Parent Governors at School
Discussion
I’ve been voted in as a parent governor, our daughter’s school. I understand the commitment and I’m genuinely looking forward to it.
However I have some reservations before I’ve even started.
Three of us stood for the position, two new and one existing who’s term was up in the summer. The position was for one governor.
I was informed over the weekend I had won, this was explained during a phone call and via email.
The school has now emailed out the results saying I was elected along with the previous governor.
The school operates four or five parent governors who presumably help within their skill set.
The reason for stepping up was to try and help the school as to be honest things look like they need a kick up the arse there. My main concern is that it’ll simply be a little too cosy in there with a jobs for the mates attitude.
I’ve nothing against the other candidate but if procedure isn’t being followed in the recruitment process I’ve no idea what I’m stepping into.
Any other PGs out there with any hints and tips?
However I have some reservations before I’ve even started.
Three of us stood for the position, two new and one existing who’s term was up in the summer. The position was for one governor.
I was informed over the weekend I had won, this was explained during a phone call and via email.
The school has now emailed out the results saying I was elected along with the previous governor.
The school operates four or five parent governors who presumably help within their skill set.
The reason for stepping up was to try and help the school as to be honest things look like they need a kick up the arse there. My main concern is that it’ll simply be a little too cosy in there with a jobs for the mates attitude.
I’ve nothing against the other candidate but if procedure isn’t being followed in the recruitment process I’ve no idea what I’m stepping into.
Any other PGs out there with any hints and tips?
I was a parental governor for a few years when my son was at Primary school.
Enjoyed my time, but it really depends on how much interest the school have in governors asking the diffcult questions. I think we were lucky in that there were no really big big issues when I was a governor. This was despite us voting to transition to being an Academy.
A couple of years afterwards, the old head had retired, and the new head had to be removed pretty soon afterwards due to some major child safeguarding issues - all got a bit heated.
Think of your role as a 'critical friend' - don't be scared of asking the diffcult questions, but try not to be adversarial.
It was far, far more rewarding than my (short) stint on the PTA - they were so set in there ways and were not open to any new ideas.
Enjoyed my time, but it really depends on how much interest the school have in governors asking the diffcult questions. I think we were lucky in that there were no really big big issues when I was a governor. This was despite us voting to transition to being an Academy.
A couple of years afterwards, the old head had retired, and the new head had to be removed pretty soon afterwards due to some major child safeguarding issues - all got a bit heated.
Think of your role as a 'critical friend' - don't be scared of asking the diffcult questions, but try not to be adversarial.
It was far, far more rewarding than my (short) stint on the PTA - they were so set in there ways and were not open to any new ideas.
LaurasOtherHalf said:
Any experience out there?
Are there any written school procedures, or even better any DofE guidelines? Headteachers tend to be a law onto themselves.Does the other bloke contribute financially? e.g. local business owner who sponsors the school fair or something else.
Primary or Secondary ? I've been a Parent Governor at both, medium sized Primary and a large Secondary. Takes a bit of time getting into the role, take the opportunity for any training courses that are offered. Much of real work takes place on the sub-committees which hopefully they'll match your skill set to a sub committee or two. In both roles I took the opportunity to visit the school a number of times during working hours to see how things worked. For eaxsmple as a secondary governor I was looking after DT and spent some very interesting days in the DT department, you get a very good idea of how things really work on those visits. Full governing body meetings I think were once a term with the sub committees a few weeks before. With a good governing body and a good school its a well oiled machine, I cannot comment for schools with underlying issues as I have no experience in that domain.
hyphen said:
LaurasOtherHalf said:
Any experience out there?
Are there any written school procedures, or even better any DofE guidelines? Headteachers tend to be a law onto themselves.Does the other bloke contribute financially? e.g. local business owner who sponsors the school fair or something else.
Having held a first meeting with the head today and bringing up the subject I was informed "if you don't like it, resign". Great start.
Unfortunately they've f
ked up massively and know it. They've appointed a governor they had no appointment nor electoral result for. I'm guessing they simply thought I wouldn't win. Now they need to keep her on and unfortunately my resignation would make that a simpler process. As I haven't given that they've simply invented an opening for her.We have a weak acting head and I suspect a mate who does some of the work for her is too good to let go.
A bit of a clusterf
k which could have been avoided by (presumably) co opting her but for some reason they tried to be clever about it? Gawd knows what the next few days will bring, what a first 24 hours in the job!If they simply could have co opted her as a governor but didn't feel the need to follow protocol, what does that say about the board? Spoke to another long standing member this evening who basically agreed with all my points.
If we're here to see that things are being done correctly but the head's mo is to do as they please and get rid of anyone who questions them, I can see this being a fun four years!
Leithen said:
Keep very good notes of everything. Every discussion, every email etc.
Insist that all meetings are properly minuted and maintain a complete paper trail.
My first mistake on the job! It was only after walking out of the meeting I realised I hadn't asked for the comments to be minuted.Insist that all meetings are properly minuted and maintain a complete paper trail.
After some behinds the scenes shuffling this evening they have come up with a way for all governors to be accommodated (the co-opted option was a write off as the maximum amount was already appointed) which does nothing more than confirm it's a stick up.
