Published at 16:34, Monday, 24 December 2012

MILLOM School’s chairman of governors will be at the forefront of increasing leadership and standards all over Cumbria after being appointed as the county’s second National Leader of Governance.

SUPPORT: Colin Richards, chairman of governors at Millom School

Professor Colin Richards will use his skills and experience to support governors in other schools and academies across the county.

A former governor at Captain Shaw’s Primary School, in Bootle, Broughton in Furness Primary School and Thwaites Primary School, Mr Richards is urging people to volunteer their services to schools.

He said: “The first thing I’d say to people considering being school governors is not to be daunted by the prospect.

“The most important quality a governor can have is a commitment to the school and local community – there isn’t a requirement for a specific set of skills, each person brings their own different attributes and talents.

“In my experience with support from the schools and the county council, new school governors soon find their feet and quickly start to make a positive difference.”

As a former HMI (Her Majesty’s Inspector of Schools), Mr Richards, of Spark Bridge, has vast experience of working to improve standards in schools and is looking forward to raising the bar throughout Cumbria.

He said: “I’m very much looking forward to the challenge of taking on this new role and helping support other governors around the county.

“To see schools develop and improve over time and to be able to play a part in helping bring about improvements that make a difference to children’s lives is extremely rewarding.

“As a National Leader of Governance it will involve helping schools county-wide and that’s something I’m very pleased to be able to get involved with.”

Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk