School: Sandringham School
Location: St Albans
Role: Chair of Governors
Job: Retired
Why did you become a governor?
I became a school governor because I believe that the importance of a good education cannot be overestimated. I am fortunate that the school I attended as a child raised my aspirations. I have always tried to ‘put something back’ in various ways and my career in business has equipped me with skills that I can use in school governance.
What is the best part of being a governor?
My reward is seeing young people flourish and feeling that I have played a part in this.
What skills do you use?
I use every skill that I have in my role on the governing board! My numeracy and analytical skills are indispensable in understanding the school’s context. In my role as chair, the most important thing to have is optimism and vision for improvement – combined with emotional intelligence to recognise, encourage and use the skills of the people in my team.
I am now retired but when I was in full time employment, the privilege of working in a totally different type of organisation gave me a whole new perspective to reflect and evaluate the business environment in which I worked.
Why should more people volunteer?
I think people should become a governor because ultimately we all have an interest in building a better future and becoming a school governor is one way of contributing to this.