Governors make important decisions about how every school is run. They come from all sections of the community: parents, staff at the school, the world of business, representatives of local councils and churches – in fact, anyone. There is always a need for enthusiastic and committed people to serve as governors.

You don’t have to be an ‘expert’ – only able to get on with others and to work as part of team. You’ll also need some spare time – typically between 25 and 50 hours a year – to go to meetings and read papers. There are plenty of free training courses available to help governors with their responsibilities.

The governing body is responsible for making sure the school provides a good quality education. Together with the head it sets the school’s aims and policies, and makes decisions on how to spend the budget (in larger schools several million pounds). The head is responsible for day-to-day management, but he or she is chosen by the governors and works closely with them.

Being a governor is an opportunity to have your voice heard and to influence education in the county. So if you care enough about the children of Hertfordshire to invest some of your time in their future, get involved as a governor.