Changes in the composition of governing bodies mean we need two new governors by this September: one extra parent and a representative of the support staff. Like many small primary schools, we already have more governors than staff.
We have always had extra parents among the education authorities appointees and co-optees, and we make a point of co-opting from the support staff unless, as now, an elected parent already works in school. But rules is rules, and we shall have no problem recruiting our extra members.
What we will have is a serious comfy-chair shortfall. At present, 12 of us meet in the staffroom, designed for 10 people, shoulder to shoulder.
Our meetings are well attended, the secretary acts as clerk and the deputy head attends as an observer. We raid the head’s office for extra chairs and keep our elbows tucked in. It’s cosy. Add two more governors and it will become dangerous.
This is not a trivial problem. Of course we can meet elsewhere - in a classroom or the school hall: but the whole relaxed, informal atmosphere will disappear once we are sitting round a table on hard chairs, without access to a kettle. David Blunkett never thought of that, did he? Typical man.
