School Governor Cottage Grove Primary school

Cottage Grove Primary School caters for children from the ages of 3 through to 11 and is part of The Gateway Trust, a Hampshire and the Solent multi-academy trust of seven schools. We are recruiting six Local Governance Advisors (LGAs) to join the Cottage Grove Local Governance Advisory Board (LGAB). Each LGAB in the trust is made up of a chair, a vice chair and six Local Governance Advisors.

Being a Local Governance Advisor is a challenging but hugely rewarding role. Each school’s LGAB makes sure the voices of pupils, families, staff and the wider community shape the direction of the school. As an LGA you will be able to:

·       Make a real difference to children’s lives and influence the future of local education

·       Champion your local school and community

·       Develop your leadership and governance skills

·       Work alongside experienced education professionals

·       Gain evidence towards your professional development

As an academy, Cottage Grove is governed by The Gateway Trust. The trust board is accountable for all of its schools and sets the overall vision, strategy and budget, while each school’s LGAB provides local insight, support and challenge. Between them, the advisors on each LGAB hold a named area of responsibility, and we are recruiting for all six: safeguarding and wellbeing; inclusion; community and parental engagement; student voice and engagement; aspirations and future pathways; and staff wellbeing and engagement. In action, this means:

·       Visiting the school to monitor your named area of responsibility and reporting back to the LGAB

·       Engaging with pupils, staff, parents and the wider school community so that their voices are heard

·       Supporting and challenging school leaders by asking questions about data and evidence

·       Monitoring how the school supports all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)

·       Keeping safeguarding, pupil wellbeing and staff wellbeing under regular review

·       Sharing local knowledge and feedback with the trust to inform decision-making

All LGAs are required to have an Enhanced DBS check, which the school will apply for on your behalf.

This is a voluntary role and expenses are reimbursed.

Interested? If you would like to help shape the future of education in your community, we would be delighted to hear from you. 

Skills

Anyone aged over 18 can be an LGA and you do not need to be a parent. Governance experience is not essential – full induction, training and support are provided. What matters is that you have the necessary skills, character and time to contribute.

The trust benefits from a range of professional knowledge and experience on its LGABs. Cottage Grove Primary would welcome applications from all interested persons and, for each role, would particularly welcome:

·       Safeguarding and wellbeing: experience of child welfare or social care

·       Inclusion: experience of SEND, disadvantage or equality

·       Community and parental engagement: strong local links and experience of involving families

·       Student voice and engagement: experience of working with children and listening to their views

·       Aspirations and future pathways: links with local employers, colleges or community groups

·       Staff wellbeing and engagement: experience of HR, wellbeing or staff engagement

It is also important that you have time to commit to the role. LGAs typically commit one to two days per term, including LGAB meetings, school visits, background reading and training. Cottage Grove LGAB meetings are held on a Tuesday at 4:30 and typically last no more than 2 hours.