Become a school governor or academy trustee
You can volunteer to become:
- a school governor – a member of a school’s governing board
- an academy trustee – a member of a multi-academy trust’s board of trustees
The governing board and the board of trustees are strategic decision-making bodies for their school or trust.
There’s different guidance if you want to be a governor in Wales or be a governor in Northern Ireland. There are no school governors in Scotland.
What governors and trustees do
Governors and trustees:
- set their school or trust’s strategic direction
- hold the headteacher to account for their school or trust’s performance
- ensure that their school or trust’s budget is properly managed
They must hold at least 3 meetings of the full board each school year.
They may also look at issues in their school or trust in more detail, like:
- pupil performance
- curriculum
- staffing
- finances
- premises management
They can do this as part of sub-committees, who report back to the full board.
Who can be a governor or trustee
Anyone can be a governor or trustee.
You do not need to:
- be a parent or carer
- have any specific knowledge or skills – training can be provided
You will not be paid, but you can get expenses covered like travel or childcare costs.
How to volunteer
You can contact:
- a school near you
- a trust that manages schools in your area
- your local council
- recruitment charities like Governors for Schools or Inspiring the Future