School governors are volunteers who work together with the headteacher and the local authority to improve education and other outcomes for all pupils.  You do not need any specialist knowledge or formal qualifications to become a governor. It is your lay and community experiences that the governing body requires.  As a new governor, you will receive training and support to make sure you are fully equipped to carry out the role successfully.

Effective governors do not need educational expertise but do need to be committed to their school, willing to ask questions and act as a critical friend. They also need to be able to work as an enthusiastic, proactive member of the governing body team.

Realistically, as a school governor, you will need to attend one full governing body meeting each term. You will also be asked to serve on at least one committee which will probably meet once or occasionally twice a term. So, in total, that is no more than three meetings per term.

There are different categories of governor: local authority governors, parent governors, staff governors and co-opted governors.  All governors have equal status.

Local authority governors are appointed by the local authority (Lancashire County Council) or nominated by the local authority and appointed by the governing body.

Parents, including carers, of pupils at the school are eligible to stand for election as parent governors. They are elected by other parents.  If not enough parents stand for election, the governing body can appoint parent governors.

The headteacher makes arrangements for holding an election if there is a vacancy for a parent governor at the school.

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.

Co-opted governors are only in schools with governing bodies constituted on or after 1 September 2012. Governing bodies constituted before that date have community governors.

Co-opted governors are appointed by the governing body and are people who the governing body believes have skills which will contribute to the effective governance and success of the school.

If you are interested in becoming a governor at our school, you should contact the chair of governors at the school.

Pre-appointment Checks

Prospective governors are required to complete a disclosure check procedure which includes an enhanced DBS check and a section 128 check, to ensure that they not subject to any disqualifications which prevents them from taking part in the management of any school.