Local governors are volunteers who play an important role in leading our schools. They work on behalf of the Trust Board with individual school leaders to set strategic vision and direction, nurture the school ethos and identity and hold school leaders to account. By becoming a local governor, you’ll be joining the biggest volunteer group in the country – more than 250,000 people like you are already serving governors, local governors and trustees. In a multi-academy trust, local governors have an important role in representing the trustees in our academies and the voice of academy communities in the Trust.

Do you have what it takes?

Watch this short film to find out why you should get involved.

Why become a local governor?

• Make a positive impact on young people’s lives and contribute to issues that you feel passionately about.
• Develop new skills, such as board-level leadership, strategic planning, chairing, financial planning and team working, that are valued by employers and can help your own career development.
• Use your skills and expertise to contribute to making our schools more effective. As a bonus, a governance role looks great on your CV.

Anyone aged 18 or over can be a local governor - you don't need to be a parent or have a connection with the school.

What skills do Local Governing Bodies need?

Each school’s Local Governing Body works on behalf of the Trust Board in these key areas:

1. Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction within the school.
2. Acting as a critical friend to the school; holding the school’s senior leadership team to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils and the performance management of staff.
3. Assuring Health and Safety procedures within their school.
4. For Church Schools within the Trust Local ‘Foundation’ Governors also represent the Diocese of Leicester and the local Church on the Local Governing Body of a Church of England school. As well as the above, their role also includes promoting the Church School ethos and the Christian distinctiveness of Church of England academies, including provision for collective worship and Religious Education.

This means that each Local Governing Body needs a wide range of individual skills, attributes, backgrounds and experiences, including:

• Education and learning
• Business and administration
•  Law
• Finance and accounts
• Health, safety and wellbeing
• Premises and estates
• Interest, enthusiasm and a commitment to making a difference to children’s life chances and choices through education.

Safeguarding

As part of the local governor or recruitment process, volunteers will need to complete an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and a social media check. These are organised by the school or Trust. Volunteers will also be asked to supply the names and contact details of two referees.

We take safeguarding very seriously and have robust procedures to address safeguarding issues. If we receive a complaint or concern about any volunteer’s or individual’s conduct, we will follow our set procedures.

If you would like to find out more about volunteering as a local governor in one of our schools please contact our Governance Co-ordinator Pippa Darbourne using the form below: