Who are school governors?

Governors are volunteers who work in partnership with school headteachers to ensure that children receive the best education possible. Governors represent the largest volunteer group in the UK and are selected from a variety of backgrounds to reflect the many interest groups within our schools.

There is no such thing as a 'typical governor'. You do not need any formal qualifications, just an interest in your school, some energy and enthusiasm and some time to commit to the role. You can find out more by viewing our recruitment video below.

Governor Recruitment Video - Watch the video in Flash

You can also find out more about governor roles and responsibilities on our publications page.

The Governing Body

A school can have between 9 and 20 governors who are collectively known as the Governing Body. The Governing Body is made up of a number of different people from the community including

• parent governors, elected by and from parents of children of a school
• staff governors, elected by and from the staff of a school
• Local Authority (LA) governors, appointed by the County Council
• community governors, chosen by the rest of the governing body
• foundation governors, appointed by the foundation body, Diocesan Board of Education or Parochial Church Council
• partnership governors, appointed by the governing body (at foundation special schools which do not have a foundation)
• sponsor governors
• associate members