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General information for and about school governors

Who can become a school governor, how to become one and other useful information about the role of governors.

What do school governors do?

Information about the role of school governor can be found on the document available below:

What does a governor do? (pdf 79kb opens in new window)

Who can be a school governor?

A governor must be aged 18 or over at the time of their election or appointment. A person cannot hold more than one governorship at the same school. Registered pupils cannot be governors.

A person is disqualified from being a governor or associate member if they:

  • have a mental disorder and are detained under the Mental Health Act 1983
  • have failed to attend the governing body meetings for a continuous period of six months, beginning with the date of the first meeting they failed to attend, without the consent of the governing body. This provision does not apply to the head teacher
  • are the subject of a bankruptcy restrictions order or an interim order or their estate has been sequestrated and the sequestration has not been discharged, annulled or reduced
  • are subject to a disqualification order or disqualification undertaking under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986, a disqualification order under Part 2 of the Companies (Northern Ireland) Order 1989, a disqualification undertaking accepted under the Company Directors Disqualification (Northern Ireland) Order 2002, or to an order made under section 429 (2) of the Insolvency Act 1986
  • have been removed from the office of charity trustee or trustee for a charity by the Charity Commissioners or High Court on grounds of any misconduct or mismanagement, or under section 34 of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 from being concerned in the management or control of anybody
  • are included in the list of teachers or workers considered by the Secretary of State as unsuitable to work with children or young people
  • are disqualified from working with children or from registering for childminding or providing day care
  • are disqualified from being an independent school proprietor, teacher or employee by the Secretary of State
  • have been sentenced to 3 months or more in prison (without the option of a fine) in the 5 years before becoming a governor or since becoming a governor
  • have received a prison sentence of 2.5 years or more in the 20 years before becoming a governor
  • have at any time received a prison sentence of 5 years or more
  • have been fined for causing a nuisance or disturbance on school premises during the 5 years prior to or since appointment or election as a governor; refuse to an application being made to the Criminal Records Bureau for a criminal records certificate.

How do I apply to become a school governor?

If you have an interest in education and the future of our young people, then volunteering as a governor is a fantastic way to make a huge contribution to our schools within the East Riding.  In addition to helping drive educational progress and attainment in your local community, you will have the opportunity to develop and enhance your own skills which will also benefit you in both your personal and professional life.

You can become a school governor by:

  • being elected by parents as a parent governor. If your child attends the school
  • being elected by the teaching or non-teaching staff, if you are a member of the teaching or non-teaching staff
  • being nominated by the local education authority
  • being appointed by the church or charitable trust
  • or by being co-opted (appointed) by the governing body.

Schools organise elections and tell parents and staff about them, but you can always ask a school whether there are vacancies on the governing body.

You can also complete and submit a local authority school governor application form, available to download below:

Local Authority School Governor Application Form (word 48kb opens in new window)

If you feel that this is the role for you, then please contact:

Amanda Hall-Miell
Senior Governor Support Officer 
Tel: (01482) 392446   

Email: governor.support@eastriding.gov.uk

or

Lisa Devine
School Governance and Local Authority Ofsted Development Officer 
Tel: (01482) 392173
Email: lisa.devine@eastriding.gov.uk

Do I need qualifications to be a School Governor?

No.  Schools need governors from all walks of life with a wide mix of skills and relevant experience who can make a significant contribution to the running of their school.   

We passionately believe that the best run schools are those with the highly skilled governors who can both hold schools to account and direct their future path.  It is essential that governing boards recruit and develop governors with the skills to deliver their core functions effectively.

How do I contact the governors at my child's school?

In order to contact the governors of your child's school you will need to get in touch with the school in the first instance and they will make the contact on your behalf.  You will not be able to contact the governors directly, but the school will treat your contact in confidence where appropriate and act as a mediary.

If you need to make a complaint about a school and involve governors you will need to follow the school's complaints procedure.

Where can I get information about school finance?

There are local authority documents and information available to school governors via the council's education website, eRiding:

eRiding Education - Governors' Finance (external council website)

Where can I find information on East Riding Safeguarding Children Board?

The East Riding Safeguarding Children Board website provides information on safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in the area:

East Riding Safeguarding Children Board (external council website)

What information is available to support me in my role as a school governor?

The Governor's Association through Hull and East Riding (GAtHER) are a small independent group of experienced governors drawn from governing bodies of schools across the City of Hull and East Riding of Yorkshire. 

If you are serving as a governor in a school or college, here you would find information and support to help you in carrying out your very important role:

GAtHER (external website)

What online training is available to me as a school governor?

Governors of schools who have subscribed to the Governors Support Service Level Agreement will have access to the National Governors Association (NGA) Learning Link.  Learning Link is an easy to use e-learning portal that will help governors with professional development.

For further information and to register please follow the link below:

NGA - Learning Link e-learning (external website)

Where can I find information on education, learning and training opportunities for young people?

The Hull and East Riding Prospectus is run jointly by Hull City Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council, supported by the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership, and provides a prospectus of education, learning and training opportunities in Hull and East Riding for young people aged 14 to 19:

Log on move on (external website)

Where can I find information and help with key target setting and school performance evaluation information?

Fischer Family Trust is a reporting and date tool for schools, local authorities and academy chains, and provides key target setting and school performance evaluation using the latest curriculum and accountability measures, allowing in depth analysis to support future planning:

Fischer Family Trust (external website)

Where can I find help in analysing school performance data?

RAISEonline enables schools to analyse performance data in greater depth as part of the self evaluating process, by providing a common set of analyses and contextual information about the school including comparisons to schools nationally:

RAISEonline (external website)

What information can the Department for Education provide?

The Department for Education website offers information on issues affecting people in England up to the age of 19, including child protection and education:

Department for Education (external website)

What other support is available to me as a school governor?

The National Governors' Association (NGA) are an independent charity that aims to support and promote good governance in our schools; they do this through lobbying, via a range of contacts with ministers, policy makers and education organisations:

National Governors' Association (NGA) (external website)

What information can Ofsted provide?

The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) is a non-ministerial department of the UK government.  Ofsted inspect and regulate services that care for children and young people, and services providing education and skills for learners of all ages:

Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) (external website)

Do you publish a handbook for school governors?

Yes. The Department for Education (DfE) released a Governance Handbook in January 2017 along a Compentency Framework for Governance which can be accessed here:

Governance Handbook (pdf 1.62mb opens in new window)

A Competency Framework for Governance (pdf 676kb opens in new window)

Can I access policies for governors published by the local authority each term?

Yes.  The latest policies for governors from the local authority can be on the  local authority policies for school governors page.

You can select a document to view using the 'download' link.

If you need a document to be provided in an alternate format please contact:

Amanda Hall-Miell
Senior Governor Support Officer 
Tel: (01482) 392446   

Email: governor.support@eastriding.gov.uk