New governor information pack
If you are a newly appointed governor you will have received a pack of information from the Governor Support and Development Service to include a list of names of your fellow governors and a copy of 'Welcome to the Governing Body' which is also attached to this page. This document provides an overview of your roles and responsibilities as a governor and has blank sections for you to complete when you visit school. Some schools may also have their own induction booklet which will be passed on to you.
There are, in addition, a few things you can do to prepare for the task ahead. Ask the chair of governors or headteacher for:
- a copy of the school prospectus
- a copy of the minutes of all governors' meetings over the past year or two
- information about training and development opportunities for new governors
- a copy of the self evaluation form (SEF) for the school.
Additional helpful information
- school policy documents
- school newsletters
- the most recent Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education) report
- the School Development Plan and Raise on line (Reporting and Analysis for Improvement through School self Evaluation)
- 'A Guide to the Law for School Governors' published by the DfE (a copy should be available for you at the school or via the link on this page).
Induction Checklist
Attached to this page you will find an induction checklist for new governors which, although intended as an aide memoir for headteachers, should be useful to you also.
Support for New Governors
The Governor Support and Development Service has produced a booklet entitled 'School Based Support for New Governors' which you may find useful and is attached as a link to this page. Avoid overkill! 'Drip feeding' is the most productive way of absorbing the necessary information and over time it will become more familiar to you.
Education is filled with jargon and acronyms so to help you understand some of them there is a list attached to this page called acronyms for new governors.
Conflict of interests
It is important that governors and staff not only act impartially, but are also seen to act impartially. They have a responsibility to avoid any conflict between their business interests and personal interests and affairs and the interests of the school.
One important means by which a school may demonstrate that it is applying the seven principles of public life (selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership) is by maintaining a register of business interests. There is an attachment for this on this page called business interest form.
On becoming a governor you will be asked to complete a form which asks you to declare any business interests which you or your spouse may have. This form is kept in school and reviewed annually.