What do Governors do?

Governors are often described as being critical friends of the School. They represent the local community on the governing body and represent the School within the local community.

Governors have a number of legal duties, which are outlined in the DfES document called “A Guide to the Law for School Governors”. These duties include having an overview of the financial, personnel and curriculum management of the college, and being responsible for considering pupil exclusions, staff dismissals and any complaints against the college. The Guide to the Law is available on the DfES website.

Governors are expected to attend meetings and undertake training. We are volunteers, though we can claim expenses for things like travel and baby-sitting.

At Longcroft School and Sixth Form College we believe that Governors should:

• Put the pupil at the centre of our thinking.
• Represent the School within the local community.
• Represent the local community on the governing body.
• Attend meetings.
• Undertake training and development.
• Visit the School.
• Be attached to an area of the School's work.
• Participate in decisions of the governing body.
• Accept joint responsibility for decisions of the governing body.
• Follow the procedures adopted by the School.
• Maintain confidentiality when necessary.
• Fulfil our statutory duties.

For more information about what governors do, please talk to one of the people already on the governing body by contacting the school office in the first instance.

Who can become a Governor?

Most people over the age of 18 are eligible to be School governors.

Governors are appointed or elected to serve for a term of four years. At the end of this period they may seek re-election if they are still eligible. All governors must undergo a DBS check before taking office or when reappointed in order to safeguard the pupils at the School.

You cannot generally be a governor if you have received a prison sentence, been disqualified from working with children, been removed from office for financial misconduct or been fined for causing a disturbance on school premises.

As well as Full Governing Body Meetings, from September 2021 sub-committee meetings will be held for:

• Sixth Form
• Upper School
• Lower School
• Special Educational Needs
• Finance Operations and Personnel
• Standards
• Inclusion