School governors' network

To apply to be a school governor, you must be over 18 and willing to dedicate a proportion of your time (around seven hours a month) to supporting and improving school success. You do not have to be a parent or an education expert to apply as schools need all types of skills within their Governing Board!

Although some schools may desire certain governors to have experience in specific fields of work, there are no set criteria for the role.  Rather, it is important that you are enthusiastic and committed, with a desire to affect positive change. Softer skills like negotiation, collaboration and organisation are vital to the role of a governor to plan the school's strategic direction with other members of the board. More technical capacities, like knowledge of finance or HR, are offered as training opportunities by Governors for Schools, so you can develop your skills as you see fit.

School governors usually attend around six meetings per year, in addition to any background preparation or school visits. A governor’s term is usually around four years.

The College values the time and commitment required of school governors. In addition to the training modules and webinars provided by the national education charity Governors for Schools, any Imperial staff members, students or alumni who are school governors can join the Imperial School Governors Network and receive advice, guidance and support from their peers. 

The College’s HR policy also enables staff to take time off for public duties such as governor roles.

Becoming a school governor gives you the chance to:

• Be part of a fantastic continuing professional development (CPD) community
• Test and develop your skills in a challenging and rewarding environment and build your confidence
• Make significant contributions to your local community
• Support young people’s futures

You can apply to be a school governor on the Governors for Schools website. Governors for Schools work on a skills-based matching system and will put you in contact with the schools most in need of the experiences you bring. They will also provide you with a free 16-week induction pack from The Key for School Governors to help you settle into your new role, and they have several free e-learning modules on their website to introduce you to school governance.

Yes! If you are interested in being part of this network, which is managed by our Outreach team, please complete the registration form so we can keep you informed about upcoming sessions.