For the schools in our Trust, a sense of place matters: the history, geography, social and economic context underpins the views and experiences of pupils, staff, and parents. A well-functioning local tier of governance provides the Trust Board with insight into the unique challenges and opportunities faced by our various communities. With this in mind each school the Trust has a local governing body (‘LGB’) composed of a group of volunteers drawn from the wider community. These volunteers bring a range of skills, experience, and professional expertise to support the school’s senior leadership team at a strategic level. We are dedicated to diversity in our governance structure, and to ensuring that every voice is heard respectfully. Our Local Governors provide essential links between the school, parents/carers, the local community, and the Trust board, which is ultimately responsible to the Department of Education for the performance of all its schools.

Our LGBs provide strategic oversight at the local school level of the management and operation of each school on behalf of the Trust Board. The LGB does not run the school on a day-to-day basis; this is the job of the Headteacher and other senior staff. A passion for education and a willingness to contribute to the school and its wider community are the main qualities we look for in our governance volunteers. Specifically local governors are responsible for maintaining strategic oversight in their school of Standards, Safeguarding, Special Educational Needs provision and Stakeholder engagement. Other areas that governors are involved in include the school's vision and strategy, and panel work where you may be asked to sit on panels to consider suspensions and exclusions or complaints.

As a Trust we offer new governance volunteers a full induction and ongoing training and support.

Time commitment Volunteering to be a local governor does require time commitment but is a rewarding position that provides essential support for the school and the Trust. Local Governors are expected to attend at least 4 full local governor meetings per year, usually held in the evening and lasting approximately two hours and which will have required reading of reports from the school leadership before each meeting. There is also an expectation that all local governors will wherever possible make themselves available to sit on Pupil Disciplinary or Complaint panels for their school, and they may also be asked to take on a specific link governor role which will involve termly visits with the link area staff lead at the school and producing a report for the wider LGB. Local governors are encouraged to attend school events such as annual school productions, parent forums, concerts and art shows and complete appropriate training. An appointed local governor’s term of office is usually four years.

If you are interested in finding out more about our governor vacancies or would like to request an application form please contact Shalene Varcoe, Head of Governance on svarcoe@tcset.org.uk