Thatcham Park Primary School

Our governing board is looking to co-opt up new school governors. This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to the future of our school and help shape the education of our 400+ pupils. You don’t need to be a parent of a pupil at the school; your unique perspective could be just what our board needs. We’re looking for people with a commitment to supporting our school, a willingness to contribute to strategic decisions, and the ability to work as part of a team.

This is a voluntary position for 6-10 hours a month and no previous experience in education or school governance is required. Instead, we’re looking for people will specific skills in any of the following areas - more detail for each can be found on the next page of this document:

• Health and safety
• IT/technical (not the ICT curriculum, more the school infrastructure)

What’s in it for you?

• The opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of local children and families
• Chance to develop new skills and valuable experience in governance and leadership
• Help shape the strategic direction of a thriving school community
• Full training and ongoing support provided
• Be part of a friendly and committed team

About our school:

Our Christian values underpin our ethos; every child is valued and encouraged to achieve their full potential. Every member of our school community is encouraged to respect and value each other. We want our children to learn to understand and respect our common humanity, diversity and differences so that they can go on to form the effective, fulfilling relationships that are an essential part of life and learning.

What do Co-Opted Governors do?

Co-opted Governors play a vital part in supporting the strategic leadership of Thatcham Park School. They don’t get involved in operational activities, for example writing policies, instead they would use their expertise to review the school’s existing policies for compliance. Governors are “critical friends” to the school, ensuring that the school is held to the highest possible standards. This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to the success of the school, ensuring the best possible education and outcomes for all pupils.

What's involved in the role:

• Attending full governing board and committee meetings (usually a total of two meetings per half term)
• Termly visits to the school during the day to understand how it operates and prepare governor monitoring reports
• Reading papers and reports before meetings in order to give your opinions and advice
• Contribute to the strategic direction and decision-making of the school
• Hold the school’s senior leaders to account for educational performance and financial management
• Support and challenge school leaders to ensure the school’s vision and values are upheld
• Work collaboratively with other governors as part of an effective team
• Participate in governor training and development opportunities
• Maintain confidentiality and act with integrity at all times
• Champion the interests of all pupils, staff, and the wider school community

What we're looking for in applicants:

• A strong commitment to the role and to improving outcomes for children
• Good interpersonal skills, curiosity, and a willingness to learn and develop new skills
• The ability to think strategically about the school's future
• Time to attend governing board meetings (typically held at school on Tuesdays between 5.30 – 7.30pm, twice per half term)

• Someone who can maintain confidentiality and act with integrity at all times

• A collaborative approach and the ability to work as part of a team
• An individual that supports the school’s vision and values (information can be found in the Governors area of the website)

Time commitment:

The role requires approximately 6-10 hours per month (depending on the meeting schedule and when school holidays fall). This time including meetings, preparation time, and school visits.

Safeguarding:

Thatcham Park School supports Equal Opportunity of employment, and positively encourages applications from people who fall within any of the nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.

This School is committed to safeguarding children and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.  We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment.  All shortlisted candidates will be asked to complete a criminal records self-disclosure form and successful candidates will be subject to Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks along with other relevant employment checks.

This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.