Governors

Who are School Governors?

School Governors are people who want to make a positive contribution to children’s education.

Governors are one of the largest volunteer forces in the country and have an important part to play in raising school standards. The role of the Governing Board is absolutely key to the effectiveness of a school.

School Governors provide strategic leadership and accountability in schools. Whilst the Headteacher has responsibility for the day-to-day running of the school, the main function of the Governing Board is to act as a critical friend in order to secure a good education for the children in a safe environment.

Each individual Governor is a member of a Governing Board, which is established in law as a corporate body. Individual Governors may not act independently of the rest of the Governing Board; decisions are the joint responsibility of the Governing Board.  

The role of the Governing Board is a strategic one, its key functions are to:

• set the aims and objectives for the school
• set the policies for achieving those aims and objectives
• set the targets for achieving those aims and objectives
• monitor and evaluate the progress the school is making towards achievement of its aims and objectives
• be a source of challenge and support to the Headteacher (a critical friend)

Categories of Governance

Co-opted Governors are appointed by the Governing Board and are people who the Governing Board believes have skills which will contribute to the effective governance and success of the school. 

Foundation Governors are either appointed or take the role by virtue of an office that they hold.

Where appointed, the appointment is made by the person identified in the instrument of government (usually the school’s founding body, church or other organisation). A foundation governor is someone who, in the opinion of the person entitled to appoint them, has the skills to contribute to the effective governance and success of the school, and who is appointed for the purpose of securing:

• in all cases, that the school’s character (including religious character where it has one) is preserved and developed; and
• that the school is conducted in accordance with the foundation’s governing documents.

In appointing a foundation governor, the person entitled to make the appointment should seek to understand and take into account the skills and experience the governing body identifies that they need.

Parents, including carers, of registered pupils at the school are eligible to stand for election as Parent Governors. They are elected by other parents at the school.  If insufficient parents stand for election, the Governing Board can appoint Parent Governors.  The law does not allow elected members of the Local Authority, or people who work at the school for more than 500 hours in a year, to become parent governors. 

Staff Governors are elected by the school staff. Both teaching and support staff employed to work at the school are eligible for Staff Governorship; volunteers are not eligible. 

Local Authority Governors are appointed by the Local Authority or nominated by the Local Authority and appointed by the Governing Board.   Anyone who is eligible to be a Staff Governor cannot be appointed as a Local Authority Governor, but any other eligible person can.

Milton St John's Governing Board meets at least six times a year and has two main Sub-Committees:

Finance, Personnel and Premises

Curriculum and Safeguarding

Involvement in the Governing Board provides a challenging and interesting way of being involved in your children’s education.  Free training is provided in all areas of Governor responsibility.  

Below is a list of all our Governors and their areas of responsibility and terms of office.  You will also find a record of attendance at the above meetings reported under Attendance at Meetings along with any Governor vacancies.

If you are interested in becoming a Governor, please contact the school.