Become a Governor

Firstly, a big thank you for considering supporting Briarwood School and our aim to ensure every child or young person in Bristol with a Special Educational Need or Disability (SEND) has an appropriate provision and a high-quality education.

Briarwood School has a long history of achieving strong outcomes for children and young people with SEND. As our most recent Ofsted report states; “Briarwood is a very special school. Leaders are determined to give every pupil the skills and knowledge to prepare them well for adulthood.”

Briarwood is committed to providing high quality education, care and life experiences for children and young people aged 3-19 with Severe and Profound Learning Difficulties, Life limiting conditions, Complex Needs, Autism and Sensory Impairment. The school is based on 3 (soon to be 4) sites across East-Central Bristol and is made up of Briarwood Infants, Juniors, Secondary, Sixth Form and The Nexus (a specialist centre for pupils with Behaviours that challenge). We currently have 168 pupils, but continue to expand and in 3 years’ time will have over 200. We also have a team of around 180 staff.

School governors play an important role in leading our schools - they set the strategic vision and direction, approve the budget and hold the senior leadership team to account.

Why become a school governor?

The benefits of being a Governor are immense! Being part of a governing board will give you experience of working at a strategic level and the opportunity to learn and practice skills that have a direct relevance to employers.  

• Developing your professional skills and experience such as strategic planning, chairing, financial planning, and team working, all of which are valued by employers and can assist your own career development;
• Building relationships and networks in your locality and;
• Supporting children and young people in your community.

Anyone over the age of 18 can be a governor, and you don’t need to be a parent. As a governor you will not be involved with the day-to-day running of the school. Governors normally attend meetings in the evening, read and comment on reports and visit the schools to see first hand the impact of their work.

We recognise that as a voluntary position, this is a commitment to your time, but we hope you will find it an incredibly rewarding role, knowing that you are having a significant impact on the lives of disabled children and young people. If you are interested in helping us and would like to become a governor, please do get in touch.