Volunteer Chair of Governors (Bridport, Devon)

What will you be doing?

What will you be doing? Governing bodies are responsible for the strategic management of a school and will make decisions about a wide range of issues The core responsibilities involved are:

Ensuring accountability Providing support and challenge to the schools senior leadership team Monitoring and evaluating the school’s progress Budgetary allocation and control Shaping plans for school improvement and overseeing their implementation Setting the school’s aims and values Appointing senior members of staff including the Head Teacher

A school governing body is made up of representatives from the school, the parents, and the local community. What's in it for the volunteer? Volunteering as a chair of governors is a challenging but rewarding role. As part of the governing board, you’ll:

Have support from the vice chair(s) and the clerk, to ensure the effective functioning of the board by keeping it focused on its core functions. You will also encourage the board to work together as an effective team, building its skills, knowledge and experience. help schools overcome challenges to ensure a bright future for children in your community work collaboratively with people from different backgrounds, challenging your own perspective and broadening your network gain experience outside of your job description and skills you can bring back to work

What are we looking for? This vacancy is for a Secondary School (ages 11-18). They are ideally looking for someone with experience of strategic- level leadership and/or change management in any industry but please do apply if your skills and experience lie in different areas. You must be over 18, but you don’t need to be a parent or have children of school age. Often, it’s the outside perspective you can bring that a school needs. Professional experience in areas such as safe guarding, change management, and leadership skills are all useful to a school. Soft skills such as communication and problem solving are also great additions.

What are we looking for?

You don’t need any specific skills or experience to be a school governor. You must be over 18, but you don’t need to be a parent or have experience working in education. Often, it’s the outside perspective you can bring that a school needs. Professional experience in areas such as HR, finance, law, or project management are all useful to a school. But soft skills such as leadership, communication, and problem solving are also great additions.

What difference will you make?

Governors make decisions that affect schools for years to come. Chair of Governors work in partnership with Head Teachers and the Senior Management Team to help deliver the best possible education, and help children realise their expectations and aspirations.   Our recent impact survey found that our volunteers bring £9.9 million worth of value to schools each year, and 9/10 volunteers would recommend being a governor to a friend. As a chair of governors, you will be encouraged to visit the school to gain an understanding of the culture and ethos and to get the most out of the role. You’ll also have the opportunity to meet children, parents, and teachers, and see the impact of your work first-hand.