School Governors - Frequently Asked Questions

The process varies depending on the type of governor. Information is available at membership explained.

Those who are applying for an EA governor position, will be given the opportunity to state a number of preferences, including any specific school(s) at which they might be interested in serving.

EA will take account of all the information on each application form alongside the needs of those schools in the locality that have EA governor vacancies.  

EA will take account of all preferences stated by the applicant in the first instance. It may not be possible to place every applicant in the school at which they most wish to serve. This may be due to:

• There being no EA governor vacancy at the time of application,  
• A conflict of interest; or;  
• There being more applicants than EA governor vacancies at the time of application. 
• In this circumstance, EA will take account of all information available, and the needs of the school will be paramount.  

EA will have due regard to the needs of the school and the governing body as a whole, and will take account of the following:

• The balance of representation of any group(s) to avoid any over-representation of any groups.
• Appropriate opportunities to encourage and place first-time governors to promote opportunity.
• Any other relevant, and appropriate information available to assist EA to best meet the needs of the school. 

During the reconstitution programme, this process will take several months, due to the volume of applications.

Anyone aged 18 or over can apply to become a school governor.  Governors do not need to be educational experts - skills and experience from personal and professional life can add value to a school.
All sections of the community are welcome to apply.
 

A person who supplies goods and services may still be a governor, however if they wish to serve of the board of a school to which they supply any goods or services, this may present a conflict of interest when certain business is being discussed or decided.  

If appointed, this may lead to them having to withdraw from certain meetings or certain items of business.  

Normally, governors may not serve on more than three boards of governors. Applicants wishing to serve on more than three boards of governors must seek DE approval in advance. 

Not just yet, governors must be 18 years of age or over at the time of application.

Someone who has declared bankruptcy may be able to serve as a governor in some situations; however, if anyone who has been served with a Bankruptcy Restrictions Order cannot become a governor until the period of the Order has ended. Applicants should contact a member of the School Governance team for further advice. 

If an applicant has been convicted within the last 5 years of an offence with a prison sentence of 3 months or more whether suspended or not without the option of a fine, they will not be eligible to apply to be a governor.
 

If an applicant is currently disqualified from being a company director or charity trustee, they may not be able to serve as a governor in some situations. Applicants should contact a member of the School Governance team for further advice. 

A person cannot be a governor in the school in which they are employed, except in the case of an elected teacher governor for the school.

There are many different types of schools across Northern Ireland - Controlled, Maintained, Other Maintained, Voluntary Grammar and Integrated school.  Further information can be accessed on the Department of Education website.

EA appoints EA Governors to Controlled, Catholic Maintained, Irish Medium, and a very small number of Voluntary Grammar schools.

EA will not normally place an EA governor to serve on the board of governors at a school where the applicant: has served in the school as vice principal or principal in the past 5 years; has been employed in the school in the past 4 years; or is considered to have a family relationship with a member of staff at the school.

For most positions the answer is no. Schools may ask individual governors to undertake an appropriate level of check if the need arises. Governors fall outside the definition of Regulated activity, though any governor may be asked to submit to an appropriate level of check should the need arise.

EA will process all applicant data in accordance with the EA Data Protection Policy. 

Anyone wishing to apply to become an EA Governor should complete an EA Governor application form.

Yes, if not disqualified.

Applicants may not be eligible to be a school governor if they:

• Have been convicted within the previous five years or any time thereafter of any offence with a sentence of imprisonment (whether suspended or not) for a
• period of not less than three months without the option of a fine.
• Are adjudged bankrupt or under a composition arrangement with creditors or are subject to a Bankruptcy Restrictions Order (BRO).
• Already hold three school governor posts (unless there are exceptional circumstances approved by the Department of Education).
• Are applying for a post in a school where they are employed.
• Are applying for a post in a school and have a financial interest in the supply of goods or services to that school.
• Are applying for a post in a school which is registered by law as a company limited by guarantee, and are disqualified by law from being a company director.
• (NB All grant maintained integrated schools and some voluntary grammar schools are registered as companies limited by guarantee).
• Are applying for a post in a school which is registered as a charity and are disqualified under Article 86 of the Charities Act (NI) 2008 from being a trustee of that charity.
• In relation to DE governors, are a person who is disqualified from working with children and vulnerable adults under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (NI) Order 2007 and the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012.

