Getting to grips with the role

What was the issue addressed?

There is no shortcut to the fact that when you start as a governor (as in any job), there is an awful lot to learn. In my experience the process of induction is still very paper-led and, as such, learning is very one-way. There are some existing support structures in place (such as Governors Services Cymru) which I think quite highly of but there is a responsibility on the new governor to seek out answers to questions they might have.

What happened?

I spent a lot of time looking for advice and guidance online as well as simply asking questions. Unless a quick question/answer opportunity would arise in the course of a meeting, I would often speak to another governor or teacher at the completion of a meeting and ask questions to make sure I understood everything properly.

Again, I’ve been to some training events with Governors Services Cymru, which have been very useful.

What lessons were learnt?

The key thing is finding a trusted source for information that is current, relevant and useful.

Reflections…

What could your GB do to support new governors better?

What resources have you found helpful and have you shared these with fellow governors?

Have your say…

Have you had experiences similar to these? What do you think about the situation described?