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.
• An efficient and highly skilled clerking service that will ensure that governing bodies meet their legal obligations and conduct their business effectively.
• Tailor made school based courses, central courses on key topics and nationally recognised trainers.

The services we provide include:

• a clerking service to governing bodies, which includes attendance at governing body meetings, agenda preparation; minute taking and follow-up work;
• 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 Executive Director of Education's Report to School Governors and Headteachers, which contains written briefings on current national and local issues;
• a telephone information and advice service on all issues relating to school governance. The advice line number is 020 7926 9668. The 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, please ring 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 2008 model agenda for governors.