Further details are contained within the relevant scheme of management for each school.

Parents are eligible to stand for election as Parent governors, when vacancies arise on the board of governors of the schools at which their children are registered. Parents may also consider submitting an application to become an EA governor and may state a preference to serve at a school at which they are a parent. 

A letter of appointment will be issued detailing the school to which a person has been appointed.  Full information on next steps will be provided in the letter.

A term of office usually runs for four years.  The next term of office is expected to run from 2024-2028.

An applicant can contact the School Governance team at: [email protected] to advise any changes in details after submitting.

Applicants can contact the School Governance Team at: [email protected] to seek support with this.

Yes, EA governors are in position for the term of office. Once this is complete, all EA governors must apply for the new term of office, should they wish to.

Transferor governors are nominated by the Transferors and superseded managers of the schools; routinely the Presbyterian, Methodist, and Church of Ireland churches in the area of the school. From time to time, it falls to EA to appoint Transferor governors directly.  

By selecting the tick-box option on the application form, the applicant can indicate to EA that they are interested in being considered for appointment, by EA directly, as a Transferor governor. 

Trustee governors are nominated by the nominating Trustees of Catholic maintained schools in the Diocese.  

From time to time it falls to EA to appoint Trustee governors directly to Controlled-integrated schools Boards of Governors. By selecting the tick-box option on the application form, the applicant can indicate to EA that they are interested in being considered for appointment by EA directly as a Trustee governor.

If an applicant wishes to withdraw their application, they should email [email protected] to inform the team of this.

EA follows a Retention and Disposal policy and will not keep information any longer than necessary.

EA applicants who require additional support may contact the School Governance Team at: [email protected].

To be a governor the applicant must:

• Be 18 years of age or over
• Not be disqualified for governor membership as stated in the relevant scheme of management for the school(s) at which the applicant wishes to serve.

Controlled and Maintained Schools schemes

Each Irish Medium School will have its own scheme of management, approved by the Department of Education, which can be requested from the school. 

Applicants will be asked to declare any interests that may be relevant to becoming a school governor. Declaring a conflict of Interest on an application form will not prevent the application from progressing, though certain declarations will be relevant in determining the school(s) at which the applicant can be offered a placement.

The information on the application form is essential for EA to determine a suitable placement for each governor. If the applicant is employed at a school or has a relative who works at a school, they won't be prevented from becoming a governor for this reason. However, an applicant cannot become a governor at any school where they are employed, unless they are elected as a teacher governor.

The EA process for selecting EA governors seeks to reduce the number of relationships between governors and school staff wherever possible. EA will not normally place a governor with a school where they have declared that they are related to a serving governor, or a member of staff; in particular a senior member of staff.

The Scheme of Management for controlled schools guides boards of governors in how to conduct their meetings, and Articles 45 and 46 detail when governors should withdraw from meetings and items of business having declared family relationships.  

Governing bodies often draw from local catchment area near to the school; in particular in the case of parent, Transferor, and Trustee governors. Family connections are not unusual, and it is important that each Board of Governors can conduct all aspects of the business required. Other schools at which EA places EA governors have similar arrangements in their schemes of management for withdrawing from meetings.

EA will not normally place an EA governor to serve on the board of governors at a school where the applicant: has served in the school as vice principal or principal in the past 5 years; has been employed in the school in the past 4 years;  is related to any other governor serving on the board of governors of the same school; or is considered to have a family relationship with a member of staff at the school.

EA will not place an EA governor to serve on the board of governors at a school where the applicant is considered to have a family relationship with the principal of that school.

