Role
Co-opted governors or trustees are appointed by the governing board. They're appointed because they have the right skills to contribute to the effective governance and success of a school.
This is outlined in The School Governance (Constitution) (England) Regulations 2012 (these regulations apply to maintained schools, but the principle is the same for co-opted trustees).
Their role is no different from other governors. See our role descriptions for clarity on the roles and responsibilities of all governors and trustees.
Eligibility
Any individual from the community can be a co-opted governor/trustee, as long as they meet eligibility criteria and agree to Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks as required.
Find out what disqualifies an individual from serving as a governor or