Following the finding by Janet Finch-Saunders, Assembly Member for Aberconwy and Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Local Government, that the number of vacancies for school governors in Conwy, North Wales, and Wales are at record highs, she is calling for action to be taken to ensure that this key educational body is functioning effectively across Wales.

Janet said:

“With children having only just returned to school after the summer holiday, attention has naturally turned towards their education and schools again.

“Whilst it always seems that school teachers are fully responsible for your local schools, governors play an extraordinarily important role too.

“It is a legal requirement for all maintained schools to have a governing body formed of appointed or elected governors who work with their local authority, head teacher, staff, pupils, other schools and, in some instances, the diocesan authority.  As many will already know, the responsibilities include ensuring that the national curriculum and appropriate assessment arrangements are carried out, setting and publishing pupil performance targets, visiting the school, making budget decisions, appointing staff, and much more.

“Clearly, school governors play a key role in ensuring that our schools are managed effectively and that pupils receive good education. Therefore, I am extremely worried about my finding that the number of vacancies on school governors in North Wales and Wales are at their highest level since 2004/5.

“Going forward, I encourage you all to find out if there is a vacancy at your local school, and I will question Kirsty Williams AM, Cabinet Secretary for Education to find out exactly what measures the Welsh Government is taking to help governors and encourage more people to put their names forward”.

ENDS

Written Assembly Question to Kirsty Williams AM, Cabinet Secretary for Education:

Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the fact that vacancies for school governors are at their highest in Wales since 2004/5, and explain what measures the Welsh Government is taking to encourage more people to put their names forwards to become part of this key educational body?

Notes:

Each maintained school must have a governing body constituted in accordance with the Education Act 2002, Part 3, Chapter 1, which sets out the framework for the establishment of governing bodies.

School Governors' guide to the law

School governance

Number of vacancies on the school governing body on census day in primary, middle, secondary and special schools, by local authority, region and year