Parent Governor

Application Details:

We will be electing a new parent governor this term to join the governing body from July 2023.  Our parent governors are very valuable members of the governing body; we rely on them to help us to keep in touch with what parents are thinking.

Governing bodies are responsible for a wide range of matters.  Their duties include management of the school budget, school effectiveness, preparation for OFSTED inspection, formulation of post-OFSTED Action Plan and involvement in a variety of personnel and pupil issues.  In your role as a school governor, you will be supported in these duties by other experienced members of the governing body, the Headteacher, the clerk to the governors and the local authority.

The governing body works together as a group, meeting at least once a term.  If you are thinking of standing as a governor, remember that you will need to attend a minimum of three meetings a year, plus committee meetings during the term.  As a governor, you will normally hold office for a period of four years, even if your child leaves the school during this time.  You can, however, resign from the governing body at any time.  Attached is a fact sheet about the role of a governor, together with the Governors’ Code of Conduct, providing further information.

Parents from ethnic minorities and with disabilities are generally underrepresented on school governing bodies in the county.  Because we are an inclusive school, we would encourage anyone with a passion for education to join our dynamic governing body.

Government legislation requires all new and re-appointed school governors to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) criminal record check as they will be involved with children at this school.  All prospective governors will need to complete an online Standard Disclosure Form and have an email address.

Anyone who has parental responsibility for a pupil on the school roll at the time of the election can stand for election and can vote in the election.  Please find below a copy of the Eligibility Regulations for your information.

If you wish, you can include a few details about yourself and why you would like to become a governor. (See the below Nomination Form.)  This will then be circulated to all parents to help them decided who to vote for. You do not have to complete this section, but if you don’t you may put yourself at a disadvantage if there is an election.  You can complete the form electronically and return to election@whitehillsprimary.northants.sch.uk or print off and return to the school office.  Paper versions of the Nomination Forms are also available from the school office for completion.  All nominations should be received no later than 4.00pm on Friday, 16^th June.  Every nomination must be signed.

If more nominations than the number of vacancies is received on the 16^th June, we will send out the names of the candidates and their details.  Each parent/guardian will have one vote per vacancy regardless of the number of children you have in the school.  You will have a choice of voting options, i.e. place your vote electronically or vote by ballot paper. Electronic votes will only be accepted from an email address that is registered with Parent Mail.  Details of how to vote will be sent via Parent Mail nearer the time so please watch out for the email.  The ballot is secret.  If voting by ballot paper, you can send or post ballot papers back in a sealed envelope addressed to the Returning Officer, or drop it into the ballot box outside the school office.  All the votes, both paper and electronic, must be in by 4.00pm on Wednesday, 5^th July.  Once the ballot has been completed, the online DBS Disclosure Form will be activated, verified and returned to the Leadership and Governance Team.  Parents will be notified of their new representative on the governing body on Tuesday 11^th July.  The appointed governor will not be allowed to work with children until their DBS clearance has been received.