Research consistently shows that schools where parents are actively engaged perform better — not only academically, but in terms of pupil wellbeing, community cohesion, and staff morale. Yet many parents in England are unaware of the formal and informal routes available to them for meaningful involvement in their child's school. Beyond attending parents' evenings, there are two principal mechanisms for sustained parental engagement: the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and the school governing body. Both offer genuine influence, and both are frequently short of volunteers.
This guide explains what each role involves, the time commitment required, how to get involved, and why your participation matters more than you might think.
There are approximately 300,000 school governors across England's schools, making school governance one of the largest volunteer movements in the country. Despite this, most governing bodies are chronically short of volunteers — particularly those with skills in finance, HR, legal matters, and data analysis.
Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs)
A Parent Teacher Association — sometimes called a Friends of the School group, a Parents' Forum, or a Home–School Association — is an informal voluntary organisation that brings together parents, carers, and school staff to support the school community. PTAs are found in the vast majority of state primary and secondary schools in England, though their size, activity level, and fundraising success vary enormously.
What Does a PTA Actually Do?
The activities of a PTA depend almost entirely on the energy and interests of its volunteers. Common activities include:
- Fundraising events: school fairs, quiz nights, discos, bake sales, sponsored runs — raising money for equipment, trips, or enrichment activities the school budget cannot cover
- Community building: welcome events for new families, social events that strengthen relationships between parents and the school
- Advocacy and communication: feeding parental views back to school leadership and governors in a constructive, organised way
- Practical support: helping at school events, managing the second-hand uniform shop, running the library
How Much Does a PTA Raise?
The range is vast. A small primary school PTA might raise £2,000–£5,000 per year from a handful of events; a large and active secondary school PTA can raise £20,000–£50,000+ annually, funding everything from minibuses to drama productions. During the 2010s, as school budgets tightened, PTA fundraising became an increasingly important supplement to school funding — particularly for extras that local authority budgets do not cover.
You do not need to commit to a committee role to support your PTA. Most PTAs desperately need helpers at events — people to serve refreshments, run a stall, or help set up. Even giving three or four hours per year to a school event makes a meaningful difference and keeps you connected to the school community.
How to Get Involved With Your School's PTA
Most PTAs welcome new members enthusiastically — they are almost always looking for fresh energy and ideas. To get involved:
- Check the school's website or newsletter for information about the PTA and upcoming meetings
- Attend a meeting — you are not committing to anything by attending once
- Introduce yourself to the PTA chair and explain your interests and available time
- If your child's school does not have an active PTA, speak to the headteacher about starting one — the National Association of Parent Teacher Associations (NAPTA) provides free guidance on setting up a new group
School Governors
School governors hold a fundamentally different — and significantly more powerful — role than PTA members. Governors are the legally responsible strategic leaders of the school, operating as a collective board that holds the headteacher and senior leadership to account, sets the school's strategic direction, and ensures financial probity.
What Is a School Governor?
Every maintained school in England must have a governing body. Governors are unpaid volunteers who serve on this body, typically for a four-year term. The governing body meets as a full board several times per year, but individual governors also sit on committees (typically covering Finance, Teaching & Learning, and Safeguarding) that meet separately.
What Do Governors Actually Do?
The governing body has three core functions under statutory guidance:
| Function | What It Means in Practice |
|---|---|
| Setting strategy | Agreeing the school's vision, values, improvement priorities, and long-term plans |
| Holding the headteacher to account | Scrutinising pupil outcomes data, staff performance, and whether improvement targets are being met |
| Financial oversight | Approving budgets, monitoring spend, ensuring the school is financially sustainable and funds are used appropriately |
Governors do not manage the school on a day-to-day basis — that is the headteacher's job. Their role is strategic, not operational. A good governor asks searching questions; they do not tell the head how to run the school.
Types of Governor
Governing bodies include several categories of governor, each appointed through a different route:
- Parent governors: elected by parents of pupils currently at the school — typically the most accessible entry point for involved parents
- Staff governors: elected by school staff (teachers and support staff)
- Local authority governors: nominated by the LA (for maintained schools)
- Co-opted governors: recruited by the governing body for specific skills — finance, HR, law, data analysis, community links
- Community governors: individuals with a connection to the local community, appointed by the governing body
Being a parent governor is not about representing your individual child's interests — it is about acting in the best interests of all pupils at the school. This distinction is important: governors who receive individual complaints from parents about their own child's situation must declare a conflict of interest and step back from related discussions.
The Time Commitment of Being a Governor
Most governor handbooks suggest a minimum commitment of around one day per month, though this varies considerably:
- Full governing body meetings: typically 4–6 per year, usually evenings, lasting 2–3 hours
- Committee meetings: 2–4 per year per committee, often 1–2 hours
- School visits: governors are encouraged to visit the school during the day periodically to see provision in action
- Training: the National Governance Association (NGA) offers online and in-person training for new governors
Many employers support staff who are school governors — it is worth checking whether your employer offers paid volunteering leave for governance roles, as many larger organisations do.
How to Become a Parent Governor
Parent governor vacancies are advertised through the school's newsletter, website, or directly by letter to parents. The process is straightforward:
- Nominate yourself (self-nomination is standard — no one else needs to propose you)
- Submit a short personal statement explaining your interest and any relevant skills
- If there are more nominees than vacancies, a ballot of parents takes place
- If elected, you will be asked to complete a Declaration of Eligibility and a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check
Academies and Governors
Academies do not have a statutory governing body in the same form as maintained schools — instead, they have a trust board (or local governing body delegated by the trust). The terminology and structure varies, but the principle of volunteer oversight is the same. Academy trusts are legally required to have parent trustees or parent members involved in governance, though the exact arrangements differ between trusts. Contact the school directly to find out how parental governance works in their specific trust structure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need qualifications or experience to be a school governor?
No formal qualifications are required to become a school governor. Governing bodies welcome people from all backgrounds — the skills that are most valued include an ability to ask good questions, analyse data, think strategically, and work constructively as part of a team. Life experience, professional skills, and community knowledge are all valuable. Training is provided, and most governing bodies have experienced members who support new governors through their first year.
Is being a governor compatible with full-time work?
Yes. The majority of school governors in England are in full-time employment. Most meetings take place in the evenings; school visits can often be arranged for early morning or late afternoon. The statutory right to reasonable time off for public duties — which includes school governance — means employers are legally required to allow time off, though they are not required to pay for it. Many employers are supportive, particularly for such a visible community role.
Can I be a governor at a school where my child is a pupil?
Yes — parent governors are specifically elected by and from the parent body of the school. The key principle is that you act in the interests of all pupils, not specifically your own child. Where personal conflicts of interest arise — for example, if the governing body is discussing a matter that directly affects your child — you declare the conflict, leave the room for that item, and do not participate in the decision.
What is the difference between a PTA and a governing body?
A PTA is a voluntary, informal community organisation focused on fundraising, social events, and community building. It has no legal authority over the school. A governing body is a statutory body with legal responsibilities for the school's strategic direction, financial management, and accountability. Both are valuable, but they operate in fundamentally different domains. Parents who want to support the school community can do both — many active PTA members also serve as governors. For more on how parents can navigate England's school system, explore our School Finder Wizard and Catchment Area Checker.
