SCHOOLS

School Governors - Could You Be One?

At the John Hampden School Wendover (the infant school for 4–7 year-olds) we currently have vacancies for two new Governors to join our Governing Board – could you be one of them?

Volunteering locally comes in many shapes and sizes, and investing time as a school governor is hugely worthwhile. Governors assist the school at a strategic, rather than operational level, and play a significant part in helping to shape the futures of our community’s children by ensuring that the best possible opportunities are provided. Governors do not need any professional background in the education world, nor do they need to be a parent or carer of a pupil at the school (although many are). They just need the willingness to get involved and offer their skills and time. Whilst the commitment is not insignificant, being a Governor is interesting and highly rewarding in many ways. Schools have to be run like businesses; just like the companies you’ll know and have worked for. They have significant responsibilities for staffing, budgets, premises and more. It’s vitally important, therefore, that schools have strong governance, and governors have the relevant skills to ensure that these areas are being managed as effectively as possible.

Governors typically attend two or three short meetings every half-term, plus spend time in school talking to staff and pupils. Meetings are always held at the school (or virtually during COVID!) and generally on a Thursday at 4.30pm. There is a full induction process and plenty of training on offer, with ongoing support from staff at Buckinghamshire County Council.

If you would like to learn a little more about being part of the school’s Governing Board, we would love to hear from you – please make contact via the website www. johnhampdenwendover.co.uk.