A report by the Department for Education and Skills says there are direct correlations between the quality of a governing body and how successful a school is overall in attainment, teaching and pupil behaviour.
The report, Governing the School of the Future, says around 12 per cent of the 350,000 current governor places in England are unfilled and that "many inner-city and disadvantaged areas have particular problems attracting and retaining governors".
It adds: "We know that school governance tends to be less effective in disadvantaged areas and this presents a challenge we cannot ignore.
Helping such schools recruit and retain governors who can make a difference must be a priority."
The National Governors Council welcomed the report. Vice chair Claire Collins said: "It is putting governors' responsibilities in an updated framework."
