To: Parents/Carers of all Students at Impington Village College

25 April 2017

Dear Parent/Carer

Impington Village College – Election of Parent Governor to the Local Governing Body

The Local Governing Body of Impington Village College has ONE Parent Governor vacancy. We are writing to you to ask if you would be interested in becoming a College Governor.

Local Governors are responsible for, amongst other things, curriculum oversight, playing the role of ‘critical friend’ to ensure teaching and learning are the strongest that it can be within the Academy. They help to appoint staff and build good relationships between the College, parents and the local community.

Parent Governors are important members of the Local Governing Body and we rely on them to help us to keep in touch with what parents are thinking. They are on the Local Governing Body as representative parents, but they are not delegates; other parents cannot mandate them on how they should vote.

Governors do not need to be experts to tackle the range of responsibilities expected of them. Help, advice and training are available from various sources. If you are interested in the education of your child and the way the College makes decisions and have some time to commit to this role, we would like you to consider becoming a Parent Governor. If you would like more information please contact the College and we can put you in touch with a member of our Governing Body for an informal chat.

Anyone who has parental responsibility for a student on the College roll at the time of the election, can self-nominate, stand for election and can vote in the election. A parent who works for the College for 500 hours or more or a parent who is an elected member of the Local Authority (County Councillor) is not eligible to stand for election but they are permitted to vote. The term of office for a Parent Governor is four years.

All nominations should be sent to the Clerk to the Governing Body at the College by 16 May 2017 using the enclosed nomination form. We also need a few words about the candidate and why they would like to be a Governor. If you would like extra copies of the nomination forms please contact Joe Greenway, Clerk to the Governing Body (jgreenway@impington.cambs.sch.uk or 07745889759).

On 16 May 2017 we will inform parents about the details of Parent Governor nominations. If an election is necessary, we will send ballot forms home via ‘In Touch’ or with the students with the names of the candidates and their details. Each parent will have one vote as there is one vacancy. The ballot is secret and you can send or post the ballot paper back using a double envelope system. The ballot paper should be sealed in an inner unmarked envelope, which would be sealed in an outer envelope with the name of the voter printed on the back. The ballot paper can be placed in the ballot box at the College Reception. All votes must be in by Monday 12 June 2017 and they will be counted on Tuesday 13 June 2017.

A copy of the rules guiding the election of Parent Governors and further copies of the nomination form can be obtained from the Clerk to the Governing Body. If you require a copy of this letter in a language other than English or in large print format please contact the Clerk.

Yours sincerely

Principal: Ryan Kelsall

Chairman of the Local Governing Body: Karen Momber