How the governing body works

Interested in becoming a school governor?

By volunteering as a governor, you can make a difference by shaping the future for our children. Governing is a rewarding experience and provides an opportunity to develop additional professional leadership and collaboration skills, all while making a real impact on children’s education.

We are looking for committed volunteers with a range of backgrounds and experiences to support Birchwood Grove’s values and strategic aims. We would like to hear from you if you have:

Time to contribute to the school
An open and enquiring mind
The ability to support and challenge
A willingness to learn and a desire to work collaboratively.

There are no specific qualifications or requirements for the role – every governing board needs a balance and diversity of knowledge, skills and experience. You don’t need to be a parent or to have a background in education as we have roles for both parent and co-opted (community) governors. Previous governance experience is not required as training and support will be made available.

Governing Responsibilities

The Birchwood Grove School Governors work together to:

Develop a vision and strategy for the school
Oversee the school’s financial performance and making sure money is well spent
Hold the school leadership team to account to ensure that every pupil has the best possible education
Engage with pupils, staff, parents and the school community to understand their views

Governance activities

The day-to-day running of Birchwood Grove School is the responsibility of our Headteacher, supported by our staff. The Governing Board provides support and oversight with the following key activities:

Attending governing board meetings – these normally take place up to nine times per year and are held in the evenings outside of school hours
Monitoring the school’s progress by looking at information and evidence and discussing with school leadership
Visiting the school and listening to the views of staff, pupils and parents, particularly at key school events
Supporting monitoring visits during the school day once a term
Making decisions about issues such as pay, pupil exclusions and staff disciplinary matters
Undertaking induction training and ongoing development

Eligibility

To be eligible to volunteer within a school you need:

The time to contribute
To be aged 18 or over
Not to be disqualified under the relevant rules and procedures

Birchwood Grove School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the role, including Disclosure and Barring Service checks and other checks relevant to the role of Governor.

How to apply

If you are interested in applying for the role or would like further information or an informal discussion with the Chair of Governors, we would be pleased to hear from you. Please contact Office@bwgschool.com