Background
There are a range of resources and support networks that exist to help individual governors and governing bodies to fulfill their responsibilities.  In general terms this support and resources can be divided into two categories:

Local support
Local support for governors and governing bodies generally takes the form of:

• Clerk to the governing body
  The clerk to the governing body is usually an individual with considerable experience of governance and is a key resource in helping guide governors through both legislative and procedural issues.  For more information see the GovernorNet article Clerk to the governing body.
• LEA Governor Support Unit
  Many (but not all) LEAs provide considerable support to governing bodies including training, telephone advice, and web and paper-based resources such as sample policies and guidance.  If your LEA has a governor support website, you can find details of it via the GovernorNet article: Local Education Authority (LEA) websites.  The overview article on Governor training may also be useful.
• Local Associations of the National Governors' Council (NGC)
  The NGC is a national organisation with member Associations in 80% of the LEA areas.  Each Association has in turn as members, governing bodies of schools.  The NGC acts as a voice for the 250,000 governors in England putting their point of view to the DfES and other government departments.  Follow the link in Background to the GovernorNet article Roles of NGC and NAGM, or visit the NGC website.

National support
In addition to GovernorNet there are a range of additional resources that governors and governing bodies will find useful.  Follow the link under Background below to the appropriate GovernorNet article containing more information and links:

• GovernorLine
  GovernorLine is a key resource for practical help and advice on governance.  It is a telephone and email-based advisory service funded by DfES and staffed by experienced governors, with legal support.  To contact GovernorLine call 08000 722181 or visit their website.
• Governors Wales - Llywodraethwyr cymru
  This website supports the effective governance of schools in Wales and the professional and personal support of individual governors. To contact Governors Wales call 0845 6020100 (charged at local rates - bilingual service available) or visit their website. Please note that not all information on GovernorNet is relevant to governance in Wales - Welsh governors, please refer to the Governors Wales website.
• FE governors and clerks
  A free-phone confidential helpline service for the 6000 governors and 400 clerks in Further Education (FE) and Sixth Form colleges provides advice and support from the AoCs governance advisers between 8.30am and 5.15pm, Monday to Friday by free phoning 0800 652 0535.  First-class advice will be provided on complex governance matters relating to colleges.  Please note that information on GovernorNet does not cover/relate to FE governance. 
• National Association of Governors and Managers (NAGM), National Governors Council (NGC) and Information for School and College Governors (ISCG)
  These organisations provide a range of information, guidance and other support for governors - follow the links for their respective websites. 
• DfES Publications
  A wide range of DfES publications are available to download via the DfES publications website. You can also view, download and order documents and resources from TeacherNet's Online Publications.
• DfES Contacts
  There are a wide range of useful contacts in the GovernorNet article Useful Contacts in the Department for Education and Skills.
• Governor Recruitment
  The School Governor One-Stop Shop specifically focuses on helping with school governor recruitment in inner city or EIC areas.

Web-based resources

• Archive of DfES Strategy and Policy Documents (on TeacherNet)
• NAGM Publications - the NAGM 4 year planner is a popular tool and can be accessed from the NAGM website
• Research Informed Practice website and the EPPI Centre website
  DfES's Research Informed Practice website focuses on research/evidence to support key topics in education, the site currently provides information on:
  • gender, assessment, thinking skills, literacy and numeracy
  • new digests of the latest research from research journals
  • new information about current research
  • news and views from special interest groups

The EPPI-Centre website contains the results of DfES-commissioned research in areas such as: impact of ICT, Gender, Engagement and Assessment

• Standards Site
  The DfES Standards Site contains a directory of publications of interest across a wide range of areas.
• The Education Network (TEN)
  TEN is an independent body set up to support LEAs in their work.  The TEN website contains several resources looking at the state of governance and how governing bodies can be more representative of their communities.  They also have a guide to the Education Act that governors may find useful.
• The Stationery Office (TSO)
  The TSO is a private organisation that publishes all official government documentation and makes them available either on-line or for purchase.