We Worked with One of Our Associate Education Experts, Fred Birkett, to Create This Keydoc

/ Checklist for new governors

We worked with one of our associate education experts, Fred Birkett, to create this KeyDoc checklist for new governors.

This KeyDoc is for new governors to use with their chair of governors and/or governor mentor if relevant. It is not intended to replace induction training, but to provide a basis for induction.

Meeting the governing body
Action / Completed? / Notes
Meet the chair of governors
Complete a tour of the school
Meet the headteacher
Attend first full governing body meeting
Observe committee meetings
Training and paperwork
Action / Completed? / Notes
Book induction training
Complete skills audit
Complete paperwork. This may include:

Governor declaration form
DBS/barred list check
Declaration of business interests form

Items the new governor should receive
Action / Completed? / Notes
Information on the composition of the governing body
List of school staff and their responsibilities
Terms of reference for the governing body
Terms of reference for each committee
List of future meeting dates
Governors’ code of conduct
Information on governor visits
Information on where governors can access all of the school’s policies
Information on:

Number of pupils at the school
Number of boys and girls
Percentage of children eligible for the pupil premium
Number of children with English as an additional language (EAL)
Breakdown of pupil ethnicity
Number of children on the special educational needs (SEN) register
Number of children with SEN statements
Number of looked after children

Summary of the school improvement plan (or equivalent)
Minutes from the last governors’ meeting
A list of current governors and their contact details
The clerk’s contact details
For academy governors only: memorandum and articles of association
Actions for the new governor
Action / Completed? / Notes
Ask your workplace about time off for governor duties (if applicable)
Read the Governance Handbook from the Department for Education (DfE)
Read the school’s latest Ofsted report and Ofsted action plan (if appropriate)
Look at the school website
Research recent news items on school governance/education
Other actions
Action / Completed? / Notes

Fred Birkett is an experienced teacher and education consultant. He has been a governor for 20 years in primary and secondary schools and a chair of governors for half that time. He is a national leader of governance.

This KeyDoc is featured in our article Checklist for new governors'. To read the article, visit and enter the reference number 4540 in the search box.