§ 34. Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he is taking to promote a greater awareness of the contribution of school governors. [14357]
§ Mr. ByersOur White Paper "Excellence in Schools" makes it clear that school governors have a special role as partners in the education service. They provide a vital link between the school and the community, and we propose to strengthen that link by increasing the number of parent governors. We are most grateful to the 300,000 school governors in England who give their time so generously. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has personally written twice to every governing body emphasising the vital role we hope they will play in improving school performance. We are also making available specific training support to help governing bodies in their main task of raising standards in our schools.