examples of parent governor personal statement

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.

examples of parent governor personal statement

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.

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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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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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.

Understanding the Parent Governor Role From an Experienced School Governor

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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