Education and schools are changing fast. And with change comes new challenges.



Help a school succeed

The role

School governor volunteers work with a school to ensure it delivers a good quality education for its pupils. They play a vital role in:

•Ensuring the school has a clear strategy for the future.

•Making sure the school’s finances are well spent and used to achieve its vision.

•Holding the Head Teacher to account for the educational performance of the school.


“Governors are an essential part of a school. The difference they make is the difference between a successful education and a successful outcome for young people, or not.”

- Ian Duffy / School Governor

You don’t have to be a politician or a teacher to do something about education.

Who can be a School Governor?

Anyone aged 18 or over and living in the UK can be a governor and there are no specific skill requirements for the role. However schools do benefit, and are increasingly interested in volunteers from the Finance, Legal, Business, Marketing, HR and Construction sectors.

Why get involved?

Ruthanne McNeice
Laurence Mills
Trainee Solicitor
Brian Daly
Former Managing Director
“If you have a particular skillset that you know schools need, then your expertise is very valuable.” “We support leadership of the school in everything that we do but we also make sure that the staff are providing the education that the students need.” “The experiences that I’ve had as a school governor have made me much closer to the fabric of the community in which I live.”

Becoming a school governor is your chance to make a difference

Who are SGOSS?

SGOSS – Governors for Schools was a 6 month pilot set up in 1999 by the Department for Education and we’re still here, still growing and still offering free services to volunteers, schools and employers. We are the school governor recruitment experts and our vision is for every school in England to have a diverse and effective governing body driving school improvement.

Got a question?

If you have a question but can’t find the answer on this website, please call us: 020 7354 9805 020 7354 9805 or email us: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.