Could you be a school governor at Sir Thomas Boteler Church of England High School?

• Do you want all our children to get the best from school?
• Do you have the time and commitment to get to know a school, go to meetings and read papers?
• Do you want to put something back into your local community?
• Do you want to support the ethos and Christian values of the school ?
• Are you interested in people?
• Are you prepared to work as part of a team?
• Are you comfortable asking challenging questions?
• Are you open to new ideas and ready to learn?

Making a difference

Governors are people like you.  You don’t need specific qualifications, just the desire to make a difference, approximately 2-6 hours spare time a month including some time to visit the school occasionally during the school day.  All governors must be 18 or over.

New governors are often surprised at how their experiences can be used to help solve problems at their school.  You don’t have to be a specialist; just think about the skills you use in everyday life.  Being a school governor is a big responsibility, but can be one of the most rewarding ways of contributing to your local community.  As a school governor, you have real opportunities to:

• Raise educational standards in your local school
• Help children achieve their full potential
• Identify and develop the school’s management team
• Identify where the school can improve and help make it happen
• Improve the school’s financial efficiency and effectiveness
• Engage parents, pupils and the local community to benefit the school
• Develop an environment which promotes learning
• Work as part of a team, towards a common goal
• Acquire new skills, new friends and a real sense of achievement
• Share in and celebrate the success of children, staff, teachers and the school as a whole

How much time will it take?

Being a governor means making yourself available for some evenings each term and occasionally during the day to support school events and Ofsted inspections. 

Governing bodies meet once or twice a term usually in the morning and on average meetings last about 1 hour.  Governors are expected to become a member of a committee responsible for a specific aspect such as Finance, HR & Operations, Quality & Standards or Ethos & Community.

You will also need some time to read papers, prepare for meetings and to attend training.  The amount of time varies widely, depending on how involved you become and what needs doing, but schools do need governors who are fully committed.

You have a legal right to ask your employer for “reasonable” unpaid leave or flexible working, and some employers offer limited paid leave for this as it constitutes a public duty.  What is considered reasonable will vary according to the nature of your job and your employer.

 Restrictions

• Almost anyone over 18 can serve as a governor but there are some understandable restrictions. No one can serve if they:
• Are barred from working with children or vulnerable adults
• Are subject of a bankruptcy restriction order or similar
• Have certain criminal convictions, depending on the nature of the offence and sentence and how long ago it was

How can I become a governor?

You can become a school governor by:

• Being appointed by the other governors as a Foundation Governor for either Liverpool or Chester Diocese
• Being elected by parents as a parent governor, if your child attends the school.
• Being elected by the staff, if you are a member of the teaching or non-teaching staff.
• Being appointed as a co-opted member, based on the specific skills and experience you can bring to the school

If you are interested in joining the governing body, please check our “Vacancies” page and email our Clerk jmorris@boteler.org.uk with an expression of interest.

Code of Conduct for the Governing Board