Link Governor Roles
A link governor develops a specialist interest in a particular area of the school's work and acts as the bridge between that area and the LGB. They check that the right systems and processes are in place, report back on strengths and areas for development, and help the wider board understand key issues.Link roles are strategic, not operational.
Getting the best out of your role
A link governor asks questions and gathers insight.
They do not carry out audits or make operational changes themselves.Link roles are reviewed and reassigned regularly to ensure the right people are covering the right areas. Staff governors should not take on a link role connected to their job at the school.
How Link Roles are Assigned
The LGB should discuss and agree link roles at the start of each academic year, typically at a strategy session or regular meeting. You do not need to be an expert in your link area before you are appointed.
What matters most is commitment to learning and a willingness to report back to the board.
What All Link Governors Do
Regardless of their specific area, all link governors should:
- Complete relevant training and e-learning for their link area
- Build a working relationship with the operational lead at the school
- Keep up to date with relevant statutory guidance and Trust policies
- Schedule visits and keep records on GovernorHub
- Report back to the LGB after each visit
- Ensure relevant policies are scheduled for review in the annual plan
- Monitor that staff in their link area have received appropriate training
What link roles are there?
Mandatory Link Roles
Every LGB must appoint link governors to the following areas:
- Safeguarding
- Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
- Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) — secondary schools only
Recommended Link Roles
The roles are recommended:
- Pupil Premium
- Health and Safety / Premises
- Mental Health and Wellbeing
- Curriculum and Teaching and Learning
- Community Engagement
- Finance
This list is not exhaustive. If your school has other priorities identified in the school development plan, the LGB can create additional link roles to reflect them. The Governance Team is always available to help identify appropriate roles and support link governors in preparing for visits and asking the right questions.
Role Descriptions
What this looks like
The Trust Board appoints a safeguarding link trustee with board-level responsibility for the Trust's safeguarding arrangements. Each school also has a safeguarding link governor at LGB level.
The link governor works closely with the school's Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and meets with them each term to:
- Ensure the school is compliant with statutory safeguarding guidance
- Check that effective systems are in place to protect all pupils
- Keep the LGB updated on safeguarding matters
- Support the DSL in carrying out their role effectively
- Oversee safeguarding training for the LGB
Key questions to ask:
- Does the school have an up-to-date safeguarding policy compliant with current legislation?
- Are safer recruitment processes in place?
- How is the Single Central Register managed?
- Do safeguarding systems cover e-safety?
- Is the school adequately resourced to meet its safeguarding duties?
What this looks like
The SEND link governor ensures the LGB has effective oversight of the school's provision for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. They meet with the SENDCo each term to check the school is meeting its legal duties under the Equality Act 2010 and the SEND Code of Practice.
Key questions to ask:
- Do pupils with SEND have access to all the support they need?
- How does the academic progress of pupils with SEND compare to that of other pupils?
- What arrangements are in place for consulting with pupils with SEND?
- Have there been any significant incidents relating to pupils with SEND since the last visit?
What this looks like
Schools have a legal duty to provide independent and impartial careers guidance from Year 8 onwards. The CEIAG link governor provides strategic oversight of the school's compliance with this duty and meets with the school's careers lead each term.
Key questions to ask:
- Are we fulfilling our statutory duties regarding careers guidance?
- Does the school have a careers policy that is reviewed regularly by the LGB?
- How does the school evaluate the impact of its careers provision?
- Are sufficient resources allocated to careers guidance?
What this looks like
Pupil Premium is additional government funding intended to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils. The link governor meets with the school's Pupil Premium lead each term to ensure funding is being spent effectively and that progress is being monitored.
Key questions to ask:
- Has the gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers narrowed or widened over the past three years?
- Are staff aware of which pupils are disadvantaged and do they have strategies in place to support them?
- Is the Pupil Premium statement published on the school website?
What this looks like
The link governor works with the Chair to ensure the LGB provides appropriate scrutiny of premises management and health and safety. This includes checking that the Health and Safety policy is current, that accidents are investigated, and that all statutory checks are carried out.
Key questions to ask:
- Does the school have a health and safety operations plan covering short, medium and long-term work?
- Are effective accident reporting systems in place?
- Have staff received adequate health and safety training?
- How does the school ensure statutory compliance?
What this looks like
The link governor monitors the extent to which the curriculum reflects the school's vision and values, and tracks curriculum priorities in the school development plan. They are not expected to judge curriculum quality in the way an inspector would, but to help the LGB understand what is happening in practice.
Key questions to ask:
- How is the curriculum designed to meet the needs of all pupils?
- How do we support pupils who are not on track?
- How does the progress of different pupil groups compare?
- Do staff have the knowledge and skills to deliver the curriculum well?
What this looks like
The link governor ensures the LGB understands the school's relationships with its community and has input into community engagement plans and activities.
Key questions to ask:
- What are the school's key priorities for community engagement?
- Who are the school's main stakeholders and are we engaging all of them?
- What methods does the school use to engage different community groups?
What this looks like
The finance link governor bridges the gap between the LGB and the school on financial matters. They take a strategic role in budget oversight and ensure the LGB understands the school's financial position and the implications of key decisions.
Key questions to ask:
- Does the LGB have sufficient understanding of the Trust's scheme of delegation and financial regulations?
- What procurement processes are in place to ensure value for money?
- Are we allocating funding in line with development priorities?
- Does the school have the skills needed to manage finance and procurement well?
