Dear Parents/Carers,
There is a vacancy for a parent governor to serve on the Leigh Academy Blackheath Board. We are very keen to encourage parents and/or carers of registered pupils to nominate themselves to fill this place.
Parent governors are elected by other parents and are vital to the work of the overall Board. They have the same responsibility as other governors for carrying out the governing body’s wide range of responsibilities. Governors do not run the Academy day-to-day, as their role is at the strategic or policy-making level. You do not have to be an expert on education to be a school governor and we value the experience that all governors bring to the role.
If you join our academy board, you will serve for a four year term and you can continue to the end of the four years even if your child/children leave the school. Please be aware, being a governor does take up time. There are 4 board meetings each year, and governors are expected to visit the Academy and join committees as requested. Although the role of governor is an unpaid position, it is a role which requires you to set aside time to prepare for meetings, visit the school and undertake training.
Who can be a parent governor?
All those who have parental responsibility and are over the age of 18 are eligible to stand for election, including parents who work at the school, provided that they work for less than 500 hours per year when they are elected.
There are some circumstances that disqualify an individual from serving as a school governor. If you wish to stand, you will be asked to complete a self-declaration of eligibility form to state that there are no reasons for disqualification from serving as a governor and provide evidence of identity and address if required.
How to nominate yourself
If you would like to put your name forward, your nomination must be supported by another parent of pupil/s currently at the school (not including anyone to whom you are closely related). Their signature, name and address must be on the nomination form (attached below).
If the number of nominations is the same as or less than the number of vacancies, all candidates will be elected unopposed.
If there are more nominations than vacancies, an election will take place. The statements of all candidates will be typed in a standard format and circulated to all parents with ballot papers.
To find out more about what being a governor at this school is like, you can contact Leigh Academies Trust on 01634 412211, who will be very willing to answer any questions.
If you would like to take the opportunity to put yourself forward as a candidate, please complete and return the attached sheet to me by Friday 7th October by 4pm. If it is necessary for there to be an election, I will contact you to let you know about the arrangements.
Yours sincerely,
Lindsey Moir
Predising Officer
Parent Governor Election Nomination Form