Updated 20 April 2026

Cheshire East

• Christ the King RC & CofE Primary School, Macclesfield – 3 vacancies
• St Alban’s Catholic Primary School, Macclesfield – 1 vacancy
• St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Middlewich – 2 vacancies

Cheshire West and Chester

• Ellesmere Port Catholic High School, Ellesmere Port – 4 vacancies
• Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School, Ellesmere Port – 3 vacancies
• St Bernard’s Catholic Primary School, Ellesmere Port – 3 vacancies
• St Clare’s Catholic Primary School, Chester – 2 vacancies
• St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Winsford – 3 vacancies
• St Luke’s Catholic Primary School, Frodsham – 1 vacancy
• St Mary of the Angels Catholic Primary School, Ellesmere Port – 1 vacancy
• St Saviour’s Catholic Primary School, Ellesmere Port – 1 vacancy
• St Winefride’s Catholic Primary School, Neston – 1 vacancy
• The Catholic High School, Chester – 2 vacancies

Halton

• Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School, Runcorn – 2 vacancies
• Our Lady Mother of the Saviour Catholic Primary School, Runcorn – 3 vacancies
• St Augustine’s Catholic Primary School, Runcorn – 4 vacancies
• St Clement’s Catholic Primary School, Runcorn – 3 vacancies
• St Edward’s Catholic Primary School, Runcorn – 3 vacancies
• St Martin’s Catholic Primary School, Runcorn – 1 vacancy
• Blessed Carlo Acutis Catholic and Church of England Academy, Runcorn – 4 vacancies

Manchester

• Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Baguley – 1 vacancy
• St Aidan’s Catholic Primary School, Wythenshawe – 2 vacancies
• St Anthony’s Catholic Primary School, Wythenshawe – 1 vacancy
• St Elizabeth’s Catholic Primary School, Wythenshawe – 1 vacancy
• St John Fisher and St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Wythenshawe – 2 vacancies
• St Peter’s Catholic Primary School, Wythenshawe – 2 vacancies
• St Paul’s Catholic High School, Wythenshawe – 1 vacancy

Shropshire

• Our Lady and St Oswald’s Catholic Primary School, Oswestry – 2 vacancies

Stockport

• Cheadle Catholic Infant, Stockport – 1 vacancy
• Our Lady’s Catholic Primary School, Stockport – 1 vacancy
• St Bernadette’s Catholic Primary School, Stockport – 1 vacancy
• St Christopher’s Catholic Primary School, Romiley – 1 vacancy
• St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Stockport – 2 vacancies
• St Peter’s Catholic Primary School, Stockport – 2 vacancies
• St Philip’s Catholic Primary School, Offerton – 4 vacancies
• St Simon’s Catholic Primary School, Stockport – 1 vacancy
• Harrytown Catholic High School, Romiley – 2 vacancies
• St James’ Catholic High School, Cheadle Hulme – 1 vacancy

Tameside

• St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Dukinfield – 1 vacancy
• St James’ Catholic Primary School, Hattersley – 3 vacancies
• St Peter’s Catholic Primary School, Stalybridge – 1 vacancy
• St Raphael’s Catholic Primary School, Millbrook – 3 vacancies

Telford and Wrekin

• Our Blessed Saints Federation – 3 vacancies
• St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Madeley – 4 vacancies
• Holy Trinity Academy – 2 vacancies

Trafford

• Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School, Partington – 1 vacancy
• St Hughes Catholic Primary School, Timperley – 1 vacancy
• St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Sale – 1 vacancy
• St Margaret Ward Catholic Primary School, Sale – 2 vacancies
• Blessed Thomas Holford Catholic College – 2 vacancies
• St Ambrose College, Altrincham – 1 vacancy

Warrington

• Cardinal Newman Catholic High School, Latchford – 1 vacancy

Wirral

• Christ the King Catholic Primary School, Bromborough – 1 vacancy
• Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead – 1 vacancy
• Holy Spirit Catholic and Church of England Primary School, Leasowe – 3 vacancies
• Ladymount Catholic Primary School, Pensby – 1 vacancy
• Our Lady and St Edward’s Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead – 2 vacancies
• Our Lady of Pity Catholic School, Greasby – 4 vacancies
• Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Moreton – 2 vacancies
• SS Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School, Wallasey – 2 vacancies
• St Alban’s Catholic Primary School, Wallasey – 3 vacancies
• St Anne’s Catholic Primary School, Rock Ferry – 2 vacancies
• St Anselm’s College, Birkenhead – 1 vacancy
• St John Plessington Catholic College, Bebington – 3 vacancies
• St John’s Junior, New Ferry – 2 vacancies
• St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead – 2 vacancies
• St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Upton – 2 vacancies
• St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Wallasey – 2 vacancies
• St Mary’s Catholic College, Wallasey – 4 vacancies
• St Michael and All Angels Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead – 1 vacancy
• St Paul’s Catholic Primary School, Beechwood – 1 vacancy
• St Peter’s Catholic Primary School, Noctorum – 2 vacancies
• St Werburgh’s Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead – 2 vacancies

Inductions for New Foundation Governors

To book please click on the Booking Form. Please attend one session within 12 months from the appointment.

