Non-executive director/Trustee at King's Group Academies

Recruiter
Academy Ambassadors
Location
Portsmouth, Hampshire
Salary
Voluntary
Posted
26 Nov 2021
Closes
24 Dec 2021
Ref
JN -112021-4584
Contact
Ben Bateson
Job role
NED/Trustee
Sector
Not for profit / charity
Contract type
Contract
Hours
Part time
Experience level
Director

Could you be a Trustee and Academy Ambassador in Portsmouth? King's Group Academies seeks two non-executive directors/Trustees to join its board. Board meetings are held at PO2 0NT when safe to do so.

The Academy Ambassadors programme brings the expertise of the business world onto boards at single-academy and multi-academy trusts (SATs and MATs). Academy trusts exist to improve the outcomes of young people. At the highest levels of governance, they need highly skilled individuals with a variety of experiences to hold executive leadership teams to account. Insights from a wide-range of backgrounds, ensure that boards are able to make informed choices on decisions that impact the lives of children and staff.

The Academy Ambassadors Programme is service funded by the Department for Education, to match senior business leaders with academy trusts looking to strengthen their boards. By working together, inspirational educationalists and talented business leaders can provide a better future for the next generation.

The Opportunity

An eight school academy trust, King's Group Academies has grown rapidly with six of the current eight academies joining with the trust from February 2018 to October 2020. The trust's schools are found in separate clusters across the South Central and South East of England: One primary, secondary and all-through are located across Bracknell to Reading, the other secondary in East Sussex, and the remaining four primaries are all found in Portsmouth.

Five of the academies are Ofsted Rated Good, two are awaiting their first Ofsted Inspections after opening. The most recent school to join was Ofsted Rated 'Requires Improvement' before joining the trust, and is being supported into becoming Good or Outstanding by its next inspection.

The trust serves a wide demographic across its schools, with the number of students studying English as an Additional Language (EAL) ranging from 34.3% to 1.4%. Similarly spread is the number of students Eligible for Free School Meals (FSM), ranging from 41.5% at the highest, to 15.1% at the lowest, and as a result trustees should expect to consider effective ways to support a wide range of pupil backgrounds and challenges.

The board seeks two business leaders with board level experience in:

  • Primary Education Leadership (ideally with an interest in the teaching of foreign languages)
  • Strategic HR

Throughout your term of office (typically 4 years, but this may vary between trusts), you will be an active contributor to key board decisions. Specifically, in the next 12 - 24 months the trust's key focus areas will be:


  • Financial and Resource Management - While the trust's financial position is stable, this has been achieved through reducing provision over time, which has inevitably had an impact upon the schools' work. The ongoing and effective management of resources remains a key issue as does securing funding to improve older buildings and improve facilities, including IT infrastructure and security.
  • Recruitment and Retention - The recruitment, retention and professional development of staff to high quality teaching and learning is an important factor in the trust's future plans. Teacher recruitment is a challenge locally, notably at secondary level.
  • Educational Outcomes - The trust aims to maintain the high quality of pupil's educational outcomes, improving progress at KS2 and KS4 and 'closing gaps' between learner groups.

    • What's involved?

    Board governance in education is a strategic, 'eyes on, hands off' commitment which at The De Curci Trust typically involves attending seven board meetings per year, amounting to an expected 2.5 hours' time per month.

    You will be responsible for:

    • Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
    • Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils, and the effective and efficient performance management of staff; and
    • Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent

    As an Academy Ambassador, you will join our ambassador network which provides resources, guidance, networking events and webinars to support you in your role.

    All roles are pro bono.

    People from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

    What next?

    Please register your interest now to be considered for the role.

    When you select the option to Apply you will be redirected to the Academy Ambassadors webpage where you will find details of how to apply for the position.

    Please be aware the closing date may change if we have received sufficient applications.