Reflections on Eight Years as a Parent Governor at St Edmund’s Catholic Academy

Reflections on Eight Years as a Parent Governor at St Edmund’s Catholic Academy

This post isn’t really about technology or data. My time as a parent governor at St Edmunds Catholic Academy has recently come to an end, and after two terms and eight years in the role, I wanted to share a few reflections on the experience.

First of all, as my time on the governing body comes to a close, I want to express my sincere thanks to everyone at St Edmund’s for their support over the past eight years. It has been a privilege to work alongside the headteacher, senior leaders, fellow governors, and the wider school community. I have always appreciated the trust placed in me and the collaborative spirit with which the school approaches its mission. The dedication of the staff and leadership team is evident in everything they do, and it has been an honour to play a small part in that journey. Although I wasn’t re-elected this time, I remain incredibly proud of the progress the academy has made, and I will continue to take a keen interest in its future. And who knows, perhaps I may return one day when our youngest children are in need of a high-school

How did I come to get involved?

When our eldest was preparing for secondary school back in 2016 and 2017, I was still reasonably new to Wolverhampton and didn’t know the local schools at all. So, like many parents, I started to research. St Edmund’s kept appearing as a strong, well-regarded school. After attending open evenings and doing the usual visits, we completed our application. And we ended up being offered a place at St Edmund’s

That might be a topic for another post, because the admissions process today is far more stressful than it ever was when I went to school. You didn’t apply; you just went to the school in your catchment. These days, it’s a somewhat competitive, pressurised experience for both parents and children, and navigating it can feel like a challenge in itself.

But I digress.

So how did I become a parent governor? I was looking at the school’s website, getting ready for the boy to start, and I saw that they needed a parent governor for their board. I was keen to get an insight into how the school would operate and thought it an excellent opportunity to influence the school that our children were likely to attend. So I wrote to the Chair of the Governors. There was an election of sorts I was the only candidate, and in lieu of any competition I was appointed

Stepping into the role of parent governor turned out to be a tremendously rewarding opportunity, not only to understand how another organisation operates, but also to bring my own skills and experience as a business owner into a completely different environment that would have a lasting impact on the education of children. Across my time at St Edmunds, I was involved in setting the strategic direction of the school, scrutinising academic performance, overseeing finances, participating in staff recruitment, supporting and challenging the headteacher, and occasionally sitting on panels for permanent exclusions and disciplinary matters.

I’m not going to lie: I thoroughly enjoyed all of it.

Whatever the issue, however complex the discussion, I always tried to keep one question at the forefront of my mind, probably the most important question of all:

What is best for the children at this school?

Every decision, every piece of scrutiny, and every debate ultimately comes back to that single principle. It’s the anchor that guides a governor’s contribution and the measure by which every recommendation should be judged.

People often say that being a school governor is similar to being a non-executive director, and I think that’s a fair comparison. Serving as a parent governor at St Edmund’s felt very much like a NED role in many respects. It wasn’t about running the school day to day; it was about strategic oversight, financial stewardship, good governance, and holding the leadership team to account in a constructive, supportive way. Like a NED, you work at board level, shaping long-term direction while ensuring everything links back to the mission—except in this case, the mission is education and the well-being of young people.

The key difference, of course, is that governors are volunteers serving a public-service purpose rather than a commercial one. But the seriousness of the responsibility and the commitment required are very much the same.

What is Next?

Although my time as a parent governor has come to a close, I’m already thinking about other ways to continue contributing to the community. Through my involvement in the Charity IT Leaders group, I’ve come across many organisations seeking trustees with technology or data backgrounds. There is a huge demand for people who understand the digital landscape and can help charities navigate it safely and strategically.

I’ll be taking a short break first, mainly to focus on planning the new financial year for gethynellis.com, but I fully hope to return to volunteer governance in one form or another. If your charity is looking for a trustee with experience in data, technology, or digital strategy, or if you’re seeking a non-executive director with leadership and tech expertise, you’re very welcome to get in touch.

My eight years at St Edmunds were a privilege, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute to a school that plays such an important role in the education of my children. It’s been an experience I’ll carry with me, and one I’m proud to have been part of.

Useful Links