I would like to become a school governor so that I can contribute my skills and experience to help a school and its pupils thrive. As a governance professional, the skills I use every day at work will support me in the role of governor. I have governance and people expertise which I am confident will enable me to help a school review and improve its processes and procedures for the benefit of pupils, teachers and the wider school community. I work with senior leaders and non-executive directors on a daily basis and I am adept at analysing legislation, facts, evidence and providing advice accordingly. I am passionate about education, and for the past five years I have volunteered with a social enterprise as a tutor for under-privileged children at schools across London. Unfortunately, the demands of my day job mean it has become more challenging to regularly tutor within school hours so I am looking for the right opportunity to contribute my time and experience in another meaningful way. At this stage of my career, I want to enhance my knowledge of the education sector and use my skills in a more formal setting. I am committed to continuous learning and if successful I would take up opportunities for training to develop any specialised knowledge required by the role. I am also motivated to make a difference in my local community which I moved to shortly before the Covid-19 pandemic, and which I understand has a shortage of governors - an issue for which I hope to be part of the solution!

I I feel I would be of some value because of my previous experience of working in a primary school. I am retired so have the time to contribute to the well-being of a local primary school. I have a Very positive attitude and I think that I Would be able to assist the head with ideas and practical help in the running of the school. I also have quite a lot of experience in running after-school clubs especially in sports and the arts. I have experience throughout school although my main position was in early years and key stage one.

I am a Professional Qualified Accountant with a solid background in financial, management and bookkeeping accounting for companies and clients and believe my skills and knowledge will be beneficial in overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent. As a working mum I understand how important the school environment and good educations is. I am so grateful the school that my child attends is outstanding in every aspect and I would like to help other schools achieve high standards and offer outstanding services to their pupils. Good start in life provides children with more opportunities in further education and better career progression and wellbeing.

My name is Karla Thomas and I am a parent to 4 children, 3 of which attend Mission Grove, my 6 year old daughter is in year 1, my 4 year old is in reception and my 3 year old is in nursery and one day my new born will be attending Mission Grove.

I am currently a member of the PTA, I have been a member of PTA for going on 2 years now. I decided I want to help our school reach its full potential so I decided to become a parent governor, which I love as I am a part of group of amazing people who are all like myself just want the best for our school, staff and pupils.

I have a lot of interest in all different things like I have certain qualifications in word processing, decorating, knitting, art and multi-skills which cover me on carpentry and tiling. I do love to work and engage with children and hopefully in the long run I will get a job within a school and be able to help teach our children as the kids of today are the future and to get them where they should I want to be able to help guild and show them they way, which is being a part of something special to me.

The role has provided me with great insight into the running of our school. As an ex  teacher I feel I can use my knowledge to help support and inform the Governing Body. I know the staff and community of Mission Grove very well. At Mission Grove we have been involved in many developments and the Governors have a vital role to play in any future success.

I have taught at the school for many years and feel that I can convey the messages and feelings of the stuff to the Governing Body. I can also inform the staff of Governing Body decisions and matters.

I attend all the Governors meetings and give regular reports to the Governors regarding finance, data and the standards of teaching and learning here at Mission Grove. 

I believe that schools have incredible power to both support, nurture and educate children but in so doing to also impact and change society for the better. I also believe that is an incredibly challenging and broad-ranging remit and that teachers and the teams that support them are pulled in many different directions to execute against that challenge. A well rounded and broad skilled governing body can help reduce some of those pressures to create greater focus on teaching and surround provision. Throughout my professional career, I have been drawn to roles with a breadth of overlapping responsibilities and my current role is a great example of that. In the practical sense, I run a multimillion-pound budget made up of multiple account lines, am responsible for the day to day HR operations as well as the provision of a safe and secure working environment for over 200 employees. However, the part of my role that brings me the most joy is helping create the culture and foster a community where these employees, many of whom have standalone roles across diverse functions such as marketing, IT, HR and risk, can come together, bring their authentic selves, share ideas and thrive. I believe this blend of commitment to creating productive and enriching environments alongside practical skills in employee selection, management, HR topics, finance and health and safety make me well suited to a role on the right governing body.

The opportunity to volunteer as a school governor is a hugely exciting prospect for me. I passionately believe in the potential of education to fundamentally improve life chances. In light of the significant challenges faced by the education sector as a result of Covid, I feel compelled to contribute my nine years of professional experience in the creative education sector, alongside my project management and interpersonal skills, in supporting the improvement of outcomes for pupils.

My career has encompassed significant experience in leadership roles in cultural organisations delivering creative education in schools, including: setting up and managing a new Community Interest Company delivering drama workshops teaching mental wellbeing in schools, and my current role as the Schools Programme Manager for an East London creative education charity where I lead on the strategy and delivery of cultural education programmes within schools. The most rewarding aspect of my job is seeing first hand the impact of creative experiences on children and young people participating, and the benefit to school communities as a whole. As I often liaise with teachers and senior leaders about the school improvement needs within their school, I have an in-depth understanding of the current challenge faced by schools in the wake of Covid, in ensuring that all pupils are given a chance to succeed and enjoy school life.

This experience has made me deeply committed to being a school governor and I would find contributing to problem-solving and strategy-building in order to help overcome these, deeply satisfying.

As a strong communicator and team player, I thoroughly enjoy working collaboratively and I look forward to the rewarding experience of attending meetings and events and working hard alongside a team of governors to champion the school, students and families.