Governor types and responsibilities

Types of Governor

There are several different types of governor:

Parent governors

Parent governors are elected by parents of pupils at the school and must be parents, including carers, themselves of a child/children on the school roll at the time of election.

Such Governors do not have to resign if their child leaves school, but may wish to do so.

Schools must make every reasonable effort to fill parent governor vacancies through elections.

Only if insufficient parents stand for election can the governing body appoint:

a parent of a registered pupil at the school, or if that is not possible
a parent of a former pupil at the school, or if that is not possible
a parent of a child of or under compulsory school age.

This also applies to community special schools, but for these schools the appointment criteria are as follows:

a parent of a registered pupil at the school, or if that is not possible
a parent of a former pupil at the school, or if that is not possible
a parent of a child of or under compulsory school age with special educational needs for which the school is approved, or if that is not possible
a parent with experience of educating a child with special educational needs.

A person is disqualified from election or appointment as a parent governor of a school if they are an elected member of the LA or if they are eligible to be a staff governor i.e. they work at the school for more than 500 hours (i.e. for more than one-third of the hours of a full-time equivalent) in a school year (at the time of election or appointment).

Community governors

Community governors are appointed by members of the governing body to represent community interests.

Such Governors should reflect the widest possible spectrum of the local community, business and commerce, ethnicity, particularly if they have specialist knowledge of aspects related to management, for example finance, personnel resources, estates and building management etc.

Hopefully a balance of interests, knowledge and experience can be achieved by the governing body and members should, if possible, be drawn from the full geographical area the school serves.

Governors from the ethnic minority community can help the school develop relevant equal opportunities and cultural issues.

A person is disqualified from appointment as a Community Governor if s/he is a registered pupil at the school, eligible to be a staff Governor at the school, or if they are an elected member of the local authority, to which the school belongs.

Local Authority

LA governors are appointed by the Members of Wolverhampton City Council.

They are often members of political parties and it is desirable if they are local Councillors or people who are known for their involvement as detailed above under Community Governors.

Staff governors

Staff Governors are elected by their colleagues at the school.

If they leave the school they must stand down from the governing body and a replacement be elected.

Both teaching and support staff paid to work at the school are eligible to stand as staff governors.

The Headteacher is a member of the governing body by virtue of their office and counts as a member of the staff category.

If the Headteacher decides not to be a governor the place remains reserved for them and cannot be taken by anyone else.

Foundation/Partnership governors

Foundation Governors are appointed by the school's founding body, church or other organisation named in the school's Instrument of Government.

Sponsor governors

Sponsor Governors are appointed by the governing body.

The governing body can appoint a maximum of two Sponsor Governors.

Associate governors

The governing body can appoint Associate members to serve on the governing body and attend full governing body meetings.

Associate members are not governors and do not have voting rights at full governing body meetings.

Responsibilities of Governors

The responsibilities of individual governors include:

Attend governing body meetings/committee meetings. Non-attendance at meetings of the governing body for a period in excess of six months, without the consent of governors will result in disqualification from the membership of the governing body
Be prepared. Read minutes/papers before the meeting and think about areas you want to know more about
Talk to each other before a governing body meeting
Attend training courses to develop knowledge and skills and learn about your responsibilities
Take an active interest in the School
Abide by the majority decision
Be loyal to the governing body and the school. Respect the confidentiality where agreed at governing body meetings
Be the school’s critical friend.

Qualifications and disqualifications

Schedule 6 of the Constitution Regulations covers the qualifications and disqualification.

A governor must be aged 18 or over at the time of their election or appointment.

A person cannot hold more than one governorship at the same school.

A person is disqualified from holding or from continuing to hold office as a governor or associate member if they:

are detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 during their period of office
have failed to attend the governing body meetings for a continuous period of six months, beginning with the date of the first meeting they failed to attend, without the consent of the governing body (not applicable to ex-officio governors)
are subject to a bankruptcy restriction order or an interim order
are subject to a disqualification order or disqualification undertaking under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 or to an order made under Section 429 (2) of the Insolvency Act 1986
have been removed from the office of charity trustee or trustee for a charity by the Charity Commissioners or High Court on grounds of any misconduct or mismanagement
are included in the list of people considered by the Secretary of State as unsuitable to work with children
are disqualified from working with children or subject to a direction under Section 142 of the Education Act 2002
are disqualified from registration for childminding or providing day care
are disqualified from registration under Part 3 of the Childcare Act 2006
have received a sentence of imprisonment (whether suspended or not) for a period of not less than 3 months (without the option of a fine) in the 5 years before becoming a governor or since becoming a governor
have received a prison sentence of 2½ years or more in the 20 years before becoming a governor
have at any time received a prison sentence of 5 years or more
have been fined for causing a nuisance or disturbance on school premises during the 5 years prior to or since appointment or election as a governor
refuse to allow an application to the Criminal Records Bureau for a criminal records certificate.