PARENT GOVERNORS ROLES

CANDIDATES PACK

This pack contains:

• Information about parent governors.
• Information about the role of the Governing Body.
• Information about support arrangements.
• An outline of the election process and a nomination form.

WHO ARE PARENTS GOVERNORS?

All school governing bodies have parent governors. They are elected by parents/carers of children at the school.  For a person to stand for election and to vote in a parent governor election he/she must either be a natural parent of a child registered at the school, or be a person with parental responsibility for, or having care of, such a child.

Governors normally serve for four years. If a parent governor ceases to be the parent of a child registered at the school within the period for which they have been elected, he/she may continue to be a governor for the rest of his/her term of office.

WHAT ARE PARENT GOVERNORS?

Parent governors have the same rights, responsibilities and duties as the governors.

Parent governors play a full and active part in the governing body.

Parent governors, like other governors, do not have the power to act as individuals or as a group, unless specifically authorized to do so by the governing body.

Parent governors are not on the governing body simply to represent the interest of parents, or to be the only link with parents because all governors must have regards to these issues.

WHAT DO GOVERNORS DO?

All academy and maintained schools have a governing body which together with the Principal set the aims and policies of the school. The Principal is responsible for the day to day management of the school. Together the governing body and Principal ensure the school provides good quality education and helps to raise standards.

WHAT DOES THE GOVERNING BODY DO?

The Governing Body upholds a strong focus on 3 core strategic functions:

1. Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
2. Holding the executive leader/s to account for the educational performance of the school and its students, and the performance management of staff; and
3. Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.

The main duties and responsibilities of the Governing Body are:

• Upholding the values of One In A Million Free School (by example) and ensuring that the values are reflected in Governing Body discussions and decisions and promoted throughout the school.
• Ensuring that the school promotes equality and diversity for all its staff, young people and other stakeholders.

Relationships

• Building and maintaining close relations between the school, the Principal, staff, students and stakeholder groups to promote the effective operation of activities.
• Working with partner organisations to ensure the effective delivery of services.

Strategy and Performance

• Ensuring outcomes in terms of student attainment and the rating awarded.
• Establishing clear and challenging objectives around school improvement, curriculum development, behaviour, attendance and safeguarding to deliver the agreed plans and strategy for educational outcomes and regularly review performance against those objectives.
• Ensuring the effective implementation of Governing Body decisions by the Principal and senior leadership team.
• Holding the Principal to account for the effective management of the school and delivery of the educational outcomes.
• Ensuring the long-term sustainability of the school.

Stewardship

• Upholding the values of One In A Million Free School by example and ensuring that the values are reflected in Governing Body discussions and promoted throughout the school.
• Ensuring that the school promotes equality and diversity for all its staff, young people and other stakeholders.

Eligibility Statement

Please read the eligibility statement as required by the government and ensure you do not meet any of the criteria: https://www.oiam.org/attachments/downloads.asp?file=349

HOW MUCH TIME WILL IT TAKE?

To be an effective member of the governing body team, it takes time. You will need to prepare for and attend at least five full governing body meetings per year. You will also be involved in one or two committee dealing with finance, risk and resources or teaching, learning and curriculum. These usually meet at least once a term. In addition, some governors take on other roles such as Special Educational Needs governor.

WHAT SUPPORT IS AVAILABLE?

One In A Million Free School provides support services, a strong induction and training for all governors.

NOMINATION AND ELECTION PROCESS

Parents are asked to nominate themselves using the Parent Governor Nomination Form included in this pack.

We are accepting applications from 31^st January 2024 to 12.00 noon on 9^th February 2024.

Completed application forms (see editable Word Document attached below) need to be returned to school in a sealed envelope for the attention of: Minupar Parvin/Returning Officer. If you are unable to submit it at school, please send it for the attention of:

Minupar Parvin
Principal’s PA/Returning Officer
One In A Million Free School
Cliffe Terrace
Bradford, BD8 7DX.

Alternatively, you may prefer to send your nomination by email, containing the same information as is on the form to: Minupar.Parvin@Oneinamillion.org.uk

In the event that there are more parents/carers nominations than vacancies are submitted, all parents/carers will be asked to vote for their preferred candidate for the vacancy.  Ballot papers will be issues to all parent/carers on 9^th February 2024. 

Parents/Carers will be asked to fill in the ballot paper and return it to school no later than 12.00 noon on 19^th February 2024. If they are unable to submit their ballot paper at school, they should send it for the attention of the Returning Officer using the details above. A checking process will be in place to ensure that each parent/carer only submits one ballot paper and votes for 1 candidate only. The names of the candidates standing for election will be on the ballot papers, along with their personal statements; no other names will appear on this paper. It may be possible to vote online. If this is the case, we will advise you when sending out ballot papers. The results of the election will be announced on 23^rd February 2024.

Yours faithfully

Mrs J Hobbs
Principal