Governors
Become a School Governor
INSPIRE. CHANGE. DEVELOP.
Wickersley Partnership Trust encompasses 13 schools across Rotherham and Gainsborough. It exists to further the interests of the young people it serves.
Each school is supported by its own community-based Local Governing Body (LGB) composed of parents/carers, local community and business representatives, and teaching and support staff.
Schools across the country require people to volunteer as Governors on their LGBs. If you become a Governor, you will help to mould the future of local young people, all whilst developing your own skills too.
Inspire the Next Generation
Becoming a School Governor can have a positive impact on the young people in your local community and help to drive school improvement. A LGB plays an integral role in a school’s success; working together with senior school leadership and guiding their strategic direction.
School Governors need to reflect & represent the local community. The body needs a range of knowledge, skills and experience; so, whatever your background, career or age, your contribution will be invaluable.
This could include:
- Strategic Leadership
- Project Management
- Influencing & Negotiating
- Budget Control
- Teamwork
- Communication
- Problem Solving
The Trust has an extensive programme of support, with network meetings; extensive online resources; an annual WPT Governors’ conference; regular, bespoke training sessions and training opportunities through Learners First Partnership – all free of charge.
What’s the commitment?
In the region of 2-3 hours a month, depending on the school or any additional responsibilities you may take on.
You’ll need to attend half-termly meetings, typically outside school hours, and do any preparatory reading.
For more information
What is School Governance?
ONE
Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
TWO
Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its students and the effective and efficient performance management of staff.
School Governor Champion
Wickersley Partnership Trust working alongside Inspiring Governance
Wickersley Partnership Trust and Inspiring Governance have been in partnership since 2018 working on a number of joint-enterprises to raise the profile of governance.
The aim is to add significant value across the Trust by:
- raising awareness of school governance,
- starting an internal recruitment drive for new Governors,
- matching skills (employees of the Trust) to vacancies on LGBs,
- further building/strengthening relationships across the Trust and in particular the interconnections between schools.
Transferrable Skills Gained Through Governing
- Analysis of data
- Budget / financial management
- Chairing
- Collaboration
- Communication
- Confidence
- Diplomacy
- Empathy
- Influencing
- Interpersonal
- Interviewing
- Leadership
- Listening
- Negotiation
- Organisation
- Patience
- Performance and people management
- Safeguarding
- Strategic planning / oversight
- Teamwork
- Tolerance
- Time management
The well-being and ‘feel-good’ benefits of school governance
It is important that we don’t overlook the ‘feel good factor’ that volunteering can have on our everyday lives. The opportunity to make a civic difference through school governance is there for both individuals and organisations. Organisations get a chance to show their corporate social responsibility and commitment to local communities. Individuals get the feel-good benefits and camaraderie of tackling tough issues as a team with a range of people and personalities you might not meet in your own professional or personal lives.
WPT is committed to:
- Acting as an advocate and supporter of school governor volunteering.
- Encouraging and supporting staff to be governors and to register their interest with the Trust.
- Nominating a named lead as an internal school governor champion to liaise with our named contact at the Trust.
- Creating a 'Be a School Governor' space on the Trust website.
- Providing the opportunity for Inspiring Governance to visit the Trust to explain the role of school governor.
- Considering how the Trust will support staff who volunteer as governors: supporting a governor network and ensuring staff have time to govern.
- Providing a wide range of resources and training to support those who govern.
Quotes from our serving governors
Staff, parents, pupils and governors have come a long way together since I joined and together with the Governing Body and the support of the Head teacher we are all determined to ensure that our children receive the very best education possible.
I feel my experience working in education is still being put to use in a very worthwhile voluntary role as a governor. I particularly enjoy visiting the school on a regular basis and working alongside the students, staff, SLT and other members of our governing board is a privilege.
As a governor I have been able to access training courses that have not only supported me in school governance but also personally and professionally. I have gained in confidence through chairing meetings, and have the joy of attending school concerts and events.
