Inspire young lives - become a Derbyshire School Governor

School governors play a vital role in helping children and young people get the best possible start in life and Derbyshire County Council is appealing for new recruits to join the team. The authority has vacancies for local authority governors at schools across Derbyshire who work closely with headteachers and school leaders, staff, pupils and parents to improve education.

Governors draw on their knowledge and experience to provide headteachers with support and advice and don’t need any specialist training, just an enthusiastic interest in children’s education.

They work as part of governing boards to help make key strategic decisions for schools and ensure all statutory duties are met to help drive up standards and raise standards of achievement for all pupils.

Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for SEND and Education Councillor Jack Bradley said: “Good governors can make all the difference to the way a school performs and to inspire young lives from the first day starting in reception all the way up to sixth form. 

“We’re looking for new recruits who want to inspire and make a difference in local education and wider school communities to join our teams of governing bodies at schools across the county. 

“Experience of teamwork and some knowledge of business management is useful, but applicants don’t need any special skills or training, they don’t have to have worked in a school or even be a parent - they just need to be aged 18 or over and have an enthusiastic interest in our children’s future.

“Becoming a governor is the perfect opportunity for people looking to skill-up for a career change, for retired people wanting a new interest or missing a challenge plus something that would look great on a CV as a way into teaching.

“It’s a challenging but rewarding job and as well as improving education in your local area, being a governor can also help your own personal development and self-confidence.”

The role of a local authority school governor
Governors are volunteers who attend meetings and work to further the school's development. They work with headteachers and governing bodies providing support and advice.

Responsibilities include:

• * Ensuring the school’s vision, ethos and strategic direction is clear
• * Holding Headteachers and executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils and the effective and efficient performance management of staff
• * Developing the school's strategic plan and determining its priorities, policies, aims and targets
• * Monitoring the impact of policies and evaluating the school’s progress
• * Securing high levels of attendance, good standards of pupil behaviour and raise standards to achieve the best possible outcomes for children
• * Overseeing financial performance, deciding what the school’s budget is spent on, making sure it’s well-spent and deciding staff numbers
• * Ensure schools work with parents and the wider school and local community

Local authority governors are nominated by Derbyshire County Council and appointed by the governing board.

Applicants need to be aged 18 or over and can be in full or part-time work, not working or taking a career break, in higher education or training or retired. Full support and guidance will be provided for roles starting in the September autumn term or on into 2026.

Support is available including training on a wide range of subjects and advice is available from the county council as well as from headteachers, school leaders and experienced governors.

Anyone interested in becoming a school governor can find out more and apply online at www.derbyshire.gov.uk/governors