Types of school governors

What are Local Authority governors?

Local Authority (LA) governors are nominated to stand for a vacancy on a Governing Body by an Elected Member of the Council. They are appointed by the Governing Board.

A person cannot be an LA Governor if they

  • are eligible to be a staff governor of the school (for example, paid to work at the school).
  • are disqualified according to the Constitution Regulations

What are Co-opted governors?

Co-opted governors are appointed by the governing body to represent community interests. These governors can be people who

  • live or work in the community served by the school
  • people who do not work or live close to the school but are committed to the good governance and success of the school.
  • members of the school (or federation) staff as long as all staff make up no more than 1/3 of the total membership

What are parent governors?

Parent governors are parents (including carers) of registered pupils at the school. They are elected by other parents at the school (or federation).

“Parent” is “any individual who has or has had parental responsibility for, or cares or has cared for, a child or young person under the age of 19”.

Schools must make every reasonable effort to fill parent governor vacancies through elections. If insufficient parents stand for election the governing body can appoint:

  • a parent of a registered pupil at the school, or if that is not possible
  • a parent of a former pupil at the school, or if that is not possible
  • a parent of a child of, or under, compulsory school age

This also applies to community special schools and foundation special schools. Parent governors in these schools must be

  • a parent of a registered pupil at the school, or if that is not possible
  • a parent of a former pupil at the school, or if that is not possible
  • a parent of a child of or under compulsory school age with special educational needs for which the school is approved, or if that is not possible
  • a parent with experience of educating a child with special educational needs.

A person cannot be a parent governor of a school if they

  • are an elected member of the council
  • work at the school for more than 500 hours in any consecutive 12-month period

What are staff governors?

Staff governors are elected by the school staff. They must be paid to work at the school. Both teaching and non-teaching staff are eligible. Volunteers are ineligible. Any election that is contested must be held by ballot.

Is the Headteacher a governor?

The Headteacher is a separate category of governor. If the headteacher decides not to be a governor, they must inform the clerk of that decision in writing. The headteacher’s place remains reserved for them and cannot be taken by anyone else.

What are Foundation governors?

Foundation governors are appointed by

  • the school’s founding body
  • church
  • or other organisation named in the school’s instrument of government.

Foundation governors

  • may hold their governorship in an ex officio capacity if they are the holder of an office specified in the instrument of government, for example a parish priest.
  • must preserve and develop the religious character if the school has this.
  • must also ensure compliance with the trust deed, if there is one.

If there is more than one body that has the right to appoint foundation governors, the instrument of government specifies the bodies concerned and the basis on which appointments are made.

What are Partnership governors?

If the school has no foundation or equivalent body, the foundation governors are replaced by partnership governors. They appointed by the governing body after a nomination process.

The governing body must ask parents of registered pupils at the school, and others in the community (for example community organisations and other local bodies), to provide nominations.

A person cannot be a Partnership governor if they are

  • parents of registered pupils at the school
  • staff eligible to be staff governors
  • elected members of the LA
  • employed by the LA in connection with education functions

What are Associate members?

Associate members can be appointed by the governing body. They serve on one or more committees and attend full governing body meetings. The definition of associate member is wide. Pupils, school staff and people who want to contribute on issues related to their area of expertise (for instance, finance) can be appointed as associate members.

Associate members

  • are members of any committees established by the governing body
  • are appointed for a period of between one and four years
  • can be reappointed at the end of their term of office
  • are not governors
  • are not recorded in the instrument of government

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