Local Associations are the link between a school governing body and its local authority. A strong local association can make an enormous difference to governing body effectiveness.
Some local associations have thousands of members, organise effective meetings and conferences and have their own comprehensive websites. Others are small local groups.
Many local authorities facilitate the formation of local governor associations, some go further and provide resources and clerking support.
The NGA supports local associations with information, and as a information conduit to central government, to make sure the local voice is heard. The NGA can also intervene to support a local association when problems arise with the local authority.
At the end of October, we closed our survey of Local Association Chairs. Thank you to all of you who responded. The results and analysis are now available to download.
Local Associations Survey Analysis
No director of childrens' services will be able to see every governor from every school. As a result on a whole range of issues, from proper representation at the school forum, consultation over local issues such as Building Schools for the Future programmes, or Special Needs provision; it is difficult for individual governing bodies to make their voice heard. An effective local association can ensure that the governor voice is represented in these crucial meetings.
There is, however, a world of a difference between an independent local governors' association, free to make its voice heard on any issue - and the governor bodies that exist in some areas, where the local authority sets the agenda, and by so doing controls what is and what is not discussed.
In England there are 150 local authorities, with the potential for 150 local governor associations. Seventy-nine local associations are association members of the NGA, with just over a dozen not in membership. That leaves many areas without an effective independent local association, and some local associations without the support of their national representative body.
• Does your local area have a local association that is outside the NGA fold?
• Are there school governing bodies in your local area that would like the support of the NGA in forming an association?
If the answer to any of these questions is 'Yes' - then please contact NGA headquarters
email: governorhq@nga.org.uk