Parent Member Elections 2026

Dear Parents and Carers,

Re: Parent Local School Board Member (LSB)

What we are looking for:

We are looking for two parents/carers to join our local school board to help us oversee the work of our school. You must be a parent/carer of a student at the school at the time of election.

If you have good listening and communication skills and are able to commit to attending six evening meetings per year, reading papers, interpreting data and, where practical, to attend visits to school, you could be just the person we are looking for.

We are looking to recruit people from a range of backgrounds and experiences. Boards work better where they have diverse opinions and skills and this could be you. 

We really hope you will apply.

Read below to find more information about the voluntary role.

How does the Local School Board operate?

Community Schools Trust is a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT). Like all MATs, this Trust is governed by Trustees. The Trust operates on the basis of maximum delegation. A core value of the Trust is that schools should be run by, and their improvement driven by, their staff led by their senior leadership team and local school board (LSB).  

Whilst trustees focus on the strategic direction for the Trust, holding the CEO to account and to ensuring that public money is spent appropriately, the local school board is able to focus on improving standards in its particular school.

Who are we looking for? 

We are looking for two parents/carers who can help to drive strategic development and to bring their experience to board level discussions to help us respond effectively to challenges. 

You may be somebody that has experience in overcoming barriers to learning yourself or be well networked in the local community.

Could you help to:

• plan the school’s strategic direction?
• hold the headteacher to account?
• drive school improvement initiatives?

If you have an employer, check with them whether you would be permitted time off to undertake your duties as an LSB member.

Why volunteer?

We offer:

• comprehensive training
• opportunities to be part of decision making
• opportunities to gain new skills and to network
• reimbursement of reasonable out of pocket expenses 
• the chance to use your skills and knowledge to improve the lives of young people and their families in your community

Safeguarding and induction

All newly appointed LSB members are expected to attend an induction session and to undertake safeguarding training.  

As an organisation committed to the safety and well-being of young people we expect all involved in governance to have an Enhanced DBS check carried out (formally Criminal Records Bureau) to ensure their suitability for volunteering in a school environment. 

We also ask all new LSB members to  follow our Code of Conduct, to declare any business interests that may affect the Trust/school and to work in accordance with our policies and The Seven Principles of Public Life.

If you would like to find out more about Community Schools Trust and Haggerston School, you can look at our websites here and here. 

Closing date to submit nominations:

4pm on Friday 9th October 2026.

The term date for a Local School Board Member is four years but you can resign at any time. To find out more about the role, please look at our LSB webpage here.

The chair of the Local School Board, Ms Tallis will be holding an online Q&A session for any interested parent to find out more about the role at Haggerston School. This session will take place remotely on Tuesday 29th September from 11am - 1.30pm. To attend the meeting, please follow this link: meet.google.com/juw-ungr-wyh

If we receive more nominations than parent LSB member vacancies then it will be necessary to hold an election by ballot so that our parents can choose who will sit on the Local School Board. There are some circumstances that make people unable to be considered as school governors. Please read the disqualification information below.

Each nomination form requires two signatories, both of which have to be a parent of a student currently on role at the school. You can nominate yourself and be one of the signatories.

Please use the link to the nomination form and statement here which should be completed no later than 4pm on Friday 9th October 2026. Please return the form to Ms Scalco, PA to the Headteacher via the main school office, or you can drop a printed paper copy into the main school office.

The role and responsibilities of parent local school board members are no different from those of other LSB members. Parent board members are not delegates and do not speak 'on behalf' of the parent body, but bring a parental perspective to the issues discussed. The main difference is that parents are elected to the board, not appointed (unless there are fewer candidates than vacancies). 

As a parent board member it will sometimes feel that you have to know everything about the school, but cannot talk about it; you have to be on everyone’s side; people imagine that you have loads of free time and you have to be able to juggle all these expectations. 

As a parent you will already be an expert juggler, but developing your role as a board member will take time. You are not alone. There is advice, help and support you can tap into and reading this guidance note is the first step. 

What are the good bits about being a parent board member?  

You have a very privileged and responsible role. You have the opportunity to make a difference, not only for your children, but for children in years to come. You have the opportunity to make a difference for other parents, and to influence the way in which school works with them. You will learn a lot and develop new skills. 

How can you fulfil your role? 

Attend LSB meetings regularly and play an active role in committees and decision-making. Learn all you can about the school. Consider how the LSB communicates with parents.

• Could you help them to improve links?
• How accessible is the school – how easy is it for parents to go into school to discuss things with the Headteacher or teachers?
• Could you give feedback to help the school to be more open and welcoming?
• How accessible are the governors – do parents ever get the opportunity to meet with board members; do they know how to get in touch with the Chair of the LSB if they need to?
• Could you encourage the LSB to be more visible?
• Learn how the school handles complaints and read the complaints policy. If another parent approaches you with a complaint, advise them to speak to the school directly.
• Be approachable to other parents, but make sure you are clear about your role. Always represent the school positively.  

