TA chat forum

Tiki · Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2005 8:11 am Post subject:

With the new system the HT wouldn't able to get away with that. You can still have extra Gov. but they are not allwed to vote. Our HT doesn't like too many parents on the GB. Awkward questions you know.

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may · New kid Joined: 31 Oct 2005 Posts: 25 Location: Bristol

I am support staff governor. It can be akward when I want to ask questions the Head won't want to answer. He likes to bamboozle people with facts and plausible reasons for things, and lots of what he says doesn't really reflect the school as it is. Trouble is, the Head and Deputy are both governors, teacher gov too timid to say anything, LEA bod rarely there and parent govs nice but clueless. Sometimes I sit and fume but Head and Deputy make a powerful team and I need my job!!!

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May

Tiki · Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 10:55 pm Post subject:

If I read correctly you have 4 staff governors including the HT. How many governors do you have together and what sort of school are you? (VA VC etc )

With the new regs. you are only allowed a certain number of staff gov. If you have a look at an earlier posting of mine you'll see the makeup of the school that I work at.

Have you read 'A guide to the law for school Governors' you should have been given a copy when you became a governor. It makes interesting reading.

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Accept that some days you are the pigeon and some days the statue

kitkat

We have a problem at school regarding the discipline or rather non-discipline of a child. This child has been fighting other children. Not for the first time. Other children have been excluded for a specified time. This child has not been excluded and has now become abusive to TAs. TAs are now fed up with the situation and now want me to bring it up at the next governor's meeting.
Is it my role?
If so how do I go about it?
Do I mention to the headteacher that this will be brought up or do I just contact the chair and ask for the matter to be put on the agenda?
Help please.

Tiki · Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 8:26 am Post subject:

Luckily I've never had this problem so I can only tell you what I would do.

Before the next GM meeting I would ask the HT for a staff meeting to include all staff, TAs, Teachers and Lunch Time supervisors, etc. To discus the problems this child is causing so that you can all work together to sort them out. If that does not produce any result I would have a word with both the Chair and the HT and say that you would like the problem that this child is causing brought up under Any Other Business at the next GB meeting. As staff governor you feel that you should bring to the attention of the GB a problem that the staff have come to you with as their representative.

I'll try and do a bit of research and see if I can find any other a suggestions.
How old is the child and does he/she have a 1:1. Does he have an IEP?

Any one else have any ideas.

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Accept that some days you are the pigeon and some days the statue

George · Top poster Joined: 19 Dec 2005 Posts: 1447

may wrote:

I am support staff governor. It can be akward when I want to ask questions the Head won't want to answer. He likes to bamboozle people with facts and plausible reasons for things, and lots of what he says doesn't really reflect the school as it is. Trouble is, the Head and Deputy are both governors, teacher gov too timid to say anything, LEA bod rarely there and parent govs nice but clueless. Sometimes I sit and fume but Head and Deputy make a powerful team and I need my job!!!

May, the best advice I can offer to you is to remember that being on the GB is the same as being on the management board of any business. School governors need to take control of their 'business'.

While the HT automatically has a position on the GB their main duty is the day to day running of the business/school in line with the procedures and policies set out by the GB. As the support staff rep you have the opportunity to have your say in those procedures and policies and the direction the school will take. I realy don't know how this goes from the staff side of things since I'm sure there are many things you will be aware of which parent governors are not.

Check your rules, I know where I was a governor if someone missed so many meetings without appologies which are accepted they could be removed from the gb and a replacement found. If this is the case then you can bring this up and have them removed and replaced with someone who will be in attendance at least.

If the head is blustering about facts which are not relevant ask him to explain how these relate to your school. At the end of the day you can only present your case. If the GB does not agree with you have an obligation to abide by the decision of the majority. However by speaking up you may encourage others to be more open and giving parent governors a better awareness of the issues.

At the very least the gb should be encouraging all governors to do the available courses, especially those relating to any committees they are on.

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kel1972 · New kid Joined: 19 Sep 2007 Posts: 8

Hi there

I am just starting a nvq3 TA in the next few days. My husband and I have been approached by the HT to think about being a Parent Governors. But worried about how much of my time it will take as I have 4 children. I would be interested in having some input to the school as all my children attend this school. Would my nvq benefit from being a governor ? I have till Monday to decide . Any Idea

ideas would be great . Thanks Wink

Tiki · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 7:55 pm Post subject:

Read my reply to your post in your other thread. Very Happy

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Accept that some days you are the pigeon and some days the statue