How School Governors are appointed

Local Authority Governor representatives

  • these Governors are appointed by the Local Authority
  • anyone wanting to be a Local Authority Governor should complete an application form, available from the Governance Service
  • the application will be considered by a panel of three Local Authority Officers who will determine the appointment of a Local Authority Governor 
  • the Inspiring Governance also help recruit Governors to this category   

Staff paid to work at the school, who are eligible to serve as a Staff Governor, are ineligible for appointment as a Local Authority Governor.

Co-opted Governor representatives

Co-opted Governors represent the community interests and are individuals who live or work in the community served by the school, or individuals who do not live or work close to the school but are committed to the good governance and success of the school, eg Parish/Town Councillors, Scout Leaders, Local Business People.
 
Co-opted Governors are appointed by the Governing Body. If you are interested in becoming a Co-opted Governor you can approach the school directly or via the Governance Service.
 
A registered pupil at the school is ineligible for appointment as a Co-opted Governor.

Parent Governor representatives

All parents, including guardians/carers of registered pupils at the school, are eligible to stand for election as a Parent Governor.  All parents/guardians/carers will be notified of vacancies by the school and given the opportunity to complete a nomination form. Each nomination must be proposed and seconded by other parents/guardians/carers in support of the application. If on the closure for nominations there are more nominations than vacancies, then an election will be held and all parents/guardians/carers are eligible to vote. If the nominations received do not exceed the number of vacancies, then these nominees will be automatically elected to the Governing Body.
 
If insufficient nominations are received, the Governing Body is then entitled to appoint to the remaining positions. This appointment must be considered at a full Governing Body meeting and can consider the following options: 

  • a parent/carer of a registered pupil at the school

  • a parent/carer of a former pupil at the school

  • a parent/carer of a child of, or under, compulsory school age

A Special School can consider the following options:

  • a parent/carer of a registered pupil at the school

  • a parent/carer of a former pupil at the school

  • a parent/carer of a child of, or under, compulsory school age with educational need for which the school is approved

  • a parent/carer with experience of educating a child with special educational needs

Elected Members and staff paid to work in the school who are eligible to serve as a Staff Governor are ineligible for appointment as a Parent Governor. 

A person is not disqualified from continuing to hold office as a Parent Governor when their child ceases to be registered as a pupil at the school.

Staff Governor representatives

Only one Staff Governor position exists on a Governing Body which will represent all teaching and support staff employed specifically to work at the school. Staff eligible to participate in the election will be notified of the vacancy.

As with Parent Governor appointments, nominations may be put forward from members of staff which will need to be proposed and seconded by colleagues. If there are more nominations than vacancies an election will take place where all staff will be eligible to vote.

If insufficient nominations are received the Governing Body cannot appoint to the position. The vacancy will remain and further nominations must be sought.

Volunteers in school are not eligible for appointment as a Staff Governor.

Foundation Governor representatives (Church of England, Catholic and Foundation Schools)

Foundation Governors are appointed to ensure that the school’s character and ethos is preserved and developed and that the school is conducted in accordance with the provisions of the trust deed.

Where the application is in a Church School then the application must be supported by the Parish Priest prior to it being submitted to the relevant Diocese for appointment by either the Bishop, in the case of the Hallam Catholic Diocese, or the Board of Trustees in the case of the Church of England.

Associate Members (optional)

Pupils, school staff and people who want to contribute specifically on issues related to their area of expertise, eg Finance, can be appointed as Associate Members of the Governing Body. However, these members do not have the voting rights of a Governor and do not count when considering if meetings are quorate.

Associate Members are appointed by the Governing Body at a full Governing Body meeting.

Expression of interest

If you are interested in becoming a School Governor, contact the Governance Service, via:

For further information, please contact us: 

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Last updated: 06 November 2023 09:07:16

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