Staff governor elections

If you're a chair or clerk, be clear on the process for electing a staff governor so your election is compliant and runs smoothly.

Last reviewed on 6 September 2023
School types: AllSchool phases: AllRef: 3358
Contents
  1. Your board or local authority will organise the election
  2. Any member of staff is eligible to stand
  3. The election process
  4. An election isn't needed if not enough people stand
  5. Check whether your new staff governor needs a DBS check
  6. Re-election

Your board or local authority will organise the election

The appropriate authority must make all the necessary arrangements for the election of staff governors:

School typeResponsibility
Voluntary aidedGoverning board
FoundationGoverning board
Foundation specialGoverning board
CommunityLocal authority (can delegate to the headteacher)
Community specialLocal authority (can delegate to the headteacher)
Voluntary controlledLocal authority (can delegate to the headteacher)
Maintained nursery schoolLocal authority (can delegate to the headteacher)

This is set out in The School Governance (Constitution) (England) Regulations 2012 (schedule 1 and schedule 2).

Any member of staff is eligible to stand

This includes senior leaders, teachers and support staff, as long as they're employed at your school at the time of the election.

Their role will end either at the end of their term of office, or if they leave the school.

This is set out in regulation 7 of the 2012 regulations and page 15 of DfE guidance here.

There aren't any national time limits for the different stages of holding staff governor