Become a Governor
Make a difference in your community
Being an academy governor is a hugely rewarding form of voluntary work. Our governors make a real difference to our children and their local community, by actively contributing to the success of the academy.
All our governors are given access to ongoing training, resources and personal development. You will be able to gain expertise which is transferable to your own professional life, together with gaining a better understanding of the education system.
Joining a Local Governing Board
Each academy has a Local Governing Board whose governors’ oversee academy improvement, performance and identity. These boards work closely with their head teacher to monitor the day-to-day running of the academy, ensuring the improvement plan is carried out to the highest standards.
Governors form a crucial part of an academy’s success, offering peer support and challenge to leadership teams. All of our established boards are highly valued and encouraged to work closely with those that lead and manage them.
Your commitment
Governors offer their time voluntarily. Becoming a governor within an academy will mean a commitment for a period of four years. You will be expected to attend board meetings and possibly a committee. Additionally, governors may be asked to participate on various panels. All governors are linked to a faculty or specialism within the academy, often drawing on their own experience or knowledge.
Types of governors
Our Local Governing Boards consist of governors from all walks of life and usually fall into one of these categories:
- parent governors (also open to grandparents and foster carers)
- staff governors
- trust governors PCC (nominated by the PCC in faith schools)
- trust governors (appointed by DDAT board)
- chapter governor (a category for the Cathedral School)
Eligibility
To be eligible as an academy governor you must be over 18 years of age and not have been declared bankrupt. There are no particular qualifications or requirements other than a willingness to give time to the role and a capacity for working with other people.
Any particular skills of experience our governors have will always be utilised wherever possible, to enable the academy, its students, staff and community to benefit from this knowledge.
To find out more about becoming a governor, please contact Jayne Hadfield, Head of Governance Services, at jayne.hadfield@derby.gov.uk
DDAT welcomes a diverse population of both children and staff and is committed to promoting and developing equality of opportunity in all its functions.
DDAT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All appointments are subject to satisfactory references, online checks, pre-employment and Disclosure Barring Service checks. The possession of a criminal record will not necessarily prevent an applicant from obtaining this post, as all cases are judged individually according to the nature of the role and information provided.
