Parent governors

Parent governors are elected by the parents. Sonning Common Primary has three parent governors on its board. Parent governors can vote at meetings.

LA governor

A Local Authority (LA) governor is appointed by the local authority, but he or she must govern in the interests of the school and not represent or advocate for the political or other interests of the local authority. An LA governor can vote at meetings.

Staff governors

The headteacher is automatically a governor and so has a vote. Whereas the headteacher may choose not to be a governor but still retain the right to attend all governor meetings, this has never been the case at Sonning Common Primary.  All headteachers have to date taken an active interest and participation in the school’s governing body.

One other staff governor is elected by, and from amongst, the school’s teaching and non-teaching staff.

A staff governor can vote at meetings.

Co-opted governors

The governing board appoints additional governors to cover the skills and experience required to meet its obligations as outlined by the government.  That could include a background in finance, education, legal, community, management, human resources, special needs etc.  The number of co-opted governors is set by the Local Authority and is recorded in an Instrument of Government.  Sonning Common Primary has places for nine co-opted governors.  The number of co-opted governors can be varied by the school by making a request to Oxfordshire Local Authority.  The term of office is between one and four years.

Co-opted governors can vote at meetings.

Associate members

The governing board can appoint associate members to serve on one or more committees of the board.  Associate members can attend full board meetings but may be excluded from any part of a meeting where the business being considered concerns a member of school staff or an individual pupil.  They are appointed for a period of between one and four years and can be reappointed at the end of their term of office.  Associate members are not governors.

They usually bring an area of special expertise to the governing body (e.g. Sonning Common has the school bursar as an associate governor).  Associate members have no voting rights.