BUSINESSES across Oxfordshire were surprised by a team armed with pot plants hoping to recruit school governors.

National charity SSGOSS Governors for Schools launched a recruitment campaign aimed at filling some of the 111 community and foundation governor vacancies in schools across Oxfordshire.

On Wednesday staff from the charity dropped in on 50 local businesses with pot plants – representing how things grow when nurtured – and brochures encouraging people to think about becoming a governor.

Adam Balzano, area manager for the charity, said: “The plant, given the right nurturing and development, will come to flourish so we are using it as a metaphor. It’s a little bit cheesy but we hope it will stick in the minds of people.”

He said difficulties recruiting governors fluctuated from area to area and went up and down over time.

Mr Balzano added: “Oxford city itself is fine, we have a lot of volunteers, but the rural areas where it is harder for people to travel between villages have more problems. “The reason we are targeting Oxfordshire is because we had good feedback from recruitment events in the past.”

They are particularly seeking volunteers with skills in human resources, legal issues, finance, building and site maintenance. Among the places visited was solicitors firm Blake Lapthorn, in Seacourt Tower, Botley.

Mr Balzano also got on his bike to deliver 5,000 flyers door to door, which he hoped would lead to at least 100 expressions of interest in becoming a governor.

From that, he anticipated between a third and a half would go on to register, and said the goal was to fill about 20 per cent of the vacancies from this week’s blitz.

He said: “Our campaign is all about an investment that anyone can make and doesn’t cost in the conventional way.”

David Cryer, head of retail at homelessness charity Shelter, has been a governor at Uffington Primary School for six years.

He said: “I would absolutely recommend being a governor, you get a lot out of it individually and you really make a difference.”

A full list of governor vacancies is available at oxfordshire.gov.uk/cms/content/governor-recruitment-and-how-become-school-governor, while more information about SGOSS can be found at sgoss.org.uk

WHAT BEING A GOVERNOR INVOLVES

THE key task for governors is to promote high standards of educational achievement.

Their main roles are identifying where schools need to improve and agreeing priorities for improvement, challenging the school to do better and supporting it to do so, and holding the headteacher to account for school performance.

Governors are required to attend meetings of which there are at least three each year but usually five or six, and may sit on committees which have additional meetings and responsibilities.

They are expected to ask questions and contribute opinions while representing the view of those who appointed or elected them, for example parents, teachers, church, business or community, while accepting the majority view.

They should show an interest in the everyday work of the school as well as special events.