Dear Parent/Carer,
I am writing to you to invite you to stand for election as a parent governor, or nominate another parent to do so. In our school we have provision for 2 parent governors and there are currently 2 vacancies. The term of office would be for four years.
Each Local Governing Body (LGB) of the 36 schools in the Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Multi Academy Trust, of which our school is one, is a committee of the Trust Board and, as such, focuses on understanding how the school is being led and managed at the local level.
The LGB are the ‘eyes and ears’ of the Trust Board and have delegated responsibilities relating to strategy, oversight of Catholic Life and monitoring school improvement, whilst still remembering that the headteacher is responsible for the day to day running of the school.
The LGB also has responsibility for and a duty to the Bishop of Nottingham to ensure that the Catholic character of the school is preserved and developed.
No special qualifications are needed and the most important thing is to have a keen interest in the school and be prepared to play an active part in the Local Governing Body’s work.
Committee meetings are half-termly.
We would particularly welcome nominations from parents with the following skills – Medical and Health Care professionals / Social Services / Legal background / any Safeguarding or Child Protection experiences / parents who work in Public Services or Industry, however, training is available for all governors and there is an expectation that those new to being a governor attend induction training, as well as having a commitment to attend other training as necessary.
Candidates at the time of appointment must be a parent, or an individual exercising parental responsibility, of a registered pupil at the school. If you would like to stand for election please complete the enclosed nomination form and return it to the school no later than Thursday 22nd May. You should also include a short personal statement to support your nomination, which should be no longer than 250 words. Self-nominations will be accepted but if you are nominating another parent, please seek their prior consent.
If there are more nominations than vacancies, the election will be by secret ballot. If that is necessary, voting papers will be sent to all parents together with details of the ballot procedure.
Certain people will be ineligible to become a parent governor; the following summarises the circumstances under which someone cannot serve.
- Candidates will not be appointed if they are employed either on a permanent or temporary basis at the school
- Candidates will not be appointed if they are related to a person employed in a senior position at the school (senior position is defined as Executive Head, Head Teacher, Head of School or Deputy Head)
- Candidates will not normally be appointed if they are related to an existing governor of the school.
- Candidates related to a member of the clergy connected to the school would not be appointed.
Further ineligibility criteria would be if the candidate:
- is the subject of a bankruptcy restrictions order or an interim order, debt relief restrictions order, an interim debt relief restrictions order or their estate has been sequestrated and the sequestration has not been discharged, annulled or reduced is subject to a disqualification order or disqualification undertaking under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986, a disqualification order under Part 2 of the Companies (Northern Ireland) Order 1989, a disqualification undertaking accepted under the Company Directors Disqualification (Northern Ireland) Order 2002, or an order made under section 429(2)(b) of the Insolvency Act 1986 (failure to pay under county court administration order);
- has been removed from the office of charity trustee or trustee for a charity by the Charity Commission or Commissioners or High Court on grounds of any misconduct or
mismanagement, or under section 34 of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act
2005 from being concerned in the management or control of any body;
- is included in the list of teachers or workers considered by the Secretary of State as unsuitable to work with children or young people;
- is barred from any regulated activity relating to children;
- is disqualified from working with children or from registering for childminding or providing day care;
- is disqualified from being an independent school proprietor, teacher or employee by the Secretary of State;
- has been sentenced to three months or more in prison (without the option of a fine) in the five years before becoming a governor or since becoming a governor;
- has received a prison sentence of two years or more in the 20 years before becoming a governor;
- has at any time received a prison sentence of five years or more;
- has been fined for causing a nuisance or disturbance on school premises during the five years prior to or since appointment or election as a governor;
- refuses a request by the clerk to make an application to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) for a DBS Check.
Yours faithfully,
Mrs. A. Fawley Mrs. L. Scott
Chair of Governors Returning Officer
