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Governing board roles

Associate members

Explaining the role of associate members and how they are used on governing boards

Guidance
23/10/2025
Clipboard being passed to someone else on the table at a meeting

Associate members can be appointed to governing board committees for their skills or knowledge.

The term ‘associate member’ technically applies to maintained school governing bodies – the role is established in the School Governance (Constitution) (England) Regulations 2012. The term does not feature in the legal framework for academy trusts, but the articles of association allow trust boards to create an equivalent role which may be referred to as ‘associate member’.

Associate members can be an asset to a governing board and help it access skills it may otherwise not have benefited from. However, both the governing board and associate members should be clear on the role and remit.

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