Latest Vacancies

Closing date: Sunday 23 February 2025

 

Employment type:

Volunteer (Unsalaried post)

 

Job description

Do you want to be inspired by the impact of education? Hatch End High School in Harrow are looking for skilled volunteers to support education by becoming school governors.

What difference will you make?
Governors make decisions that affect schools for years to come. As a governor, you can visit the school to gain an understanding of the culture and ethos and to get the most out of the role. You’ll also have the opportunity to meet children, parents, and teachers, and see the impact of your work first-hand.

What are we looking for?
You do not need to be an expert in education to be an effective Governor, but you do need to have an awareness of current state educational issues.  You must be over 18, you don’t need to be a parent or have experience working in education.  Often, it’s the outside perspective you can bring that a school needs. Professional experience in areas such as HR, finance, law, or project management are all useful to a school. But soft skills such as leadership, communication, and problem solving are also great additions.

What will you be doing?
Governing bodies are responsible for the strategic management of a school and will make decisions about a wide range of issues. The core responsibilities involved are:

• Ensuring accountability
• Acting as a ‘critical friend’ to the Headteacher
• Monitoring and evaluating the school’s progress
• Budgetary allocation and control
• Shaping plans for school improvement and overseeing their implementation
• Setting the school’s aims and values
• Appointing senior members of staff including the Headteacher

 

About the opportunity:

• Contribute to transforming young lives and improving educational outcomes
• Develop your professional and personal skills
• Enrich the school governing board with your experiences and knowledge
• Support and training are available to help you to get to grips with the role

 

About the Governing Board

The Governing Board is usually split into a small number of committees, each responsible for one area such as finance or pupil achievement. These committees will meet separately from the main governing board to discuss relevant issues in more detail. Discussion is then fed back at a full governing board meeting. A school Governing Board is made up of representatives from the school, the parents, the local authority and the local community. 

The Governing Board meets approximately four times a year. There are also two Committees, which meet four/five times during the year (in the early evening, mostly on Tuesdays): they are the Finance, Audit & Resources Committee and the Student, Performance, Curriculum & Wellbeing Committee.

Governors are expected to attend all Governing Board meetings and become a member of one Committee in order that they can contribute to discussions and the work of the Governing Board. As part of their duties, Governors also carry out monitoring visits and will be required to attend occasional meetings during the school day.

 

Application process

As part of the application process, you will be required to visit the school therefore please contact Beth Holmes, Clerk to the Governing Board on governors@hatchend.harrow.sch.uk to arrange a visit to the school before submitting your application.  Interviews will be held with the Chair of the Governing Board.

Hatch End High School is an equal opportunities employer.  This school is committed to the safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All posts working in schools are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and two written references.