Governor Vacancies

Election of Staff Governor – Invitation for nominations

Humphry Davy School currently has a vacancy for a Staff Governor as Sarah Popp’s term of office expires on 20 May.

Members of staff are invited to consider standing for election as Staff Governor.

Staff Governors are elected by the staff of the school. All full-time and part-time members of staff under a contract of employment (permanent or fixed term) to work at the school in whatever capacity (ie teaching or support staff), are eligible to nominate themselves, or another member of staff to stand for election and to vote in an election for Staff Governor.

All Governors are appointed for a 4 year term, but a Staff Governor’s appointment ends if they leave the school before the end of their term of office.

Please note that this is a voluntary role outside contracted/paid hours of work.

The role of the Governing Body

Governing bodies have four core strategic functions:

• Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
• Holding the Headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its students;
• Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent; and ensuring the voices of school stakeholders are heard.

The role of the Staff Governor

The role of a staff governor is the same as any other governor, to contribute to strategic leadership and hold the Headteacher to account, but also includes providing a ‘staff viewpoint’. It is important for prospective staff governors to fully understand the nature of the role prior to appointment. Staff governors are not a spokesperson for the views of all staff, nor should they be held to account in relation to their staff role by the governing body.  Staff governors are not a staff representative but a representative member of staff.

No special qualifications are needed to be a governor and the most important thing is to have a keen interest in the school and be prepared to play an active part in the governing body’s work. Training is available for all governors and new governors will be given induction training and allocated an experienced governor as mentor for their first year in the role.

This is a challenging, but interesting and rewarding role which will give you the opportunity to experience and understand the strategic role of governance in the management of a school.

The Governing Body at Humphry Davy School

The Governing Body has 16 members, including the Headteacher and the Staff Governor.  It meets in person on Tuesdays, at least once a term, at 5.15pm and meetings are usually between 2 and 2 ½  hours duration. Whilst there is no expectation on new governors to take on more responsibility during their first year of office, more experienced governors contribute to sharing the workload of the governing body through membership of one or more of the committees that also meet at least once termly on Tuesdays at 5.15pm. The structure and remit of the committees and further information on the Governing Body can be found on the school website and following the links at https://www.humphry-davy.cornwall.sch.uk/2296/governing-body

The process

Stage 1 - Nominations

Contracted members of staff interested in standing for election as Staff Governor will be required to complete a nomination form. Self-nominations are acceptable, but if you are nominating another member of staff, you should ask them first!  

Anyone standing for election is invited to provide, along with their nomination form, a short personal statement (maximum 250 words). The statement should include your reasons for wanting to be a staff governor and the contribution you believe you can make to the governing body.

Nominations will be open from Monday 22 May 2023.  Nomination forms will be available by email from the Clerk to the Governors on gwallow@humphry-davy.cornwall.sch.uk  or from the school website.

Printed forms will also be available from the school office from this date.

The closing date for nominations to be received will be 12 noon on Monday 12 June

Completed nomination forms can be returned by email to gwallow@humphry-davy.cornwall.sch.uk

or via the school office in an envelope marked ‘Staff Governor Elections’.

If there is only one nomination received they will be automatically elected as staff governor.

STAGE 2 – The election

If there is more than one nominee, an election will be held and copies of candidates’ personal statements and information on the procedure to be followed for the election will be circulated to all members of staff eligible to vote. Ten school days will be allowed for the return of ballot papers. Each eligible member of staff will have one vote. The ballot is secret, and those standing for election will be invited to attend the count.

If an election is required ballot papers will go out to all staff on Friday 16 June.

The deadline for votes to be received will be midday (12 noon) on Friday 30 June.

The count will be held in the presence of any candidates who wish to attend at the end of school that day.

 

If you would like more information about being a school governor please do not hesitate to contact Geoff Swallow, Clerk to the Governors on gswallow@humphry-davy.cornwall.sch.uk  

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Visit our Governing Body page for more information on the HDS Governors.