A school governor is a volunteer who represents those people with a key interest in the school, including parents, staff, the local community and the Local Education Authority (LEA). The school governing body accepts responsibility for everything a school does. It acts as a link between parents, the local community, the LEA and the school itself. A school governor is elected to a four year term of office, although the Headteacher's term is ongoing.

Within a school there are various categories of governor, each with a different reason for serving on the governing body. Within our school there are parent, teacher, staff, headteacher, community and LEA governors.

Parent Governors

Parent Governors are elected to a four year term of office to represent the interests of the parents of pupils who currently attend the school. Parent governors are expected to keep in tune with the concerns and opinions of the majority of parents and exercise their best judgement when contributing to the decisions of the governing body.

Teacher Governors

Teacher Governors are elected to represent the interests of the teaching staff of their school. They are free to express their own personal views and exercise their own judgements even if not in line with the majority of teaching staff.

Staff Governors

Staff Governors are elected to respresent the support staff of the school, i.e. all those not in a teaching capacity. Like teaching governors they are free to express their own personal views and exercise their own judgements even if not in line with the majority of support staff.

Headteacher Governors

Headteachers automatically become school governors unless they choose not to be. If this is the case they can still attend governors meetings. While the headteacher reports to the governing body, the headteacher must involve the governors closely in the running of the school.

Community Governors

Community Governors are invited by other governors to join the governing body. They bring their own experience and skills and act as a link with the local community within which they usually live.

LEA Governors

LEA Governors are appointed by the school's Local Education Authority. While an LEA governor may represent the LEA's views; as they are not delegates of the LEA they cannot be mandated by the LEA to take a particular view.


Further information on the different types of governors can be found in Fact Files by viewing the Governors Wales website at -

Links

Cardiff School Governors Site

Governornet