Appointing staff members as co-opted governors

Be clear on the rules for appointing staff members who aren't "staff governors" to your board. Consider the pros and cons of co-opting staff members, to make sure you don't miss out on talent and skills.

Last reviewed on 28 July 2022
School types: All · School phases: All
Ref: 4660
Contents
  1. You can co-opt a staff member as a governor
  2. Consider the pros and cons 
  3. What to do if the proportion rises above a third
  4. You can also appoint a staff member as an associate member

You can co-opt a staff member as a governor

Academies You can appoint an employee as a co-opted trustee under article 58 of the model articles of association unless the number of trustees who are employees of the Academy Trust would exceed one third of the total number of trustees. Check with your own articles of association in case they're different. While you can appoint employees to be trustees, the Department for Education (DfE)'s "strong preference" is for no employees other than the principal/CEO