Thank you for your interest about vacancies on the E P Collier Primary School Governing Body (GB). 

The GB is the team that provides strategic direction to the school and supports Mrs McMinn, Head Teacher, in her work with our pupils and the school community. The GB is a group of about a dozen people committed to supporting the school and enhancing education for our children. Some governors are school staff, some are appointed by Reading Borough Council (the Local Authority), some come from our local community – and some are parents or carers of children at the school.

Governing bodies are the strategic leaders of schools and have a vital role to play in making sure every child gets the best possible education. The relevant legislation states that the purpose of maintained school governing bodies is to ‘conduct the school with a view to promoting high standards of educational achievement at the school’.

Governors are asked to commit to a four-year term of office and should expect to give a certain amount of time to fulfil the role effectively. The GB meets about once a month in term time but much of the GB’s work is shared between individuals and informal small groups of governors with relevant skills and interests. For example, finance skills are useful in reviewing school budgets, and data analytical skills are useful when reviewing the children’s attainment and progress.

We would be happy to talk to you if you want to ask questions either about becoming a governor or how you may help the school in other ways such as fund raising.

You can contact me via the School Office and I’d be very glad to chat with you. There are also various places online where you can read about becoming a school governor, including:

• www.education.gov.uk (the Department for Education)

• www.gov.uk (the main Government website with helpful information on all sorts of topics)

• www.sgoss.org.uk (a voluntary organisation who sometimes help us to find governors)

• More general information is also available from the Reading Borough Council website: http://www.reading.gov.uk/residents/EducationandLearning/Schools/Governors/

Sandie Gill

Chair of Governors

We should also inform you that when a governor is appointed they are subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check (criminal record check) and must also complete a ‘Declaration of Suitability’ to be a governor.