You could help shape the future of children and young people in Swansea by becoming a school governor.
Swansea’s schools and Swansea Council’s Education Department are calling on members of the public to get involved and help fill around 100 vacancies for Governors across the city.
Jain Watkins, of Swansea Council’s School and Governor Unit, said: “You don’t need formal qualifications but you do need an interest in young people, a healthy dose of common sense, an open mind and a willingness to learn.”
There are three types of School Governor who are appointed for a four-year period. Parent Governors, Community Governors and Local Authority Governors some of whom are elected members of the Council.
Deborah Lloyd is a Community Governor at Gowerton School where she has chaired the governing body since 2006 – a role she juggles with her full-time job.
She says governing body work is unpaid but enormously rewarding.
Deborah said: “Governors take part in appointment interviews, deciding on curriculum developments, allocating the school budget and making sure pupil welfare and behaviour are properly supported.
“We help in difficult times – handling occasional complaints, for example; and share the celebrations of success.”
The law states that employers are obliged to give employees who are school governors the time to carry out their important voluntary role.
Deborah says anyone thinking of becoming a governor should not be put off thinking they’d have a heavy workload or that they are not qualified enough.
She said: “Some governors have specialist skills and others have general interests but they all play a part. A school is a very special sort of organisation: it produces people, not things.
“To be a school governor the most important qualification is having a passion for making good schooling available to everyone.”
If you are interested in playing an active role in the future of education in our city and becoming a School Governor, please ring the School and Governor Unit at Swansea Council on 01792 636551.
