We are currently seeking a senior and experienced leader to assume the Chair of Trustees role on the board of Veritas Educational Trust, a single academy trust with a strong Christian ethos situated in Ruislip, Middlesex.
As a trustee/director your key responsibilities will be to:
- Ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
- Hold executive leaders to account – both for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils and the effective and efficient performance management of staff
- Oversee the organisation’s financial performance and ensure its funds are directed to the best possible educational outcomes for young people
By volunteering as a trustee/ director you will be responsible for contributing to the strategic decision-making of the board, helping the trust to realise immediate and long-term goals, and ultimately ensuring transparency, accountability and challenge.
About Veritas Educational Trust
The trust comprises one school – Bishop Ramsey School – which is a Christian Learning Community and a member of the Veritas Educational Trust. The Trust’s motto is ‘Where all are valued’.
The trust is a six-form entry Church England School with 1266 on roll in total; the trust supports children and young people aged 11-18 years old and has a large sixth form supporting around 300 students.
The Trust has a subsidiary, Veritas Enterprises Limited, which was set up in 2015 to account for the lettings income and expenditure of the Trust. All profits from the trading subsidiary are donated back to the school.
The Trust is seeking to engage with Church of England Primary Schools in the London Borough of Hillingdon to ensure that Bishop Ramsey School addresses the key priorities in the post-Ofsted action plan ready for reinspection, following a ‘Requires Improvement’ rating in 2022.
Performance at GCSE has been positive, with a strong pass (grade 5+) in English and Maths at 64% in comparison with a local authority figure of 51% for all state schools.
As a trustee is due to step down from its Curriculum and Community Committee, it would be helpful for the incoming Chair to join this committee. All Trustees have link roles including SEND/Pupil Premium/Safeguarding/Equality, Diversity and Inclusion/Sixth Form/SIAMs (Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools) and all meetings are schedule a year in advance and reported back to the board.
Induction is thorough and Trustees have access to online training through the national college, papers are stored online on Governor Hub. The Chair would be expected to carry out annual 1 to 1s with trustees to evaluate performance and contribution.
The Trust’s requirements
Veritas Educational Trust seeks to recruit a Chair of Trustees and is keen that this individual is highly experienced with good people management skills; a prior HR background would be useful.
The successful applicant will be committed to engaging fully and wholeheartedly with the faith and ethos of the school, recognising and protecting the uniqueness of the Trust and committed to the growth of Veritas Trust.
The Board would like an individual who is experienced with working collaboratively with other schools.
As Chair of Trustees, the time commitment required for the role is relatively significant – typically upwards of 10-12 hours per month. The Chair is also expected to join the Trust’s Curriculum and Community Committee, as described above.
What difference will you make?
Volunteering on an academy trust board is deeply rewarding as it allows you to impact the life chances of young people. Academy trusts support schools to give children a better future. For young people to have the best possible opportunities in later life, it’s vital we have individuals with the right expertise leading schools and holding executive teams accountable. Becoming a trustee is a fantastic opportunity to give back to your local community by strengthening education.
As well as looking for new opportunities to give something back to society, you may be looking for opportunities to build your experience in strategic decision-making at senior level or demonstrate your ability to perform in a non-executive position as part of a portfolio career.
All roles are pro bono
People from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Governing boards should represent the communities they serve, as well as wider society. We welcome interest from underrepresented groups to ensure academy trust boards are diverse in background, skillset, and thought.
Diversity is a powerful instrument for effective governance. Trustees are required to make choices that impact the daily lives of children, from school finance all the way through to staff and pupil recruitment. It’s essential that boards possess a broad set of beliefs, experiences, and ideas to inform their final judgements. We believe that true representation at board level enables all children to fulfil their potential.
Useful information – about the trust
Trust website: https://www.veritaseducationaltrust.org.uk/
Companies House information: https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/07724916
Get Information About Schools: https://www.get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Groups/Group/Details/16256
Useful information – academy trust governance
Academy Trust Handbook: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64a52424c531eb000c64fe78/ATH_2023_FINAL_040723__digital__tracking_off.pdf
Academy trust governance guide: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/-governance-in-academy-trusts