Volunteer on a Governing Board in Education
Use your skills to shape strategy, support leaders, and improve outcomes for children, young people, or adult learners.
Roles available across education settings and phases in Waltham Forest
Are you looking for a meaningful way to use your skills and experience in your community?
By becoming a governance volunteer in education, you can help shape the future of schools, colleges, and academy trusts – supporting better outcomes for learners of all ages.
Opportunities are available in a wide range of settings and phases across Waltham Forest, including primary, secondary and special schools; Further education and sixth form colleges; multi‑academy trusts and single academy trusts.
What does a governance role involve?
Across education settings, governors provide strategic oversight, constructive challenge, and public accountability to ensure every learner gets the education they deserve.
Depending on the type of board you’re placed on, your responsibilities may include:
- Providing strategic oversight and helping to shape long‑term direction
- Holding leaders to account for performance, finance, and outcomes
- Supporting effective decision‑making through challenge, scrutiny, and discussion
- Helping set aims, values, and priorities for the organisation
- Monitoring progress and improvement plans
- Overseeing budgets, financial sustainability, and value for money
- Ensuring accountability, compliance, and good governance
- Acting in the best interests of pupils, students, learners, and stakeholders
- Supporting senior appointments, in some settings
- Contributing to committees such as finance, audit, risk, standards, quality, governance, or people
At academy trusts and FE colleges, you also act as a charity trustee and/or company director, contributing to the governance of a larger and more complex organisation.
What’s in it for you?
Volunteering in education governance can offer significant personal and professional benefits. You’ll get the opportunity to:
- Develop your leadership and governance skills
- Enhance your CV or portfolio career
- Gain board or committee‑level experience, regardless of where you’re at in your professional journey
- Strengthen your strategic thinking and decision‑making
- Expand your professional network
- Give back in a practical, high‑impact way
Whether you’re early in your career, established in a profession, or bringing years of senior experience, governance can be a rewarding way to grow while making a difference.
You’ll also have the opportunity to see the impact of your contribution first‑hand. Volunteering in governance is a chance to contribute and give back to something bigger than yourself. You’ll support education, opportunity, social mobility, and local communities in a meaningful way.
Who are we looking for?
We welcome volunteers from a wide range of professional and personal backgrounds. Some roles are ideal for people taking their first step into governance, while others are better suited to those with senior leadership, board, or specialist experience.
In the majority of cases, you don’t need to have worked in education to volunteer. It’s your outside perspective, sound judgement, and willingness to contribute that matter most. We’re particularly interested in people who can bring strengths such as strategic thinking, leadership, communication, problem‑solving, and an analytical approach.
You must usually be over 18, and appointment processes are likely to include an application, interview, and DBS checks.
Time commitment & training
The time commitment varies depending on the type of role and the education setting. Typically, you may be expected to commit between five and ten hours a month. This includes attendance at meetings and preparation, such as reading papers, preparing questions, and undertaking training.
You’ll receive a full induction, as well as ongoing access to training and guidance throughout your time in role.
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