The Governor’s Blog – Part 2

Is there more to being a governor than approving polices and attending meetings? The answer is of course, “Yes”.

To fulfil the role and be in an excellent position to challenge, governors at Osborne engage directly with both pupils and staff. Apart from our visits into school we attend school council meetings and at the end of last term held a ‘Thank you’ tea party for staff.

The school council meet once every half term, each class has a representative who brings the views of their class to the meeting. There are questions sent out to each class before they meet and there is also the opportunity to ask their own and to make requests. Governors chair and attend these meetings so they can get the firsthand knowledge of what is going well and what could do with improving. Each time I attend these meetings I am most impressed with the discussions that the pupils have with each other and the collaboration between the year groups. It also shows just how well the curriculum is working! For example, suggesting using a tally chart to record responses to a question about clubs, and advise given by a year 11 student about using the internet safely. For governors it gives us insight into use of resources, are the football goals and nets of a high enough quality to stand the amount of use? Is it a false economy to buy inferior items?

Once a year the governors hold a tea party to say thank you to all the staff for their hard work and commitment to the school over the year. Easter is a lovely time to hold this with chocolate, lemon and sugar overflowing. Also a chance to glean how things are going and to hear a few positive gems. One member of staff saying that the visiting teacher to his department has the happiest days of the week when at Osborne. Everyone so kind, supportive and happy; so good to hear.

Osborne is really the most amazing school and seems to embrace all who know it.