Teachers and school leaders should join governing boards of other schools to further their professional development, the National Governance Association (NGA) has said.
It has launched a campaign to show how being a governor at a different school provides experience of strategic leadership, finance and human resources benefitting those who wish to become leaders or who simply want to improve their skills.
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NGA chief executive Emma Knights has explained the attractions of being a governor in a campaign video:
She said being a governor offered “absolutely fabulous development for individuals and if you should ever be interviewed to be a headteacher the governing body would be looking out for that governance knowledge that is so important for headteachers".
Schools minister Lord Agnew said: “The role of governance in our school system cannot be underestimated – it underpins our efforts to continue raising standards in our schools.
“The NGA’s campaign will ensure a diverse range of voices on governing and trust boards, which helps schools to reflect the communities that they serve, and builds on the government’s support for new and existing governors – offering a fantastic opportunity for school leaders to gain more experience and develop their own careers.”
The Association of School and College Leaders' general secretary Geoff Barton, said: “As a leader, you are bound to be able to contribute to what the board is doing strategically and there will be ideas that you can bring back.
“There’s also professional development in what you can do for the other governing board, for what you can do for your own and what you can do for yourself. We want to encourage as many people as possible to become an educator on board.”
Chartered College of Teaching chief executive Professor Dame Alison Peacock said teachers who are also governors in another school would “gain the opportunity to learn about finances, about the way they organise their curriculum – it’s a fantastic form of professional development”.
The campaign is also supported by the National Association of Head Teachers, Teach First, the Ambition Institute, the Independent Schools Council and Education and Employers.
