Become a school governor
How to volunteer as a school governor, and what you need to do in the role.
What school governors do
Our schools need committed and engaged governors from a range of backgrounds, who can bring different insights and experiences to their governing boards.
School governors make sure the school provides good, quality education for all children.
When you become a school governor you'll become a member of the school governing board.
School governors work with the headteacher and senior leadership team to set the school's vision, aims and objectives.
Duties include:
- making plans for the school's future
- being accountable for the school's performance
- making decisions about money and the school's budget
- choosing the headteacher
This short video offers a unique insight into what’s involved, with 2 school governors talking about their role and how rewarding they find it.
Find more information about how to become a school governor.
Apply to be a school governor
We want to make sure that the membership of our governing boards reflects the diversity of the pupils in our schools and communities.
We welcome applications from underrepresented groups, particularly from black or minority ethnic backgrounds.
- Send an email to governor.support@brighton-hove.gov.uk, who will tell you the current vacancies
- If you are interested in one of these vacancies, fill in the online governor application form
- The team will send your details to the relevant chair of governors and headteacher
What happens next
If you have the skills and experience they're looking for, they'll contact you to explain the recruitment process. They'll also arrange a meeting with you.
If the skills they need are already covered by current school governors, we may ask you to consider being a governor at a different school.
If you have a background in school governance, education or children's services, please let the team know. They may consider you for a local authority governor post. They'll tell you if there's a different application form and process.
Send an email to governor.support@brighton-hove.gov.uk or phone 01273 293 465 for more information.
How governing boards work
Every school has a governing board. They usually include:
- parent governors, elected by parents or carers of children at the school
- staff governors, elected by the teaching and support staff at the school
- co-opted governors, appointed by the governing board according to their skills or experience
- foundation governors, appointed by Church of England Diocese of Chichester and Catholic Diocese of Arundel and Brighton
- local authority governors, nominated by a local authority panel of cross-party councillors and the Assistant Director, Education and Skills
Governing boards usually meet once or twice every school term. You'll spend around 10 days a year on governor duties. This goes up to around 20 days if you take on a role, such as chairing.
Training and support
You can get training and support if you're already a governor from Brighton & Hove Education and Enterprise Marketplace (BEEM).