Non-Executive Director X 3

Southfield Primary Academy (SPA)

Southfield Primary Academy is a two-form entry academy in central Brackley, Northamptonshire. The trust is now looking for two Non-Executive Directors and a Chair to join its board, helping the trust on its rapid journey of improvement by propelling the schools forward; in July 2019 the academy was graded by Ofsted as Inadequate. The trust is particularly keen to hear from experts in HR, finance or branding/marketing. Meetings are held at the academy Banbury Road, Brackley, Northants NN13 6AU.

“I was incredibly impressed with the children’s knowledge of what an MP is and the quality of their questions.”  Andrea Leadsom MP

  About the trust

The trust is located in the very heart of Brackley and is fortunate to be situated in large and secure grounds with extensive play and sports facilities tucked away amongst the trees. They have large, well-resourced classrooms and many specialist learning areas including a library, a large hall with a stage, a dedicated gymnasium and an art studio.

 

The trust offers wraparound care including a breakfast club from 8am, a lunch club for our nursery children and an after school club until 6pm. Southfield is a happy school with a committed staff who care for every pupil as an individual while striving to ensure that every child fulfils their full potential.

 

The academy is now being led by an acting headteacher from the successful Warriner Trust. The new board is aware of the challenge ahead and is fully committed to making a real difference for children at the academy and is working in collaboration with local expertise.

Plans for the future

The key challenges for the trust over the next 12-24 months are:

 

1. To rapidly address the areas identified in the Ofsted report with regard to leadership and governance. As a first step to recruit an outstanding headteacher with a focus in standards.
2. To increase pupil recruitment and retention through the raising of standards inspired by the leadership expertise provided by Warriner Trust
3. To explore the options for joining a highly effective local multi-academy trust

Trust ethos & values

Our Vision: 

 

We aim to be an outstanding school; providing high quality teaching, creating a high-achieving, challenging and safe learning environment.

 

Our Strategy: 

 

To plan and implement short, medium and long-term goals which ensure, 

•  All pupils are making good or outstanding progress
• All teaching is good or outstanding through consistent approaches to planning and assessment establishing a clear, shared philosophy of learning taking account of recent research and proven methods
• Behaviour in school is outstanding and all pupils feel safe and valued
• Leadership and management of the school, including governors, work together to build a team that is sharply focused on achieving  high standards for all pupils within a greatly energised and innovative learning environment

 

Role summary Number of positions advertised:

3

Trustees – or non-executive directors - are both charity trustees and company directors of the academy trust. The core functions of their role are: ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction; holding executive leaders to account for the educational and financial performance of a charitable company funded by the public purse.

The board of trustees manages the business of the academy trust and may exercise all the powers of the trust in compliance with its charitable objects, company and charity law.

In the interests of safeguarding, all trustee appointments would be subject to an enhanced disclosure and barring service check.

Person specification

Every trustee is expected to abide by the trust’s code of conduct and the seven principles of public life set out by Lord Nolan: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.

The Competency Framework for Governance (DfE) 2017 details the knowledge, skills and behaviours required for effective governance: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/583733/Competency_framework_for_governance_.pdf

The strategic expertise required for this role includes:

Essential

 

• HR OR
• Chairing OR
• Finance – CFO OR
• Marketing/Comms

Desirable

 

• Non-executive/ Trustee
• Corporate governance

The trustees wishes to hear from individuals with experience of contributing to an effective board, who may bring skills from a range of functions and ideally from one of the following: HR / personnel, finance or marketing and communications. The candidates should be committed to making a difference in education and should understand the power of leadership to accelerate learning.

Time commitment

6-9 hours /month minimum.

Location of board meetings and trust website

Board meetings are held at Southfield Primary Academy Banbury Road, Brackley, Northants NN13 6AU.

https://www.southfieldprimary.co.uk

Background on academy trusts

Academy schools, which are charities run independently of local authority control, now account for 69% of secondary schools and 33% of primaries – and their number is growing all the time.

Many of these schools are grouped together as multi-academy trusts (MATs). There are currently 900 multi academy trusts of 3+ schools. If the schools are to fulfil their potential, the trusts need non-executives (known in charity law as trustees) to bring a wide range of skills and experience to help guide strategy, ensure their ambitions can be soundly financed and keep their schools up to the mark delivering for their pupils.

“Boards must be ambitious for all children and young people and infused with a passion for education and a commitment to continuous school improvement that enables the best possible outcomes. Governance must be grounded in reality as defined by both high-quality objective data and a full understanding of the views and needs of pupils/students, staff, parents, carers and local communities. It should be driven by inquisitive, independent minds and through conversations focused on the key strategic issues which are conducted with humility, good judgement, resilience and determination.” 
Source: Governance Handbook, Department for Education (2019)

Trusteeship is a voluntary, unpaid role for people who have the energy and skills to make a real contribution to shaping the future of our schools. You do not need to have any specialist knowledge of education. 

  Key dates

We strongly recommend applying as early as you can to have the best possible chance of being considered as we may change the closing date if we have received sufficient applications. Applicants should be aware of the following key dates in the recruitment process –

Deadline for applications: Friday 29^th November 2019