As a board member you are one of a group and must never act alone. Always support the decisions of the full LSB. Have your say on decisions in meetings and vote in the way you wish; but then support the outcomes of votes – even if you disagree with them. Always, observe confidentiality. You will get to know a lot of highly sensitive and confidential information – do not discuss it with anyone who is not a board member. Remember, a governor can be suspended for serious breaches of confidentiality.

If you would like to stand for election, we welcome the opportunity to hear your insights and perspectives and, if elected, we look forward to you playing a key role in helping shape the values that underpin the culture and ethos of the school and trust.

1. When a serving parent governor is reaching the end of his/her term of office, the clerk to governors will inform the governing body and headteacher. A timetable for an election is agreed that minimises delay and avoids school holidays.

2. The returning officer will contact all parents notifying them that an election for a parent governor is required and inviting nominations on an appropriate nomination form. The invitation and nomination form will also be placed on the school website. The returning officer will also provide information setting out the circumstances in which someone is NOT allowed to serve as a governor. The nomination form will indicate the closing date for nominations, which will be not less than 10 school days from the date of issue. Candidates will be invited to submit a statement in support of their nomination, which should be no longer than 250 words.

3. The governing body carries out a regular skills audit of governors and on occasion, may ask for parents with particular skills/experience to put their name forward for election. This does not preclude any other member of the parent body from standing for election.

4. Parents may self-nominate but if a parent wishes to nominate another parent, they should seek their approval before submitting the nomination.

5. Where the number of candidates nominated is equal to or fewer than the number of vacancies, then all those nominated will be elected unopposed. If too few parents stand for election to fill all the vacancies, the governing body will appoint parent governors to the vacancy or vacancies in accordance with the School Governance (Constitution) (England) Regulations 2012.

6. If there are more nominations than vacancies, a ballot will be conducted. All parents of registered students are entitled to vote. Depending on the number of vacancies, parents may be asked to vote for more than one candidate. Each parent can only vote once regardless of the number of children they have attending the school; The closing date and time for voting will be no less than 10 school days following notification. If applicable, the candidates’ personal statements will be enclosed.

7. An online ballot system called Choice Voting will be used for the ballot, allowing parents to participate in the election process securely, fairly and conveniently. Full instructions of how to use the online ballot system will be provided if the election proceeds. Paper ballots will also be available for those who are unable to use the online voting system so that voting can be conducted by post.

8. At the closing date for the end of the voting period the returning officer will confirm the result with candidates and governors. The outcome of the vote will be decided by the simple majority vote system.

9. The clerk to governors will inform all candidates individually about the result of the ballot and will also notify the other relevant authorities of the names of successful candidates, stating the period of appointment and the date on which the term of office will end.

10. Other parents will be notified of the result via email and/or the school website.

11. In the event of a tie, there should be a recount. If this does not produce a clear result, the returning officer should, in the presence of witnesses, draw lots.

12.. The ballot information and data will be held for a period of time to allow for any unforeseen issues to be resolved in accordance with all relevant data protection requirements.

13. No arrangements will be made for proxy voting.

The following disqualifications are covered under Schedule 6 of the School Governance (Constitution) Regulations 2007: SI 2007/957.

An LSB member must be aged 18 or over at the time of their election or appointment and cannot be a registered pupil at the school. A person cannot hold more than one LSB membership at the same school.  A person is disqualified from holding or from continuing to hold office as an LSB member if they:

• fail to attend the LSB meetings – without the consent of the chair – for a continuous period of six months, beginning with the date of the first meeting missed (not applicable to ex-officio LSB members). 
• is subject to a bankruptcy restriction order or an interim order;
• has had their estate sequestrated and the sequestration order has not been discharged, annulled or reduced;
• is subject to: 
  • a disqualification order or disqualification undertaking under the Company Directors Act 1986
  • a disqualification order under Part 2 of the Companies (Northern Ireland) Order 1989
  • a disqualification undertaking accepted under the Company Directors Disqualification (Northern Ireland) Order 2002
  • an order made under section 492(2)(b) of the Insolvency Act 1986 (failure to pay under county court administration order);
• has been removed from the office of charity trustee or trustee for a charity by the Charity Commissioners or High Court on grounds of any misconduct or mismanagement, or under Section 34 of the Charities and Trustees Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 from participating in the management or control of any body;
• is included in the list of people considered by the Secretary of State as unsuitable to work with children;
• is barred from any related activity relating to children
• is disqualified from working with children or subject to a direction under section 142 of the Education Act 2002;
• is disqualified from registration for childminding or providing day care;
• Is disqualified from registration under Part 3 of the Childcare Act 2006;
• Is disqualified from being an independent school proprietor, teacher or employee by the Secretary of State; 
• has received a sentence of imprisonment (whether suspended or not) for a period of not less than three months (without the option of a fine) in the five years before becoming an LSB member or since becoming an LSB member;
• has received a prison sentence of 2.5 years or more in the 20 years before becoming an LSB member; 
• has at any time received a prison sentence of five years or more;
• has been fined for causing a nuisance or disturbance on school premises during the five years prior to or since appointment or election as an LSB member;
• refuses to allow an application to the Criminal Records Bureau for a criminal records certificate;
• has been an elected parent or staff LSB member and removed from the board during their term of office within the past five years.