Log inRegisterStart your free trial
GovernorHub Knowledge logo
  • Training
  • News briefing
  • Policy bank
GovernorHub
  • Pupils and learning
  • Parents & the community
  • Engaging with parents & the community

School and trust newsletters: governance roles

Find out what questions you can ask about your school or trust’s newsletter and what you can expect it to cover, so you can make sure your community is kept up to date.

Last reviewed on 22 November 2023
School types: All•School phases: All•Ref: 30319
Contents
  1. Stay strategic
  2. What you can expect to see in a newsletter
  3. Examples from schools and trusts

Sources

Jackie Beard is a national leader of governance, advising governing bodies in all aspects of their role. She also sits on an independent appeal panel for exclusions and admissions for a local authority. 

Fred Birkett is an experienced teacher and education consultant. He has been a governor for 20 years in primary and secondary schools and a chair of governors for half that time.

Gulshan Kayembe is an independent consultant who has experience of inspecting schools. As a consultant, she provides mentoring for senior leaders and has worked as an external adviser on headteachers’ performance management.

What did you think?

Rate this

Why did you give this rating?

Your feedback helps us to ensure our content is helpful to all members.

Our researchers read every comment.

Can't find what you need? Try searching, or .

The Key has taken great care in publishing this article. However, some of the article's content and information may come from or link to third party sources whose quality, relevance, accuracy, completeness, currency and reliability we do not guarantee. Accordingly, we will not be held liable for any use of or reliance placed on this article's content or the links or downloads it provides. This article may contain information sourced from public sector bodies and licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

The KeyHomeWhy choose us?TrustsPricingStart your free trialJoin The Key
ExploreLeadersSafeguardingCPDGovernorHubKeyGPT
CompanyAboutCareersBlogThe Key Group
ContactGet in touch0800 061 4500Help centre

© The Key | Company: 08268303 | 0800 061 4500 | Terms of UsePrivacyAccessibilityCookies

Stay strategic

It’s not your job to tell leaders what should be in the newsletter.

Instead, your role may involve:

Writing a governor/trustee specific section or newsletter

Using the newsletter to monitor engagement with parents/the wider community

What you can expect to see in a newsletter

  • Upcoming dates, such as:
    • Important deadlines (e.g. pay deadlines for school trips, university admission deadlines)
    • Events for parents (e.g. parents' evenings, options evenings, consultations)
    • Events for the whole school or trust community (e.g. fairs, sports days, dances, plays, recitals, achievement assemblies)
    • Other events (e.g. non-uniform days, INSET days)
  • Contact details, and who to contact about specific issues
  • Changes to :
    • Policies and procedures, or reminders about aspects of them 
    • School staff, trust central team or governing board personnel
  • School menus
  • Updates about local safeguarding issues
  • Relevant news and events in the local community, including from any PTA you have
  • Updates on work achieved by your:
    • Headteacher(s) or other senior leaders
    • Governing board
    • Subject leads or heads of departments 
    • Student council(s)
  • Pupil achievements, such as:
    • Examples of great pieces of work, like poems and artwork
    • Awards they've received
    • Success in competitions
  • Reports on events and trips
  • Trust-wide improvement or staff training initiatives
  • News about partnerships with other organisations

Newsletters aren't a requirement, so Ofsted won't look for one and there's no set format it should follow.

Examples from schools and trusts

Schools

  • Sheen Mount Primary School
  • Slade Primary School
  • St Benedict’s Catholic College

Trusts

  • Lionheart Educational Trust
  • Tapscott Learning Trust
We’ve unlocked this resource for you

Want to explore even more content from The Key?

Start your 14 day free trial
No commitment, and no payment details required.
Rate this article
We’ve unlocked this resource for you

Explore even more content from The Key, with a 14 day free trial

Get unlimited access to resources, guidance, training and tools for your whole school
Start your free trial of Whole School membership
No commitment, and no payment details required.