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Chesswood Junior School

Chesswood Junior School

Becoming a Governor - Election

Parent Governor Election

Firstly, thank you for taking an interest in governance at Chesswood Junior School. This leaflet is designed to provide a brief overview of life and governance at Chesswood Junior School.

The Governors of Chesswood are often seeking new governors to join the school governing body team. Parent governors are elected by their fellow parents and are vital to a governing body because they ensure that the other governors are kept in touch with the concerns and issues of most importance to families currently in school. Additionally, co-opted governors would typically be independent of the school community and seek to balance the medium to long term requirements for all children. School governors represent the largest volunteer force in the country, with approximately 1% of the adult population serving in this capacity at any one time.

The parent governor online nomination form is at the base of this page - please complete that form to register your interest in school governance.

 

 

A brief overview

Principles and Personal Attributes

The principles and personal attributes that individuals bring to the board are as important as their skills and knowledge. These qualities enable board members to use their skills and knowledge to function well as part of a team and make an active contribution to effective governance.

All those elected or appointed to boards should fulfil their duties in line with the seven principles of public life (the Nolan principles). They should also be mindful of their responsibilities under equality legislation, recognising and encouraging diversity and inclusion. They should understand the impact of effective governance on the quality of education and on outcomes for all children and young people. In addition, all those involved in governance should be:

Committed

Devoting the required time and energy to the role and ambitious to achieve best possible outcomes for young people. Prepared to give time, skills and knowledge to developing themselves and others in order to create highly effective governance.

Confident

Of an independent mind, able to lead and contribute to courageous conversations, to express their opinion and to play an active role on the board.

Curious

Possessing an enquiring mind and an analytical approach and understanding the value of meaningful questioning.

Challenging

Providing appropriate challenge to the status quo, not taking information or data at face value and always driving for improvement.

Collaborative

Prepared to listen to and work in partnership with others and understanding the importance of building strong working relationships within the board and with executive leaders, staff, parents and carers, pupils/students, the local community and employers.

Critical

Understanding the value of critical friendship which enables both challenge and support, and self-reflective, pursing learning and development opportunities to improve their own and whole board effectiveness.

Creative

Able to challenge conventional wisdom and be open-minded about new approaches to problem-solving; recognising the value of innovation and creative thinking to organisational development and success.

           

Governor Election Materials

Guide

Link

Governor Information Leaflet

Please click on the image opposite to open our governor information leaflet. The leaflet provides a welcome; an overview of the school context, governing body constitution, commitment expected of governors, principles and personal attributes that lead to good governance, next steps to take if your are interested and finally a wide range of further information from a variety of sources about school governance.

Firstly, thank you for your initial interest. We hope you find this information useful and it leads you to the next stage of registering your interest in joining the school governing body.

 

Should you have any questions about this process and governance in general please do not hesitate to contact the Chair of Governors COG@chesswood.w-sussex.sch.uk. Should you have any specific questions in relation to school information, please contact the head teacher, Andrew Jolley, head@chesswood.w-sussex.sch.uk.

 

 

 

 

Nomination Invitation Letter

Please click on the image opposite to open a PDF version of the Governor Nomination Letter or follow this LINK.

How to become a school governor

This guide provides information about who can and cannot become a school governor. It is important to ensure that, before applying, there are no elements that would disqualify you from being successfully appointed. Please click on the image opposite to find out more or follow this LINK

 

West Sussex County Council

Chesswood Junior School is a local authority school. The local authority is West Sussex county council. Please click the image opposite to open the guidance or follow this LINK

Governor Competency Framework

The importance and significance of outstanding governance and leadership across our education system, in every school in England, has never been greater. The role of governing boards in defining and implementing strategy whilst holding the leaders of schools and trusts to account has to be the foundation upon which a world-class education system is built. Governors or trustees who work as a team, who are able to bring their skills and experience to the role and who blend challenge and support to hold their workforce to account, will improve standards. Our shared ambition is to ensure that there are enough good school places for every child in England. What we have attempted to do in this Competency Framework for Governance is to define more clearly the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed for governance to play its full part in this vision.

Please click the image opposite to open the guidance or follow this LINK

The Governor Handbook

The Governance handbook is guidance from the Department for Education (‘the department’). It sets out the government’s vision and priorities for effective school and trust governance by:

• outlining the core role and functions of the governing board;

• summarising and providing a first point of reference on all the legal duties on boards, 1 signposting to more detailed information, guidance and resources; and

• providing information on the support available to boards to be effective. It should be read alongside the department’s ‘Competency Framework for Governance’

Please click the image opposite to open the guidance or follow this LINK

 

Online Governor Nomination

You may complete the form on this web page or follow this LINK to complete on a smaller device such as a mobile phone. There are hard copy forms for any prospective governor not able to complete the online form. However, we request that every effort is given to completing the online version of the nomination. 

Guide

Link

Governor Nomination Form - Hard Copy (WORD)

Wherever possible please complete the nomination using the online form above. If it is not possible to complete the online form please click on the image opposite to download a word version of the Governor Nomination - this may be completed electronically and submitted by email.

 

Governor Nomination Form - Hard Copy (PDF)

Wherever possible please complete the nomination using the online form above. If it is not possible to complete the online form please click on the image opposite to download a PDF version of the Governor Nomination - this may be completed electronically and submitted by email.