• 22 September 2026 – virtual session from 11am-12.30pm Booking Form
• 24 September 2026 – virtual session from 6pm-7.30pm Booking Form
• 11 January 2027 – virtual session from 6pm-7.30pm Booking Form
• 12 January 2027 – virtual session from 2pm-3.30pm Booking Form
• 26 April 2027 – virtual session from 6pm-7.30pm Booking Form
• 27 April 2027 – virtual session from 2pm-3.30pm Booking Form

Governor Briefings

Please attend one session per term. To book please click on the Booking Form.

Autumn 2026

• 28 September 2026 – virtual session from 6pm-7pm Booking Form
• 29 September 2026 – virtual session from 2pm-3pm Booking Form
• 29 September 2026 – virtual session from 6pm-7pm Booking Form

Spring 2027

• 25 January 2027 – virtual session from 6pm-7pm Booking Form
• 26 January 2027 – virtual session from 6pm-7pm Booking Form
• 27 January 2027 – virtual session from 2pm-3pm Booking Form

Summer 2027

• 10 May 2027 – virtual session from 6pm-7pm Booking Form
• 11 May 2027 – virtual session from 6pm-7pm Booking Form
• 12 May 2027 – virtual session from 2pm-3pm Booking Form

Governors’ Annual Conference

• Saturday 7th November 2026 from 9am-3pm at Blessed Thomas Holford College, Altrincham, WA15 8HT Booking Form

Shrewsbury Diocese Chairs & Vice Chairs Forum

• 12 November 2026 from 6.30pm-8pm at St Saviour’s Catholic Primary School, Seacombe Drive, Great Sutton, CH66 2BD Booking Form
• 18 March 2027 from 6.30pm-8pm at St Wilfrid’s Catholic Primary School, Greenbank Lane, Hartford, CW8 1JW Booking Form
• 17 June 2027 from 6.30am-8pm at Cardinal Newman Catholic High School, Bridgewater Avenue, Latchford, WA4 1RX Booking Form

Induction for new Chairs of Governing Bodies

• 18 March 2027 from 5pm-6pm at St Wilfrid’s Catholic Primary School, Greenbank Lane, Hartford, CW8 1JW Booking Form

Other CPDF where Governors are welcome to attend: School Support under CSI Framework

• 25 September 2026 from 9.30am to 12pm at Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish Hall, 2a Enfield Road, Ellesmere Port, CH65 8BY Booking Form
• 29 January 2027 from 9.30am-12pm – Virtual session Booking Form
• 30 April 2027 from 9.30am-12pm at Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish Hall, 2a Enfield Road, Ellesmere Port, CH65 8BY Booking Form

• The School Governance (Roles, Procedures and Allowances) (England) Regulations 2013
• Governors’ Handbook
• School Inspection handbook
• School Governance – Learning From The Best
• 20 Questions (for Governors)
• Schools’ Admissions Code
• Constitution of Governing Bodies of Maintained Schools Stat Guidance
• National Governance Association (NGA)

• Advisory Centre for Education
• Equality and Human Rights Commission
• Department for Education: News
• Department for Education: Schools
• National College for Teaching and Leadership
• National Governors’ Association
• Office for Standards in Education
• Department for Education: School Performance Tables
• Catholic Education Service – Guidance and resources
• Catholic Education Service: Formatio for Governors

National Governance Association

The Diocese provides an Induction session for new Foundation Governors. However, all categories of Governors are very welcome to attend.

In addition, we run termly Briefing sessions for Governors. Currently, these sessions are virtual.

Annually, we also hold a Governors’ Conference on a Saturday, where we have a national keynote speaker, as well as workshops, run by the Education Team and Headteachers.

Further details and booking for all of these is through: Book a CPDF Course.

The CES also has a programme of training for Governors. This training consists of 5 online modules:

• An Introduction to Catholic Education
• The Environment of a Catholic School
• Strategic Leadership
• Accountability
• Financial Performance

Each Local Authority will also have its own training programme for Governors, so please contact your LA’s Governor Services for details.

