The role: summary
As a parent governor, your role is:
- To bring a parental perspective to the issues discussed – you're not there to speak 'on behalf' of the parent body
- No different from other governors
Note: parents are elected to the board, not appointed (unless there are fewer candidates than vacancies).
Take a look at our governor and trustee role descriptions to see all of your responsibilities and duties.
Communicate a parent's perspective
It's a fine line to tread, but remember that you're not there to speak on behalf of parents.
Use your perspective to help the board understand a parent's viewpoint. This will help the board make good decisions and maintain a link between governance and the parent community.
You can read more about this in:
- The Governance Handbook (page 20)
- Guidance from the Department for Education (DfE) – page 14 for maintained schools, and page 21 for academies
You're not bringing complaints