Alumni School Governor Volunteers

Have you considered becoming a school governor?

Are you an England or Wales resident and looking for an opportunity to volunteer in your local community? Would you like to give something back, learn new skills, apply existing experience and gain valuable training and professional development while you do this? Can you spare up to 7 hours per month and attend 6 meetings per calendar year?

Schools, academies and colleges in the region are looking for volunteers from a wide range of sectors to be part of their governing bodies.

You do not need to be a parent or have any previous experience of working in a school or the education sector to get involved.

As a graduate of the University of Wolverhampton, you are well-placed to share your knowledge and understanding with school communities.

Volunteering as a school governor gives you the chance to have a direct, positive impact on the lives and educational outcomes of children and young people in your local area.

What next?

To apply to become a school governor is easy. Complete the below expression of interest form. This form will be shared with our to Schools and Colleges Partnerships Manager who will follow up on in interest:

Following this, you will then be sent an online application link - complete the application form online highlighting your skills, your motivation and specifying what you are looking for including phase of education and the distance you want to travel from either home or work. Governors for Schools will then get in touch with you with suitable vacancies, make introductions to the school and guide you through the next steps of the process.

Being a school governor is a chance to experience leadership at board level at any point in your career. Governors balance the school's budget, hire the head teacher and make strategic decisions. The role provides individuals with the opportunity to develop and hone skills such as negotiation, influencing and teamwork.

Volunteers need to be dedicated people who care about improving education, but they do not need prior board experience. It makes the role perfect for professionals looking to improve their business and leadership skills, give back to society and enhance children's futures.

You also don’t need to be a parent or have school-based experience.

Most governor appointments are for a term of four years. Governors are usually expected to attend three full governing body and around three committee meetings per year as a minimum. The preparation, participation and travel for these meetings, and training, will comprise around 7 hours a month. Schools also like Governors to be able to visit the school at least once or twice a year so that you can meet teachers and pupils, and see the school in action.

We are committed to ensuring newly appointed governors are up to speed and effective in their roles as quickly as possible. We provide a number of services to support you from the start.

Jagdeep Singh
UK Partnerships, University of Wolverhampton

Governor at Staffordshire Primary School

I chose to become a governor to gain a comprehensive understanding of primary education’s intricacies and its role in shaping young learners’ educational paths. Serving as a governor entails a symbiotic relationship, where both schools and governors mutually benefit—whether it's leveraging sector-specific expertise, financial acumen, or HR proficiency.  Through active participation in board meetings, consultations with the Head Teacher and School Staff, and crucial one-on-one discussions with students, I've acquired valuable insights, consistently placing the focus on the core of education—the students.

 

Paul Duffy

Conversion Team, University of Wolverhampton

Governor at a Midlands Primary School

Signing up to the Governors for Schools scheme has been one of my better decisions in recent years. Serving as a school governor at Lodge Farm Primary School for the past six months has been an incredibly enriching experience. During this time, I have had the opportunity to collaborate with a dedicated team of staff and fellow governors who are deeply committed to the school’s success. I’ve learned an awful lot about the intricacies of educational governance and the hard work that goes into creating a supportive and effective learning environment. Recently, we had a positive ungraded inspection, which highlighted the school's strong commitment to providing a high-quality education for all students. It has been incredibly rewarding to see the positive changes and the impact of our efforts in such a short period. I am proud to be part of Lodge Farm Primary School’s journey and look forward to its continued success.

Data Protection Disclosure

Alumni data will be stored on a database in accordance with the General Data Protection Act and used to administer participation in the project. For research purposes only, data provided may also be shared with the Office for Students (OfS), Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) or the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) and the Higher Education Access Tracker (HEAT) to help evaluate the effectiveness of this activity as part of the government policy to increase social mobility and to support the development of future policy. We will not disclose any data to anyone who is unauthorised to receive it.

Under GDPR you have the right to a copy of the data we hold. If you have any concerns about the use of this data for these purposes or would like a copy of the data you have supplied directly to us, requests should be made by email to alumni@wlv.ac.uk.