Awards for Governors and Their Employers

Valuing Governors - Policy Review and Implementation

In 2003, the County Council reviewed the arrangements for recognising the contribution of school governors and their employers to education in Hampshire. The arrangements were discussed at the County Governors' Forum and approved by the then Executive Member for Education, Councillor Don Allen. Since his death in February 2005 the awards have been known as The Don Allen Awards.  Using a computer system to print standard certificates allows the County Council to recognise the service of governors more frequently and more consistently than was previously possible.

The computer picks from the Governor Services database the names of those governors who have reached, in the previous term, the 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 year anniversary of their first appointment and prints a certificate for them. Certificates and badges are sent via the school for the attention of the Chairman of Governors so that Governing Bodies can make arrangements to celebrate these achievements in their own way. Where a governor has served at two schools during the same period the certificate mentions both schools and is sent for presentation to the chairman of governors at the first school in the alphabetical list.

If the certificate sent does not accurately reflect the governor's service please contact Governor Services at your local office and we will be happy to replace it with something more appropriate.

Outstanding Service Awards

These certificates may be awarded to serving or recently retired governors. Schools and governing bodies will be able to submit nominations for this certificate where it is felt that a colleague has given outstanding service in their role as a governor over a period of time.

The submission should outline the nature of this very exceptional and significant contribution and should be supported by at least two members of the Governing Body. Where a nomination is received through other channels it will be referred back to the relevant governing body for consideration.

Nominations should be sent to Governor Services at your local office using the appropriate nomination form

The County Council will also make outstanding Service Awards on its own nomination to those governors whom it considers to have given exceptional service to governance beyond the level of the individual school.

The Executive Member for Education will hold a reception periodically for those governors who have received invitations to these events will be sent directly to the governors concerned.

Employer's Award

This is a recognition scheme for employers who actively encourage and support their staff in their governor's role. Employers are presented with a certificate and a Hampshire Hog plaque at a lunchtime event hosted by the County Council. Any individual governors can nominate their employer if they consider them to be worthy of this award. It is important that the individual governor describes what support their employer has given for the work they do as a governor. The closing date for nominations is 31 October each year. The nomination form should be submitted to Governor Services at your local office.