Trustee with Education Experience

About the role

TRUSTEE WITH EDUCATION EXPERIENCE

Are you passionate about education and improving opportunities for children?

We are looking for a Trustee with education experience to join our Board. This voluntary role offers the chance to use your expertise to help guide Aspire's future and have a lasting impact on the lives of our learners.

Aspire Academies Trust is a forward-thinking Multi-Academy Trust (MAT), currently consisting of six thriving primary schools across Hemel Hempstead and Watford, with aspirations to expand. We support over 2,500 pupils and employ more than 350 dedicated staff members. We are currently seeking new Trustees to join our Board.

ABOUT THE ROLE

This is a strategic, non-operational governance role. Trustees work collectively to ensure we deliver the best outcomes for our children, by focusing on:

• Setting the vision, ethos, and strategic direction of Aspire
• Holding executive leaders to account for educational and operational performance
• Overseeing the financial performance of Aspire, ensuring public funds are used effectively

As a Trustee, you help ensure Aspire does the right things, for the right people, in the right way. Governance ensures – management does.

WHAT WE OFFER

• The opportunity to develop your strategic thinking and leadership skills
• Access to free, high-quality training in governance and education
• A sense of personal fulfilment from making a positive impact on the lives of children
• Supportive collaboration with a professional, experienced Board of Trustees

WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR

Individuals with a background in education can bring significant value to our board, by combining their understanding of teaching and learning with a strategic governance perspective.
We welcome applications from individuals who bring:

• Educational expertise – providing insight into curriculum development, teaching and learning, assessment, inclusion, SEND, safeguarding and school improvement
• Challenge and support – helping the Board to ask informed questions about educational performance, pupil outcomes, attendance, behaviour and achievement across Aspire
• Understanding of the education landscape – bringing knowledge of current educational priorities, policy developments, inspection frameworks and sector challenges
• Experience of school leadership – offering practical understanding of how strategic decisions impact schools, staff, pupils and communities
• Workforce insight – understanding the challenges around recruitment, retention, professional development and staff wellbeing

We are keen for our Board to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve across Hemel Hempstead and Watford. We warmly encourage applications from individuals from underrepresented backgrounds and with a wide range of lived experiences.

PRACTICAL DETAILS

This is a voluntary, unpaid position. The Board meets regularly throughout the school year (currently half-termly, plus additional committee meetings), mostly during working hours with some morning and evening meetings. Some meetings will be held at our Aspire offices in Hemel Hempstead and some will be held virtually, minimising the need to travel.

Trustees are expected to:

• Attend meetings
• Read and comment on reports, papers and policies in advance of meetings
• Support and challenge the executive team in line with Aspires vision and values
• Visit link schools annually

Interested?

Please submit your interest on our Governance Application form - CLICK HERE
(Please use the form above and do not submit an application on My New Term as this is used for employee candidates)

Following shortlisting, applicants will be invited to interview so you can find out more about us and we can find out more about you with representatives from the Board.

We’d love to hear from you. For more information or an informal conversation about the role, please contact:
Lynn Taylor, Senior HR Officer – [email protected] | 07398 140241

Safeguarding Statement:
Aspire Academies Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Appointment to this post is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check as well as other pre-appointment checks, including an online check, as outlined in Keeping Children Safe in Education (September 2024).

Equal Opportunities:
To help us meet our high standards and aspirations of a fully diverse and inclusive workplace, we strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply and to join us.