ElmWey Learning Trust: Heathside Weybridge Local Advisory Board Member Role Description

Background

Are you interested in making a real difference in your local community? Would you enjoy being part of an experienced team helping to support the leadership of a high performing Secondary School in Weybridge?

The Local Advisory Board (LAB) supports the Leadership Team at Heathside School in Weybridge, in its mission to provide an outstanding education to more than 1250 pupils. The school is well-known in the local community, offering a broad and enriching curriculum. It has a track record of delivering a high standard of education both to GCSE and A level, and the Leadership Team and LAB play a key role in ensuring this continues.

Heathside Weybridge is part of The ElmWey Learning Trust, a Multi Academy Trust which also runs the newly opened Heathside School in Walton on Thames. The Trust is currently looking to expand the team on the Heathside Weybridge LAB.

We are keen to bring more Advisors from the community with a variety of different skills. In particular, we are interested in people with knowledge or experience in HR or Site Management; however, this is not a necessity. At this moment, we are looking to find applicants who are NOT current parents or likely to be parents imminently.

The Role

The ElmWey Learning Trust Board of Trustees delegates key responsibilities and powers to the LAB Members, in accordance with a ‘Scheme of delegation’ – this highlights the key areas of responsibility for the LAB. The LAB is crucial to helping the School to raise standards. Some of the key roles of the LAB include:

Challenge and support the Leadership Team to deliver the school improvement plan.
Act on behalf of the Trustees to ensure that standards are being raised, and that outcomes and progress of students continue to improve.
Engage with the Trustee Board to support them in making informed decisions as set out in the Scheme of Delegation.
Work in conjunction with Trustees to ensure that all funds are spent to maximize impact for students and well spent.

Time Commitment

Six face-to-face meetings at the school per year during the week (usually a Thursday, 4-6pm).
Annual conference on a Saturday (next one 2nd March 2024).
One ‘learning walk’ at the school per term based on a particular delegated area of responsibility.
Ad hoc activities such as involvement in key staff recruitment or appraisal/exclusion panels (typically once per term).
The school leadership actively encourages Advisors to help support them on specific strategic projects. Spending time with the school helping them can be really rewarding.
Participate in distance learning and face-to-face training to increase your knowledge.

Support and Training

A full induction plan is provided especially focused on your first 6-12 months, with a mentor also being available.

There is full membership provided to independent governance associations offering a variety of online training sessions covering all aspects of governance.

Most individuals involved with school governance feedback that they grow from the experience both in terms of ‘giving back’, but also for their own personal and professional development, and many professions allow governance experience to be counted towards CPD. The CBI believes that there is a robust business case for employers to support their staff to volunteer in governance roles, and many employers give employees reasonable time off to carry out their duties.

How to Apply

If you are interested in an informal discussion with one of the Trustees about the role, please contact Becky Routley at rroutley@elmwey.org.

If you are definitely interested in becoming an LAB Advisor, then please complete the ElmWey Learning Trust Governance application form and send it to Janice Parrish, Clerk to the Trustees c/o Heathside School, Weybridge, Surrey / jparrish@heathside.surrey.sch.uk.

Find out more about Governance

If you would like to know more about Governance within the educational environment, then please take a look at the following:

ElmWey Learning Trust Governance Application Form.docx

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Heathside School jobs

LOCAL ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER