Spotlight On...School Governors

(6 October 2017)

Volunteer school governors play a crucial role in raising educational standards and by becoming a school governor you can make a real difference to the community you live in.

Jared Ruff is Head of Research, Planning and Business Engagement and until recently was a governor for a secondary school. Anne-Marie Nugnes, Marketing and Communications Manager in the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures (SALC), is a current governor for a primary school. 

What prompted you to want to volunteer as a school governor?

Jared: I was asked to consider applying by an outgoing governor who thought my background and experience in HE would be of benefit to the school. There was also an element of wanting to do something within our local community which I thought was important. Prior to that I had also been a primary school governor and had enjoyed that experience and wanted to take it into the secondary school area. 

Anne-Marie: Before becoming a Governor, I had been the Chair of the School PTA for two years and so I already had a keen interest in the School. I am now a Parent Governor at the same Primary School, the one that my children attend, and they have all really thrived there. I wanted to give something back to the community that we live in, and the school that has served my three children so well. 

How has being a governor benefitted you and the School that you work with?

Jared: Personally, it has really opened my eyes as to how demanding a job it is to manage a large school and it took me right out of my comfort zone to experience a new working environment, it sometimes made the work we do here look less challenging. For the school I was able to offer insights and experience from working in a similar area and also a large and diverse employer. The school was particularly looking for someone to lead sub-committees and related projects/initiatives and I was able to do that and relieve the head teacher and his leadership team of some of this burden. 

Anne-Marie: Over the years of being a Governor, I have developed lots of skills that I put into practise regularly in my marketing role at the University (chairing meetings, minute-taking, negotiating, handling conflict, difficult conversations, presenting, to name a few). We all contribute and bring something different to our Governing Body and I like to think that the school has benefited a lot from my skill set. Seeing the pupil progress improve, along with outcomes for the children, I feel a real sense of achievement in what we have accomplished as a Governing Body. 

How do you manage your University role alongside your responsibilities as a governor?

Jared: Fortunately, the University allows governors time to attend meetings during the working day (a number of sub-committee meetings take place in the mornings or late afternoons) but the role can still be very demanding. You have to prioritise and plan the work just as you do here as you really need to know your stuff, you cannot afford to coast in these roles. 

Anne-Marie: I work part-time at the University and so I am very fortunate in that I am able to fulfil many of my governor duties in my own time. Having said that, my line manager has been incredibly supportive on the occasions when I have had to request to attend governors meetings or events during my working day.

 What advice or encouragement would you give to anyone considering becoming a school governor?  

Jared: Don’t underestimate the time commitment and I would really undergo a crash course in the current UK educational landscape as changes in legislation, funding etc. come thick and fast. Despite the time commitment and the workload I would definitely encourage anyone interested to give it a go, it always amazed me how grateful the school were for the support.

Anne-Marie: Definitely do it - you won’t regret it! It’s incredibly rewarding.

The University’s School Governor network is a great source of support too. There is always someone to offer advice on pretty much any topic.  

Read our article on the University’s School Governor initiative to find out more.