Non-executive director/Trustee at Ethos Academy Trust

This is an opportunity to contribute to the community within Batley by becoming a Trustee and Academy Ambassador at Ethos Academy Trust. Board meetings are held at WF17 0BQ 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) throughout the country to raise standards of education and improve the life chances of young people, which is critical to our social and economic success.

The opportunity

Ethos Academy Trust specialises in assessing, supporting and meeting the needs of children with wide ranging social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs. The trust is entering a period of growth and is seeking to recruit additional non-executive directors/Trustees to its board to provide essential support and challenge in securing long-term success. This is an excellent opportunity for interested candidates to gain Board-level experience, and give back to their communities. Ethos Academy Trust is currently comprised of three Alternative Provision (AP) academies, all based within Kirklees, and all three have a strong and longstanding track record of providing high-quality education and support to children and schools across Key Stages 1 and 4. The trust was established in September 2018, and the first three years have been spent on consolidating its position as a new academy trust - focusing on building a strong and effective central team and continuing to support the already Good/Outstanding academies. Ethos Academy Trust is now ready and well positioned for future growth, having strong capacity to share expertise and support other settings, and is due to sponsor an alternative provision in a neighbouring authority from 1 September 2021.
Within the Trust, support is personalised to the individual need of the child and can take many forms, ranging from in-school support or training - focused on building the capacity of schools or academies to effectively meet the needs of children - through to full-time assessment placements for children in order to identify and address complex SEMH needs. The majority of pupils return successfully to mainstream schools following their support or placement. Furthermore, the trust works closely with Kirklees Local Authority to deliver education to pupils who are unable to attend school for medical reasons. This involves partnership approaches with mainstream schools and the delivery of personalised packages of education in a variety of settings including pupils' homes, hospitals, libraries and other community centres.
The academies currently belonging to the trust are:

• Engage Academy - KS1 and 2 PRU (serving pupils up to the age of 11) - Ofsted Grade: Good (March 2018)
• Reach Academy - KS3 PRU (serving pupils ages 11-14) - Ofsted Grade: Good (April 2017)
• Ethos College - KS4 PRU open (serving pupils ages 14-16)- Ofsted Grade: Outstanding (February 2017)

'Vision and Values:

Nurturing inclusive learning communities: Focussed on maximising the life chances of all children, Ethos Academy Trust embraces a forward-thinking and open-minded outlook, informed by a thorough understanding of the strengths and needs of our pupils, parents/carers, local schools and the wider community.'

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

• Child Welfare and Safeguarding and
• Educational leadership with a SEND focus or
• Estates Management and
• Legal/Compliance

As a key member of the board you will support the trust in achieving the following over the next 12 - 24 months:

What's involved?

Board governance in education is a strategic, 'eyes on, hands off' commitment which at Ethos Academy Trust involves attending 5 board meetings per year, approx. 6 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.

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