Vacancies
You can apply for the role by downloading an application form and equal opportunities form (Atthe bottom of this page). Please note we are unable to accept a CV application alone but you are welcome to attach one to your formal application form. A Job Description is also available on our website, detailing more information about the role.
Kenilworth School and Sixth form is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All appointments are therefore subject to an Enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references. When completing the application form please answer all the questions in full, with no gaps in your employment history.
Chair of KMAT
Appendix 1 - Chair – Kenilworth Multi Academy Trust
Role Purpose: Leading governance in the Trust’s schools
To provide leadership to the Board of Trustees and ensure that trustees fulfil their functions for the proper governance of the Trust’s schools
Leading governance in the Trust and the Trust’s schools
- To ensure that the Board of Trustees, the Local Governing Bodies (LGBs) and Chief Executive have a shared sense of purpose.
- To ensure the Board of Trustees sets a clear vision and strategy for the LGBs and schools.
- To lead the board in monitoring the Chief Executive’s implementation of the schools’ strategy.
- To hold regular meetings with the Chief Executive/Executive Team
- Meeting and reporting to the members, including sharing and acting upon members views.
Leading and developing the team
- To ensure the board and the LGBs have the required skills to govern well, and that appointments made fill any identified skills gaps.
- To ensure all trustees receive appropriate induction, ongoing training as needed and have a thorough understanding of their role.
- To ensure members of the board act reasonably and in line with the board’s agreed code of conduct.
- To develop a good working relationship with the vice chair, ensuring s/he is kept fully informed and delegating tasks as appropriate.
- To ensure that board members feel valued and encourage their development.
- To carry out a performance review of each trustee.
- To ensure that there is a plan for succession for the chair, vice-chair and any committee chairs, and that by recommending limits on office, there is always a mix of new and experienced members.
The Chair, the Chief Executive and accountability
- To build a professional relationship with the Chief Executive which allows for honest
.conversations, acting as a sounding board and ensuring there are no surprises at meetings.
- To meet regularly with the Chief Executive, which in normal circumstances is likely to be monthly.
- To ensure that there are transparent and effective processes for the recruitment and induction of the Chief Executive.
- To ensure appropriate trustee/LGB involvement in the recruitment of senior leaders.
- To ensure all trustees concentrate on their strategic role, receive information fit for purpose and hold the Chief Executive to account.
- To oversee and participate in the Chief Executive’s performance review, ensuring that appropriate CPD (continuing professional development) is provided.
- To ensure that the Chief Executive provides staff with an understanding of the role of the Board of Trustees and LGBs and acts as link between the two.
- Where required, represent the Board of Trustees in its dealings with external partners and be an advocate for the school.
- To attend Trust/schools’ functions (plays/sports days/prize giving) as appropriate and encourage other trustees to do so.
- To ensure that complaints made to the Board of Trustees are dealt with in a timely and effective manner.
- The chair will also play a lead role in any decision to suspend the Chief Executive.
Leading school improvement
- To ensure the board is involved at a strategic level in the schools’ self-evaluation process and that this feeds into the key priorities.
- To ensure the board’s business is focused on the key strategic priorities.
- To take the lead in representing the Board of Trustees at relevant external meetings with agencies such as Ofsted, the Department for Education and the local authority.
- To ensure the board has mechanisms in place to obtain and listen to the views of parents, pupils, staff and members
- To ensure the Board of Trustees and LGBs adopt a visits protocol which is linked to monitoring key strategic priorities
- Working with Chief Executive/Executive Team to carry out MAT Improvement Strategy & holding the Executive Team to account when strategy executed
Leading Board of Trustees business
- With the clerk and the Chief Executive, to plan for the board meetings, ensuring that agendas focus on the board’s key responsibilities and strategic priorities and reducing unnecessary paperwork.
- Chair meetings effectively and promote an open culture on the Board of Trustees that allows ideas and discussion to thrive whilst ensuring clear decisions are reached as quickly as possible.
- To collaborate with the clerk to establish effective working procedures and sound committee structures.
- To ensure that decisions taken at the meetings of the governing body are implemented.
- To ensure the members’ AGM is properly convened.
- To ensure the Board of Trustees appoint a professional clerk capable of providing advice on the board’s functions and that s/he is appraised and developed.
Appointing the Chair
The Articles state that the Board of Trustees elect a Chair and Vice Chair annually (article 82)
The Articles state the Board can decide the membership, constitution and powers of any Board Committee and LGB (articles 100-104)
What skills/attributes should a chair have?
Candidates for chair should be able to demonstrate a good selection of the skills/attributes set out below:
Essential:
- Experience of working to, and being accountable for the delivery of, a business plan
- Board experience – know how a Board operates and how to develop Board skills
- Ability to chair meetings well
- Ability to think and plan strategically and works to it
- Commitment to the Trust
- Good understanding of the legal responsibilities of the board as both individuals and a corporate entity
- Ability to build and get the best out of a team
- Strong communication skills including with the wider shareholder group
- Has the required time commitment
- Ability to have courageous conversations and make courageous decisions
- Experience of the environment in which the Trust and its schools are operating and wider education policy
Personal qualities:
- Personal integrity
- Negotiation and diplomacy skills
- Good organisational skills
- Ability to prioritise
- Capacity to process information quickly and understand relevant data
The expectation is that the time commitment should be 4 days a month in first year (excluding visits to schools), with an aim to reduce to 2 days per week over time.
Applications
If you like to apply for the role, please send a letter of application to Hayden Abbott, CEO/Executive Headteacher of the Kenilworth Multi Academy Trust at H.Abbott@ksn.org.uk.
If any potential applicants would like an informal discussion with Richard Hales, Trustee of KMAT please email R.Hales@ksn.org.uk.
Closing date: Monday, 22 June 2020 at 9am.
Dear Applicant
Dear Applicant
Thank you for your interest in the advertised position at Kenilworth School and Sixth Form. Before you apply, please take a moment to look around our website, where you can glean some insights in the school and the opportunities provided to our students.
We have been on a real journey of school improvement over the years in the pursuit of excellence. For us, an excellent school is one in which students enjoy their learning and can experience new and exciting opportunities to enable them to achieve and exceed their potential. An excellent school is also one in which teachers can teach without disruption and enjoy the opportunity to share the love of their specialist subject and make a difference to the lives our young people outside of the classroom. We are proud of everything that our students achieve. I never cease to be amazed by the strong leadership potential that they demonstrate every day through fundraising initiatives, community work or through the breadth of enrichment opportunities that we provide; be they sporting, musical or academic events in this country or further afield.
The qualities that we admire most in excellent teachers are enthusiasm, commitment, hard work, care and a willingness to work as part of a team.
In return for your hard work, we will provide a caring and supportive community where everyone is valued for the contributions that they make. The rewards for working at this wonderful school far outweigh a monthly salary. This is not just a job, but a way of life, and if you are willing to be part of our exciting journey, and you are successful in your application, you will find Kenilworth to be a very rewarding and unique experience.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Hayden Abbott
Headteacher
