Governance leaders have been told there is no Department for Education funding for a national school governor recruitment drive, despite assurances from the previous administration that money had been found, Tes can reveal.
The incoming Labour government had been urged to back a recruitment drive by the National Governance Association (NGA).
Its co-chief executive Emma Knights had said that before the general election was called, then minister Baroness Barran had told the association that the DfE had found some money.
But Tes understands the new government has now confirmed to the NGA that there is no funding available to run such a campaign.
Fears over supply problems for governors have grown since 2021 when an NGA report investigating governor recruitment found a lack of open and transparent processes as a big barrier to underrepresented groups joining governor and trustee boards.
Governance is ‘indispensable cornerstone’ of education
Responding to being told funding is not available for a recruitment campaign, the NGA’s deputy chief executive Sam Henson said the need for a strong recruitment strategy in governance “cannot be understated”.
He added: ”Without it, and without a sector being built on a strong foundation of robust, ethical and accountable governance, schools and trusts risk losing the valuable expertise and leadership required to meet growing expectations.”
Mr Henson said that school and trust governance “is an indispensable cornerstone of our education system” and a “driving force behind the long-term success of schools and trusts”.
He also urged the government not to forget the lessons learned previously and emphasised that effective governance is a “critical asset”.
Responding to NGA’s last annual survey, 77 per cent of people said recruiting and retaining governors was a challenge for them - up from 63 per cent the year before.
This month, former president of the Association of School and College Leaders Evelyn Forde warned that school governors are “not diverse enough”.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has stressed the need for all departments to find savings after she claimed that the previous Conservative administration had left a “£22 billion black hole” in the public finances.
Earlier this year, the DfE decided to end the funding of the Inspiring Governance programme from the end of September 2024.
The programme helped volunteers interested in serving as governors connect with schools. It also aimed to increase the number of volunteers looking to become governors and increase diversity on governing boards.
The DfE has been contacted for comment.
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