Serious - Is anyone else a School Governor?

[John Williams (Panda) - Joint Manchester AO]

Serious Question: Is anyone else a school governor?

 

Cheers

 

John

 

(That's "governor", not "govenor", Panda - fixed that for you, but you have to stay behind after school tomorrow for extra spelling practice.  Sorry, it was in a thread about schools and we couldn't resist - Mods     )

[Mooch]

I was a governor at our local primary for 7 years.  Gave up a couple of years ago when the kids moved up to secondary school.  Very satisfying voluntary work and not too onerous (but it was/is a tiny village school)

[MCB]

I was a Governor at my son's primary school, but stood down 3 years ago, I'm currently a staff Governor at the college I work at.

My wife however is currently a staff Governor at the primary school she works at.

Mark

[Darrell O'Neill]

Yes. I'm a governor at my kids small village school. Love it. Great satisfaction and a great insight into the education system.

[John Williams (Panda) - Joint Manchester AO]

Thanks guys, I'm vice chair at my Kids School and i have a question, but it might be more for darrell....

[minesapint]

I was a Governor at my children's primary school, then became Chair of Governors.

 

Very satisfying but time consuming role, was fortunate my employer gave me some time off to attend daytime meetings, interviewing etc.

but still spend a lot of your own time.

 

Can also be quite stressful chairing controversial meetings, dealing was formal complaints, going through OFSTED inspections etc (although the stress of OFSTED was much worse for the staff). One term (3 yrs) as Chair was enough for me, so moved over when last child left for High school.

 

No regrets with some good and rewarding experiences.

 

Cheers

 

 

[Darrell O'Neill]

I take my hat off to you guys who have done the 'chair, vice chair' roles. I'd love to do it but with running a business and the time required it just wouldn't be possible for me...

[dhutch]

Mum was at my primary for about 5-6 years, mainly while my younger brother sister where there rather than while I was.

 

Hard work but satisfying sounds about right from what I see, like local councilors there appears to be two types of people who are present.

 - Those that have a lot of time to give, but not much else.

 - Those who have a lot to give, but not much time to give it.

 

 

Daniel

[John Williams (Panda) - Joint Manchester AO]

someone once said if you want something doing, ask someone who is busy!

[dhutch]

Yeah, its not far from true.

 

Although I have a site tech admin recruited on those grounds and hes only been able to spare me about three days in the last year!

Given he has a family and these are normally Saturdays I feel it hard to push too hard, but equally we could soak up a day or two a week.

 

 

Daniel

[Greenstreak-Andy D]

A genuine challenge if your village school becomes an academy, much more put on governors, who are treated more like a company director! Seems crazy but at our kids school I went along to an evening discussion of for and against academy school and was amazed on the impact for the governors.

[John Williams (Panda) - Joint Manchester AO]

Afternoon Greenstreak,

 

And what was the feeling about this from the parents and teachers?

 

cheers

 

john

[Greenstreak-Andy D]

Afternoon John,

Parents were cautious of the change, whilst the head teacher tried to sell the concept. The existing governors were, to be honest receptive of the idea, which impressed me as the governor role was pretty intensive, ie like running a business rather than school, with the accountability that goes with being a director.

Andy

[John Williams (Panda) - Joint Manchester AO]

I've been tasked along with the others to find out more on the subject; as we might be considering it.

 

my wife a teacher at an academy and to be honest i don't think it was good for her personally. so I have seen it from that side but i want to see both sides.

 

cheers

 

john

[dhutch]

A genuine challenge if your village school becomes an academy, much more put on governors, who are treated more like a company director! Seems crazy but at our kids school I went along to an evening discussion of for and against academy school and was amazed on the impact for the governors.

Interesting.

I work for JCB, who run/own/built one of such academies, all be it a new project rather than an old school being made into one.

By all accounts parents where a you say, cautious, and rightly so. But appears to work well for most, an certainly, appears in our case at least to bring more competent people into hands on and engineering roles, as graduate engineers, or technicians, shop floor manages, etc, as well a business and marketing roles, etc. Without as far as I can see, forcing other into roles not suited to them.

Daniel