Local Education Authority (LEA) Appointed School Governors

One of the responsibilites of your local Councillors is to recruit Governors to schools within and around their Wards on behalf of the Local Education Authority (LEA) - this does not include parent, staff co-opted or associate governors. Current LEA vacancies will be advertised every month in our "News Articles" section. The Primary and Secondary Schools in and around Haydon Wick Ward are (see our photo gallery for pictures of some of the schools):

• Catherine Wayte Primary School
• Greenmeadow Primary School
• Haydonleigh Primary School
• Haydon Wick Primary School
• Abbey Meads Community Primary School
• Bridlewood Primary School
• Orchid Vale Primary School
• Red Oaks Primary School
• Hreod Parkway Secondary School
• River View Secondary School (Opening Sep 07)

School Governors qualify for a Swindon Card at the reduced rate of £5 - you must obtain a letter from the school's headteacher to prove eligibility.

Click here for a form to send to the Governor Support team at the LEA www.swindoneducation.org.uk/swindon/applications/filelib/
Registration%20of%20Interest%20Form.doc.

For more information on what being a governor involves, click on these links www.swindoneducation.org.uk/swindon/index.asp?id=1016 and www.haydonwickintouch.com/page.php?pid=14
Association of Swindon Governors' Web Site
Or write to one of us or e-mail us.

Cllr Justin Tomlinson (Abbey Meads ward) left with Cllr David Renard at the building site of the new Education Campus in Priory Vale.

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If you wish to be considered for a vacancy, please contact one of us with your contact details and we shall provide you with an application form.
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Article written 26 November 2002. Please check with David Hughston for the current information

Community pride and involvement in our local schools

by David Hughston, Governor Support Service, Swindon LEA

The recent BBC series "Great Britons" led me to think about our unsung heroes who in their own ways have made a positive difference to people?s lives. Back in September I had the privilege of meeting a truly inspirational person who certainly fits this bill. John Jones is a born and bred Liverpudlian who has been headteacher of three of the most troubled secondary schools in his home city. He has helped to turn each of them around from being classed as failing their pupils to being held up as examples of excellence.

The secret of his success is a deep pride in his community and an unshakeable belief that every child, regardless of circumstance, has the ability to achieve his or her potential. His philosophy, one that he asks his staff and governors to share, is that ?the pupils are smart enough if we?re good enough?.

I met him when he was guest-speaking at a conference organised for school governors. As a man passionate about his own community he wanted to spread the gospel that it is possible, indeed necessary, for local people to play an important part in the running of their schools. He freely admits that he could not have achieved the results he has without the support of governing bodies made up of local people who shared his desire to make a success of their school.

Governors work in partnership with the headteacher to identify what the school does well and make plans to ensure this good work continues. They also identify what could be improved and agree a plan of action for achieving these improvements over time. The plan is then the responsibility of the headteacher to implement and manage and the governing body to monitor and assess its progress.

To do this, governors do not need a detailed knowledge of educational matters, only the ability to absorb and interpret information and the confidence to ask pertinent questions. They bring valuable professional, trade or life experience skills to debate and decision making and these are complemented by high quality training provided free of charge by the LEA?s governor support team.

If you would like to know more about becoming a school governor, please give me a call on 465723 or send an email to david_hughston@swindon.gov.uk. I can send you an information pack or arrange to call on you at a convenient time for an informal chat about what is involved. Alternatively, enquire directly to your local school. There are currently community governor vacancies at Greenmeadow Primary, Haydonleigh Primary and Haydon Wick Primary as well as parent governor vacancies at Catherine Wayte Primary , Greenmeadow Primary and Hreod Parkway.

David Hughston