But it can't work without a headteacher confident enough to share power and value the contribution of others. How the headteacher perceives and relates to the governing body is the biggest single factor affecting its operation and effectiveness. Governors often do not know what they are entitled to do and heads often fail to encourage them. There is an uncertainty over roles which combines with the friction between amateurs and professionals to create a lack of trust. Roles and responsibilities need to be more clearly defined and not left open to interpretation.
Parent governors are often the most active and committed.
Nonetheless, parent governors often have difficulty in carrying out their representative role. Teacher governors are also often isolated and find it hard to speak freely. They too may be unsure about the degree to which they can represent staff and take part in the governing processes. All governors need to be clear what they are there for. CASE believes that there is insufficient training for governors, often because budgets are insufficient and diminishing and not ring-fenced.