The Governing Body is responsible for Admissions to Catholic schools, and it should ensure that the Diocesan Model Admissions Policy is followed. This Policy is based on the CES (Catholic Education Service) Model’s Policy, and is fully compliant with the current statutory Admissions Code of Practice.

The term of office is four years.

Please check our latest vacancies for more details.

Apply to be a Foundation Governor in a Diocesan Voluntary Aided School

• Application form
• Skills audit
• Pen Picture
• Code of Conduct

Apply to be a Foundation Governor in a Diocesan Voluntary Academy (part of a Multi Academy Trust)

• Application form
• Skills audit
• Pen Picture
• Code of Conduct

In Catholic schools, the Governing Body (not the Diocese nor the LA), is the employer of staff. Governing Bodies are urged to seek independent HR and Legal advice in relation to staffing, through the purchase of a Service Level Agreement (SLA) or similar.

A school’s Instrument of Government is a legal document that records the constitution of the governing body and length of the term of office for each category of governor as well as the name of the school. In Voluntary Aided Catholic schools the Instrument of Government must record that the majority of Governors in a Catholic school must be Foundation Governors, ie 7 in a Governing Body of 12 members, 8 in a Governing Body of 14 Governors. The school’s Instrument of Governance is held by the school, and by the Trustees of the Diocese.

Yes. This is because in addition to the main roles and responsibilities that all Governors hold, Foundation Governors hold additional responsibilities in relation to promoting and developing the Catholic Life and religious character of the school. They are the Bishop’s representatives and as such, must ensure that his policies are implemented in the school. Foundation Governors must always look through Catholic eyes as they maintain and develop not only the interests of the school in which they serve, but the interests of Catholic education throughout the Diocese.

General grounds

• Registered pupils cannot be governors.
• A governor must be aged 18 or over at the time of election or appointment.
• A person who is employed at the school is not able to be appointed as a Foundation Governor.
• A person cannot hold more than one governor post at the same school at the same time.

Grounds that apply to particular categories of governor

• Family members will not be appointed as Foundation Governors on the same governing body.
• A person is disqualified from being a parent governor if they are an elected member of the LA or paid to work at the school for more than 500 hours (i.e. more than one-third of the hours of a full-time equivalent) in any consecutive twelve month period (at the time of election or appointment).
• A person is disqualified from being a local authority governor if they are eligible to be a staff governor at the school.

Grounds that arise because of particular failings or actions on the part of the governor

• A person is disqualified from being a governor of a particular school if they have failed to attend the meetings of the governing body of that school for a continuous period of six months, beginning with the date of the first meeting they failed to attend, without the consent of the governing body.
• A foundation, local authority, co-opted or partnership governor at the school who is disqualified for failing to attend meetings is only disqualified from being a governor of any category at the school during the twelve month period starting on the date on which they were disqualified.

A person is disqualified from holding or continuing to hold office if that person:

• is the subject of a bankruptcy restrictions order or an interim order, debt relief restrictions order, an interim debt relief restrictions order or their estate has been sequestrated and the sequestration has not been discharged, annulled or reduced; is subject to a disqualification order or disqualification undertaking under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986, a disqualification order under Part 2 of the Companies (Northern Ireland) Order 1989, a disqualification undertaking accepted under the Company Directors Disqualification (Northern Ireland) Order 2002, or an order made under section 429(2)(b) of the Insolvency Act 1986 (failure to pay under county court administration order);
• has been removed from the office of charity trustee or trustee for a charity by the Charity Commission or Commissioners or High Court on grounds of any misconduct or mismanagement, or under section 34 of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 from being concerned in the management or control of any body;
• is included in the list of teachers or workers considered by the Secretary of State as unsuitable to work with children or young people;
• is barred from any regulated activity relating to children;
• is subject to a direction of the Secretary of State under section 128 of the Education and Skills Act 2008;
• is disqualified from working with children or from registering for child-minding or providing day care;
• is disqualified from being an independent school proprietor, teacher or employee by the Secretary of State;
• has been sentenced to three months or more in prison (without the option of a fine) in the five years before becoming a governor or since becoming a governor;
• has received a prison sentence of two years or more in the 20 years before becoming a governor; has at any time received a prison sentence of five years or more;
• has been fined for causing a nuisance or disturbance on school premises during the five years prior to or since appointment or election as a governor;
• refuses a request by the clerk to make an application to the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) for a criminal records certificate.