholder and regulatory requirements, identifying risk and implementing mitigation strategies, and continuous improvement. I hope these skills will benefit the school and help with continuously improving the school for our children. I am keen on outdoor pursuits, especially sailing and cycling and care strongly for the environment. You may see my wife or I cycling to drop off/collect our daughter from school (almost in any weather).  If you see me please feel free to ask me questions.

Hola, bonjour, buongiorno, pryveet, konnichiwa, guten tag, nin hao, hello....

I'm Tom with 2 children at Bovey Tracey Primary School. I trained as a language teacher at Exeter University in 2009 and have since worked in Devon as a class teacher, Head of Department and Director of Learning.

The government's White Paper, 'Opportunity for All - strong schools with great teachers for your child', is something to which I am personally committed, as demonstrated throughout my career in education. A solid foundation is crucial to all successful learning, and I believe as a Parent Governor, I am able to help the school achieve this aspiration. 

Dan Thorogood

I’m Dan and I have a daughter in reception. She loves her time at school and I am keen to ensure her education, along with all students at the school, is the best it possibly can be. I have always had strong values with public service at my core and as such have worked and volunteered in numerous public-serving roles, including senior management and charity committees. Currently I am a senior operational manager with the ambulance service, and prior to that spent seven years with the healthcare regulator, CQC, building essential skills in governance and understanding of strategic leadership.

I am a parent governor. I live in Bovey Tracey with my husband and our two daughters. Our oldest daughter started at Bovey Tracey Primary School in September 2020. We are excited to begin our journey as part of a school community which offers so many opportunities for their pupils. I feel privileged to be able to contribute to the future development of the school and uphold its vision and values. 

I have eleven years' experience working in primary schools and currently hold the position of Early Years Leader of a preschool and reception class in the South Hams. At the weekends I enjoy swimming, walking and sewing projects as well as exploring Dartmoor and the seaside with my family. 

Unfortunately not the ones with chocolate chips.

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