Governors for Schools: Jo McNeill's experience as a school governor

Posted on: 23 April 2024 in 2024

Children in classroom, hands raised as they engage with their learning
Children learning in the classroom; volunteering with Governor for Schools helps children receive a high standard of learning.

Alumni volunteer Jo McNeill shares why she volunteers as a school governor in her community.

Jo McNeill studied BA (Hons) English Literature and Language (2003) and MA English Renaissance and Romantic Literature (2005). She is now the Fair Access in Admissions Manager here at the University of Liverpool.

"I became a School Governor over 20 years ago, when my son was in primary school. Initially I was a Parent Governor, but when my son moved to High School I stayed on as a Foundation Governor. I then became Vice-Chair and I am now in my second term as Chair of Governors – making me the longest-serving Governor at my school!

I became a Parent Governor because I wanted to understand more about how the school worked behind the scenes, and to ensure parent voices were being heard. This was at a time when the school had just gone into “Special measures”. It was clear that there had been problems, and pivotal decisions needed to be made. At the core of these decisions, was what would be best for our children. For example, I supported the recruitment of a new Head teacher. This was a turning point and we (the governors) strategically supported the new Head through a transformative period. The school has now been rated as “Outstanding” by Ofsted for around ten years. I learned more about how a school should, and should not, be governed during this time than at any other time in my school governor journey.

The distance travelled from “Special measures” to “Outstanding” has been vast. As school governors we overhauled the governing body to establish a series of sub-committees. The sub-committees are able to discuss issues or concerns in depth and then bring proposals or motions to the full Governors meeting. This approach has worked well for us.

I have gained so many skills from being a school governor. Saying this, it’s worth acknowledging that it’s not just about the skills that are gained from being a school governor but rather the skills we as individuals bring to the governing body. We have a wide range of skillsets on our governing body and we learn from each other constantly. Understanding the remit of the role of Governor is crucial: we are not there to run the school, that’s the Head’s job. We are there to strategically guide and support the Head and Senior Managers. This is where the outside experiences of governors can be really useful, especially those of us with experience in Higher Education.

The role of school governor does not take a huge amount of my time, but the time I do give makes a real difference to the school and wider community I live in. It’s so rewarding to see how the decisions we make at a strategic level are positively impacting the standard of education our children are getting. I love bumping into ex-pupils years later and hearing what they’re doing now. So many have progressed into university or jobs they love. Primary school lays the groundwork for children, so it’s important that we give them the best start possible.

I’m extremely proud of our school and I highly recommend anyone with a few hours to spare to become a school governor."

Become a school governor

If Jo’s story has inspired you to impact the next generation of learners, then check-out the Governors for Schools offer:

You can contact Governors for School by email with any questions about getting involved or applying to become a school governor now.

If you are a member of our alumni community and already volunteering with Governors for Schools, please share your experiences with our Volunteer Engagement Officer, Victoria Gilmore.