School governors

Governors have a key role to play in the drive to raise standards. Working within a complex legislative framework, governing bodies are required to promote high standards of educational achievement. They meet this requirement through strategic planning, target setting and performance monitoring and review.

Governor services

The service level agreements developed by the Governor Services team aim to assist governing bodies and headteachers through effective advice, information, clerking and training courses. We offer both school based training to meet your needs and borough-wide courses on topics ranging from an extensive induction course for new governors through to courses on key issues connected with the governing body's role in monitoring, evaluation and performance management.

Governor Services staff have a wide range of experience in the governance of schools and provide management advice and support to Headteachers and governors. Services are provided to schools on a buy-back basis.

We offer:

• an in depth knowledge of the law and practice affecting governing bodies and schools
• knowledge of issues developing nationally that will affect governing bodies and headteachers, and extensive networking across the LEA and DfES to raise issues and obtain answers
• pragmatic advice and support for governors and headteachers based on best practice experience
• tailor made school based courses, central courses on key topics and nationally recognised trainers.

The services we provide include:

• a governor training programme covering governors' core responsibilities and new local and national initiatives and school-based sessions tailored to the needs of individual governing bodies
• a termly report to School Governors and Headteachers from the Executive Director of Lambeth’s Children and Young People’s Service (CYPS) – Working Together – which includes written briefings on current national and local issues and examples of good practice
• a telephone and email advice service on all issues relation to school governance. The advice line number is 020 7926 9668 and the email address is governor@lambeth.gov.uk. The telephone advice line is open from 9am to 5pm during term time.

Further information

If you are interested in becoming a governor of a Lambeth school or if you would like help or advice on school governance in Lambeth, please email governor@lambeth.gov.uk or call Joan Bandoo on 020 7926 9668 for more details and an application form, or download the governor application form.

You can also download the Summer 2010 model agenda for governors.