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Link Governors

Statutory Link Governors

Link governors play a vital role in effective governance. Every governing board must have key statutory link roles (two in Primary, three in secondary) to ensure compliance, accountability, and strong strategic leadership.

Safeguarding Link Governor

Every board must appoint a safeguarding link governor at senior board level (or trust board level for multi‑academy trusts), in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education. (KCSIE).  In Southwark, it is recommended that boards appoint two safeguarding link governors to strengthen oversight.

These governors take lead responsibility for safeguarding arrangements. They monitor policies and systems, support and challenge the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), assure staff training and curriculum coverage, and ensure safeguarding records are appropriately overseen. They also keep the board informed of statutory guidance and any required changes.

SEND Link Governor

All schools must have a governor or committee with specific oversight of special educational needs and disability (SEND), as set out in the SEND Code of Practice.

While all governors share responsibility for SEND, the SEND link governor develops a deeper understanding of provision and monitors how effectively pupils with additional needs are identified, supported, and included.

Careers Link Governor

From September 2025, governing boards of secondary schools are expected to be actively engaged in shaping careers education and guidance. (statutory careers guidance,)

A careers link governor takes a strategic interest in the school’s careers programme, provides explicit board backing, and encourages strong employer engagement.

The Importance of Link Visits

Link visits are essential to effective governance. They allow governors to see how policies are implemented in practice, understand the school’s culture, and gain assurance that statutory duties are being met.

Safeguarding link visits focus on pupil safety and how concerns are identified, recorded, and managed.

SEND link visits help governors understand how pupils with additional needs are supported, how inclusive practice is embedded, and the impact of provision on outcomes.

Careers link visits enable governors to see careers education in action, gather feedback from pupils, parents/carers and staff (including through surveys), and review reports from the career’s leader.

When carried out well, link visits strengthen accountability, build constructive relationships with school leaders, and enable governors to confidently support and challenge the school.

Resources- Link governor visits

NGA School Visits Guide Oct 2025 (pdf, 199kb)

NGA School visit report pro-forma Oct 2025 (docx, 437kb)

NGA Visit Schedule Oct 2025 (docx, 313kb)