Become a Governor

The different categories of schools are:

Community School: The school including land is owned, maintained and staffed by the Local Authority (LA) (subject to responsibilities delegated to governing bodies)

Community Special School: A school provided for children with Additional Educational Needs. The school including land is owned,  maintained and staffed by the LA.

Foundation School: The governing body owns the premises, employs the staff and has primary responsibility for admission arrangements. It will receive revenue and capital funding from the LA

Voluntary Aided School: The school holds its own premises, employs the staff and deals with admission arrangements. The LA via the school budget share provides revenue funding. The governing body will include foundation governors. These will hold a majority of the places on the governing body.

Voluntary Controlled School: The land and buildings of the school are often owned by a voluntary organisation. However, the LA will employ the staff and have primary responsibility for admission arrangements. Vale voluntary controlled schools have a connection to the Church in Wales for the purposes of providing a faith education. The governing body will include foundation governors but they will not be in the majority.

The different types of governors and how they are elected/appointed:

Parent Governors: These are elected by and from the parents of all registered pupils at the school.  When a vacancy occurs at a school all parents are given the opportunity to nominate themselves for election.  If more nominations are received than the existing current number of vacancies a secret ballot will be held.  The Governor Support Unit has an established process for the conduct of parent governor elections. (Voluntary Aided Schools follow the appropriate Diocesan procedures).

LA Governors: Vacancies are advertised on the Council's web-site in accordance with the Council’s procedures and anyone wishing to become an LA governor must apply via the Governor Support Unit.  All LA governor vacancies are considered by Council Members on the LA Governor Appointments Panel and their recommendations for appointments are referred to Cabinet for ratification. 

Headteacher on the Governing Body: In addition to the above, the Headteacher (or acting Headteacher) is a member of the governing body unless he or she chooses not to be. There are no provisions for a substitute governor to take the place of a Headteacher who decides not to be a governor. A Headteacher must stand down from the governing body on leaving the school.

Teacher Governors: These are elected by and from all the teachers at the school.

Staff Governors (support/non teaching): These are elected by and from all non-teaching staff at the school. 

Community Governors: These are appointed by the governing body and should be a person who lives or works in the community served by the school or should be committed to the good governance and success of the school.

Minor Authority Representative (MAR) Governors (Primary Schools only): MAR governors are appointed by town and community councils and the Governor Support Unit liaises with them as and when vacancies occur and schools will be notified of appointments accordingly.

Foundation Governors (Aided and Controlled (Church) Schools only): These are appointed by the people or organisation named in the school’s instrument of government. They must preserve the religious character of the school and secure compliance with the trust deed (if applicable).

Associate Pupil Governors: All maintained secondary schools must allow for appointment of Associate Pupil Governors to the governing body. The Headteacher of a school must ensure that the school council has the opportunity to nominate up to two pupils from years 11 to 13 (inclusive) from its memberships.

Non Governor Members: A governing body can appoint non governor members to attend full governing body meetings or to serve on one or more governing body committees. The definition of a non governor member is wide and pupils, school staff and people who want to contribute specifically on issues related to their area of expertise (for instance, finance) can be appointed as a non governor member.  Non governor members may not vote at governing body meetings but can be given a vote at committee meetings, where the governing body has agreed this when establishing the terms of reference of the committee in question.