I'm pissed off mainly due to my integrity being called into question on bringing up their mistakes, they're pissed off with me as I've seen through their daft games and the rest of the board are pissed off because it was all easily avoidable. Basically I've pissed everyone off
I'm in two minds, I'm loathed to work towards helping an acting head with such low morals who may yet become a full time head of the school, however if the interviews are to resume post covid in the new year I could be part of bringing someone who can improve the school dramatically.
With regards to how they can sort out this mess, I see no other option than another ballot. The opinion could be that as it was basically me and the "wanted" candidate who got all of the votes with me the majority, it should just be carried forward with the count existing as is.
As the casting votes would be doubled and people could spread between candidates I can't see how that is remotely fair but who knows? They seem to be good at making up things before, I doubt they'll stop now.
LaurasOtherHalf said:
My first mistake on the job! It was only after walking out of the meeting I realised I hadn't asked for the comments to be minuted.
Simply request a copy of the minutes of the meeting. Should be their responsibility to take them without having to request it. Best practise etc. Added to which, given what sounds like a somewhat extra-ordinary situation, it definitely should have been minuted.Be prepared for the minutes to be at best incomplete, at worst containing fabrications. At which point you have various choices to make...
Leithen said:
Simply request a copy of the minutes of the meeting. Should be their responsibility to take them without having to request it. Best practise etc. Added to which, given what sounds like a somewhat extra-ordinary situation, it definitely should have been minuted.
Be prepared for the minutes to be at best incomplete, at worst containing fabrications. At which point you have various choices to make...
Or send a follow-up email saying "Attached are my notes from the meeting, please feel free to add your own notes so that these can be finalised as the meeting minutes". Copy to all.Be prepared for the minutes to be at best incomplete, at worst containing fabrications. At which point you have various choices to make...
LaurasOtherHalf said:
A bit of a clusterfk which could have been avoided by (presumably) co opting her but for some reason they tried to be clever about it? Gawd knows what the next few days will bring, what a first 24 hours in the job!
If they simply could have co opted her as a governor but didn't feel the need to follow protocol, what does that say about the board? Spoke to another long standing member this evening who basically agreed with all my points.
First off co-option is usually only an option if a governor resigns mid-term (assuming the same rules apply as it does to local govt). If their term came to the end then they had to hold an election.k which could have been avoided by (presumably) co opting her but for some reason they tried to be clever about it? Gawd knows what the next few days will bring, what a first 24 hours in the job!If they simply could have co opted her as a governor but didn't feel the need to follow protocol, what does that say about the board? Spoke to another long standing member this evening who basically agreed with all my points.
It might be that the school has the ability to appoint as many governors as they need, and has simply declared that they have an extra "spot" because they need that person's help.
Either way, you probably need to escalate this to the local authority. They have the functions to oversee this stuff.
A good tip from my time as a parent governor, that I was given when I joined.
Parents will approach you to tell you something that isn't on the curriculum, should be. Usually in line with their own particular hobby horse. It might be financial management, or African history, or history of art, or whatever. Whatever they happen to think is important. When they do, reply "great idea, what should we remove from the curriculum to make space for it?" Because they will never have thought about that, and it totally throws them. Some might be quick on their feet and the reply will always be R.E., to which you reply that teaching R.E. is a legal requirement so you can't break the law by dropping it to accommodate Japanese ceramics, or whatever their suggestion was.
Parents will approach you to tell you something that isn't on the curriculum, should be. Usually in line with their own particular hobby horse. It might be financial management, or African history, or history of art, or whatever. Whatever they happen to think is important. When they do, reply "great idea, what should we remove from the curriculum to make space for it?" Because they will never have thought about that, and it totally throws them. Some might be quick on their feet and the reply will always be R.E., to which you reply that teaching R.E. is a legal requirement so you can't break the law by dropping it to accommodate Japanese ceramics, or whatever their suggestion was.
Southerner said:
Sod that, schools & headteachers really are empires & emperors these days it seems.
...
One option is to threaten with a lawsuit, via a formal lawyer letter. ...
Heads are not keen to spend money on legal bills as they tend to have all their budgets allocated/will raise attention.
Plenty to update but I need some spare time to detail. It’s been a heck of an exciting first week of governorship!
Short version is the clerk of the governors has been removed, the other governor that was being installed incorrectly must reapply and go for a vote (if contested) if she still wants a position and the whole load of them had a rocket fired up them.
Even better has been the outcome that the most switched on governor has been taken on by the local authority and has been installed as my mentor. This is (imho) the other governor who’s attitudes and commitment for the school most aligns with my own and hopefully will be the beginning of a great working relationship to steer the rest of the team away from the more… nefarious elements of the team.
A great week and good start but plainly only the very beginning of the process. I’ve neglected to tender my resignation as yet
Short version is the clerk of the governors has been removed, the other governor that was being installed incorrectly must reapply and go for a vote (if contested) if she still wants a position and the whole load of them had a rocket fired up them.
Even better has been the outcome that the most switched on governor has been taken on by the local authority and has been installed as my mentor. This is (imho) the other governor who’s attitudes and commitment for the school most aligns with my own and hopefully will be the beginning of a great working relationship to steer the rest of the team away from the more… nefarious elements of the team.
A great week and good start but plainly only the very beginning of the process. I’ve neglected to tender my resignation as yet
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