School governors

School governors are volunteers from all walks of life. They help to:

  • Raise standards of education
  • Bring unique skills and experience to the role of school leadership
  • Carry out an important and satisfying job

What are the different types of governors?

There are five kinds of governors. They include:

  • Co-opted governor - appointed by the Governing Body based on skills and experience to support the school.
  • Parent governor - elected by parents of registered pupils on the school roll.
  • Local authority governor - nominated by the Outside Bodies Committee and appointed by the Governing Body.
  • Foundation governor - appointed by the school's founding body, church, trust or other organisation.
  • Staff governor - elected by the teachers and support staff in individual schools.

Governor support

We support governors and schools with:

  • yearly training packages
  • information and advice
  • administrative support
  • recruitment support
  • a professional clerking service

If you'd like to be a parent governor:

  • contact the headteacher of your child's school
  • note - you'll also need to complete a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check

Gov.uk has more information on roles and responsibilities and DBS checks.

For other governor positions, register your interest using this form.