Where an applicant is employed in a competing or feeder school, the panel will not normally recommend appointing the applicant especially where this may be to the exclusion of other equally suitable applicants.

When considering EA governor applications, a family relationship shall be deemed to exist between an applicant and a person who is employed/person who is a serving governor at the school if that person is: the spouse, civil partner or partner of that person, is the (a) parent; (b) grandparent; (c) grandson or granddaughter; (d) son or daughter; (e) brother or sister; (f) first cousin; (g) uncle or aunt; (h) all equivalent step or blended family relationships; (i) nephew or niece or (j) next of kin; of the applicant; -  or if the employee/serving governor at the school and the applicant are:

• A married couple living together as a married couple 
• A couple living together in a civil-partnership 
• A couple living together as co-habiting partners  
• A couple living separately 

There are many benefits to being a school governor, which can include:

• Helping children in the area get the best educational experience;
• Developing professional skills and experience such as strategic planning, chairing, financial planning, and team working, all of which are valued by employers and can assist career development.
• Building relationships and networks in the locality and;
• Supporting children and young people in the community.

Boards of governors meet once per term but often they may meet more regularly, possibly once per month. If a governor takes on additional roles, e.g. committees, there will be additional meetings.

The number of governors on a board, and the mix of governor types, will vary depending on the type of school.  The EA Website provides a helpful overview of membership.

Each board will elect a Chair and Vice Chair and will be supported by a Secretary who is normally the school Principal.  Each board may also form Committees to undertake specific activities, such as conducting interview panels, and managing school finances.

School Boards of governors meet at least once in each school term, though many school boards will meet more regularly, depending on the business to be conducted.
 

The role of the Board of Governors is to facilitate and support the school to provide the best possible education and educational opportunities for all pupils.   The principal of the school is responsible for day-to-day management of the school. The role of the board of governors is to provide strategic management, and to act as a “critical friend”, supporting the work of the principal and other staff.

 Aspects of the role may include:

• Attending and participating in board of governors meetings.
•  
• Using  knowledge, skills and experience to ensure that governors' decisions support the best interests of the school.
•  
• Challenging and supporting the school leadership.
• Increasing personal knowledge about the school and the wider educational system to support sound management decisions.
•  
• Abiding by the Seven Principles of Public Life.

 Further details about a governor's role can be found at NI - Governor Roles & Responsibilities. 
 

School Governors are expected to act in accordance with the 'Nolan Principles', which are the Seven Principles of  Public Life when fulfilling their role. These are;
 

•  Selflessness
• Integrity
• Honesty
• Openness
• Objectivity
• Accountability
• Leadership

Read more at our knowledge centre. 

No specific skills are essential but the having some of the following skills is desirable. 

• Energy and enthusiasm;
• Ability to work in a team; 
• A desire to help ensure children and young people get the best possible education; 
• Strong commitment to the role and to improving educational outcomes; 
• A willingness to listen and to learn and a commitment to undertake training.
   

Being a school governor is a voluntary role and therefore it is not paid. 

Guidance on how to resign as a governor can be found at our knowledge centre. 

If a governor's circumstances change and they are unsure how or whether this affects their position, they can check with the School Governance Team at: [email protected]

 The different governor types/designations are detailed in the 'Membership Explained' section of the website.

The process of appointment differs for many types of governor. You can read more about different types of governors and how they are appointed on the Membership Explained section of the website.

Once appointed, all governors should work as a team in the interests of the school. Governors are not appointed to advocate on behalf of any particular sector or group.

For example, in the case of a parent governor, the parents will have elected the governors and should know who they are, though it is not the role of parent governors to seek the views of other parents, or to lobby on their behalf. 

Governors will be given access to the EA board of governors training programme. This has a range of courses to develop your skills such as Effective Governance, Safeguarding and Finance.  

You will be given access to a range of training specifically for boards of governors, more information is available on the Governor Training Resources section.