If your children go to school in England or Wales, you’ll probably have heard of school governors. These are the people who oversee the running of the school. Working with parents and staff, they decide how money should be spent. Governors might also make decisions on recruitment, or on admissions for new pupils. It’s a responsible role, and one which usually requires DBS checks on new governors. If you’re interested in helping out, what’s involved?
What does a Governor Do?
Governors are the school’s management committee. They usually don’t get involved in the nitty gritty issues of what reading books to use, but take a wider view. The governors set uniform policy, lay down standards of discipline and make decisions about how to spend the school budget. Normally, governors meet around six times a year. Sub-committees might meet more often. If your school is trying to recruit a new Head, or has been put into special measures, hours might increase.
The usual time commitment is no more than 10 hours a month. All governors are volunteers. This means you won’t be paid for your time, but you might be able to claim back expenses. You might also be able to do some of the work from home. Taking on the responsibility of being a governor can be scary. Lots of new governors choose to do the National Governance Association’s basic training. The training is government funded, and covers everything you’ll need to know in your new role.
What sort of person can be a governor?
Many of us think that only people with children in the school can be school governors. This is not the case. Anyone over the age of 18 can apply to be a governor. The board is usually a mix of parents and other members of the community. Prospective governors don’t need any formal qualifications. You’ll need to be enthusiastic and to be interested in education. If you have a background in finance or law, this could be useful if you’re asked to serve on the finance committee. A good board of governors has a mixture of people from many different backgrounds. When someone steps down as a governor the vacancy will be advertised, and suitable applicants interviewed. Have a chat with your current employer – some might be happy to give you leave for attending meetings during your usual working hours.
Governors and DBS Checks
All people volunteering as school governors also need a DBS check. This isn’t because they’ll be around children, as most governors meet after school has finished for the day. It’s more about checking that the right sort of people are getting control of school funds. Being a governor is a responsible role. Schools run DBS checks after interviewing candidates. The process is straightforward, and there’s plenty of guidance on how to apply for your DBS check online. Just make sure you’re looking at recent information as rules can change over time. If you’re registered for the DBS Update service, then you may be able to use this access to get round applying for a new check.
