Could you be a school governor?

Published: 13 November 2008

The governing bodies of our church schools work with staff to make sure schools provide a good quality education for all their pupils. Our church schools need more people to become governors.

School governors are ordinary people from the school community who want to make a positive contribution to children’s education and future. You don’t need specialist skills to take on this role, just an ability to listen, think through new ideas, and decide what’s best for your school as part of a team.

Being a school governor can be very rewarding. It’s a way of helping to make sure that all our children have the very best opportunities.

What does the governing body do?

  • Raises standards of achievement in the school for all its pupils.
  • Ensures school buildings are welcoming and safe.
  • Sets and monitors the school’s aims and policies.


As a governor, you can get involved in:

  • Deciding how the budget should be spent.
  • Appointing staff.
  • Setting and achieving targets.
  • Maintaining and developing school buildings.
  • Agreeing the curriculum.


Governors are not expected to make day-to-day decisions about how the school is run. That’s the job of the headteacher and senior staff.

Being a school governor is a real opportunity to use your experience and to learn new skills.  You’ll need to be able to give some time to going to meetings and paperwork.

Foundation Governors

All church schools also have a Foundation Governor appointed by the local PCC or diocese. Foundation Governors have a special role in developing and preserving the character of the school, and they are the link with the diocese.

Joyce Mountfield, Chair of Governors at Saviour Collyhurst, said, “You learn a great deal. At times it can be very challenging. It is exciting and rewarding, and you feel as though you’re putting some of your life skills back into the community.”

Lesley Gutteridge, Headteacher of All Saints' CE Aided School in Farnworth, says, “Foundation Governors form the cornerstone of church schools. They make a significant contribution to the direction we take, the ethos we create and to the decision-making. Without their presence on governing bodies the leadership is not held to true account.

“Headteachers are sympathetic to the fact that this is a voluntary, unpaid position, and they will endeavour to work with their governors to produce an effective model for school governance. The outcomes are rewarding, the sense of family is great and the opportunity to act as role models for young persons is priceless.”

Could it be for you?

Will Leeson and Chris Shelley are Governor Services Officers for the Diocesan Board of Education. They are keen to attract more volunteers to the role of Foundation Governor. If you think you would like to take on this very worthwhile role, please contact either Will or Chris who will be only too happy to talk to you. Potential governors must be aged 18 or over. You can contact them on 0161 828 1400.


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