Allocating link governor roles

Find out what link governor roles your board should have and get advice on how to allocate them.

Last reviewed on 6 June 2022
School types: All · School phases: All
Ref: 4600
Contents
  1. Link governor roles you should have
  2. Who's eligible? 
  3. How to allocate roles
  4. Review roles annually

Link governor roles you should have

Statutory guidance (see below) says your board should have:

  • A senior board-level lead to take leadership responsibility for your school's/trust's safeguarding arrangements
  • An individual (or a committee) with specific oversight of your school's arrangements for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
  • An individual who takes a strategic interest in careers education and guidance, and encourages employer engagement with the school

It's also recommended that you have a link governor for governor training and development, to make sure all board members develop their skills to actively contribute to the board. Consider giving your vice-chair or another governor this responsibility.

The information in this section is outlined in the following statutory guidance published by the Department for Education (DfE):

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