You have just been appointed as a school governor for the first time, and want to hit the ground running. What kind of introduction is available? Induction for new governors can be in one of several forms.
Your school should issue you with a Welcome Pack, which includes details of the school, the other governors, the policy for visiting the school, and a general guide to being a governor. The Governing Body may have a mentor scheme, in which you are buddied up with another governor, to learn the ropes and ask questions. Brighton produce this guide for writing a policy for School-based Induction and a sample Welcome Pack. Hertfordshire also provide a suggested list for the contents of a school induction pack.
The local authority will provide a national training programme for school governors, which should be available from the Governor Support Unit (or “Governor Services” / “School Governance Team” … Find your own LA) . The training workbook was last published in 2005, and parts are out of date. However, the original document can be downloaded from here: Training Programme for New Governors, and the programme forms the basis for most local authority Induction Training. See below for links to the “Welcome to New Governors” page of several LA sites.
Online learning: Modern Governor offer a number of e-learning modules, which may be available free of charge through your local authority or by the Governing Body buying into the scheme. Click here for a tutorial on how to register for access. A free sample unit on Becoming a School Governor sets the scene.
Publications: The National Governors Association publish a book called Welcome to Governance Price £10 (or £5.50 for NGA members).
SchoolsWorld.tv (previously Teachers TV) offer a wide variety of short videos in the Just for Governors section. There are several which aim to introduce you to your new role. This one compares three different kinds of Induction training.
Links to New Governor Information around the country:
- Doncaster
- Essex
- Gloucestershire
- Hillingdon
- Sheffield
- Warwickshire
- Find your own LA and see what they offer
Hi, thanks for the mention. If any of your readers have any questions, feel free to contact me elaine(at)moderngovernor(dot)com
Hi Elaine
I have also put further details of Modern Governor in the posting on Online Learning – happy to alert everyone to the different opportunities for them to develop their skills!
Pingback: Training and Development | Clerk to Governors