Trustee Vacancy Information
We are currently seeking a trustee to join the board of Learning Without Limits Academy Trust, a trust of 5 schools, with an annual budget of £30m.
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 Learning Without Limits Academy Trust
Learning without Limits Academy Trust was founded in 2016 to serve the communities of Leicester City and Leicestershire. Originally born out of Babington Academy in the North-West of Leicester, the Trust supports five schools (2 Primary and 3 Secondaries). 3 of the schools have had recent success in Ofsted inspections moving from Requires Improvement to Good.
The Trust prides itself in supporting some of the most challenging schools in Leicester City and Leicestershire with a desire to raise aspirations, outcomes, and life chances for all of the children that it works with. A number of the school’s manage high levels of deprivation, with significant numbers of learners in the top 3 most deprived indices. Many of the Trust’s schools have to manage high rates of mobility, being significantly impacted by movement within the city. The Trust serves a diverse range of communities with some schools having a high proportion of pupils from a white working class background and other schools have a much more ethnically diverse cohort.
Babington school within the Trust is a dedicated resource for 30 children with Speech & Language difficulties with many of the pupils having an Education Health Care Plan which helps the school to provide for them in a mainstream school setting. Some of the other schools also have special units for children with social, emotional and mental health needs where pupils may spend part of each day or week for additional support whilst remaining in mainstream classes.
The Trust has an annual operating budget of around £30m and collectively the schools serve over 3,800 pupils with over 700 staff. Some of the primary schools are currently working to attract more pupils to their roll. The Trust has managed its finances to support the Primary schools however it is expected that this will continue to be a matter which needs reviewing in order to support sustainability.
What the trust are looking for
The Trust are seeking one Trustee to join their Trust board and sit on their Education Standards Committee. Education Standards remains a key priority for the Trust, its desire being to raise aspirations, outcomes, and life chances for all of the children that it works with. Ideally the successful candidate should have senior leadership experience involving primary education, having worked in school improvement or a leadership role across more than one school. Additionally, a firm understanding of primary education data and the Ofsted inspection process would be an advantage. The Trust welcomes applications from all backgrounds but would particularly welcome applications from those from traditionally under-represented backgrounds.
Trust board meetings are held 5 times a year (September, December, February, March, and June). Meetings run 5pm-7pm and are typically held on Thursdays. Meetings are in person however remote access can be arranged in exceptional circumstances. The Education Standards Committee meets 4 times a year and meetings are often held on site during the school day although remote access can be arranged. Education Standards Committee times are arranged in advance and will be set in discussion with the Committee members to ensure best fit.
All Trustees are provided with induction on appointment and will receive access to Governors for Schools ‘First 100 Days of being a Trustee’ e-learning.
General information about being a Trustee in the Education Sector
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.
Further Information
You can also find out more public information about the Trust on the Get Information About Schools Page: https://www.get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Groups/Group/Details/16379
On this page you will find a link to the Trust’s record on Companies House.
The following document provides useful information and reading to any potential trustee:
How to apply
If you’d like to apply to this role you can do so by submitting your application to Governors for Schools using the link below: