Board Member x 2

Agora Learning Partnership (ALP)

The Agora Learning Partnership (formerly Herts for Learning Multi Academy Trust) seeks two Members to join the trust. The Agora Partnership is an inclusive, collaborative and forward looking trust where everyone works together, learns together and succeeds together in order to give all of the children in the academies the best possible education and learning opportunities. Board meetings are held across multiple Hertfordshire locations.

About the Trust

The Agora Learning Partnership currently consists of nine primary schools in Hertfordshire – five in the Watford area, two in Letchworth Garden City, one in Welwyn Garden City and one in Borehamwood. Six primary schools were the first wave of schools to join the trust in September 2017 and a further three primary schools joined in January 2018.

The trust was established as a cross phase MAT, although it currently consists of primary phase schools.

The academies are supported and encouraged to develop as their own distinctive institutions and to tailor their curriculum so that it meets the needs of their children. The trust believes this is how academies can best serve their communities. They do, however, work within a common structure and ethos rooted within the Agora Learning Partnership’s vision and values.

Plans for the Future

Over the next two years, the trust plans to:

1. Gain sufficient pupil/school numbers to grow to a financially sustainable and educationally effective scale.
2. Raise attainment and improve the progress made by the overall MAT and each school within the trust.
3. Develop further the central function, bringing services into this aspect as capacity allows and efficiency dictates.

In the longer term, the trust would like to grow to c. 10,000 pupils and is open to considering partnerships or mergers with other smaller MATs and to develop the ability to open free schools.

Trust Ethos & Values

The Agora Learning Partnership is an inclusive and collaborative trust, bringing likeminded people together to work together, learn together and succeed together. Further details about its approach, vision, aims, objectives and ethos can be found at https://agoralearning.co.uk/our-approach/overview/.

Role Summary Number of Positions Advertised:

2

Role 1 & 2 – Member

A Member is able to alter the trust’s Articles of Association and appoint (or remove) Trustees/directors where necessary. They provide independent oversight to the work of the Board of Trustees in order to ensure suitable accountability for its decision making and strategy. At Agora Learning Partnership the Members are expected to be signatories for the academy trust, to attend on average two meetings per year, and to add to the already broad skillset within the existing team of members.

The competencies required for this role include:

Essential (due to multiple roles, candidates may be accepted who possess one or more of the skills below)

• Governance
• Finance

Desirable

• HR
• Legal/Compliance
• Risk

Person Specification

There is an expectation from the DfE that Members should have skills in corporate governance, finance, legal, HR and education to enable holding the Trustees to account. Current Members are from the private sector (governance), local government and higher/primary education backgrounds. A more detailed description of the role at the trust can be supplied.

Time Commitment

Approximately two meetings per year (two hours) plus email correspondence.

Location of Board Meetings and Trust Website

Board meetings are held at multiple locations.

Trust website: https://agoralearning.co.uk

Governance Structure

Please see https://agoralearning.co.uk/about-us/governance/articles-and-structure/  

Background on Academy Trusts

Academy schools, which are charities run independently of local authority control, now account for 69% of secondary schools and 33% of primaries – and their number is growing all the time.

Many of these schools are grouped together as multi-academy trusts (MATs). There are currently 900 multi academy trusts of 3+ schools. If the schools are to fulfil their potential, the trusts need non-executives (known in charity law as trustees) to bring a wide range of skills and experience to help guide strategy, ensure their ambitions can be soundly financed and keep their schools up to the mark delivering for their pupils.

“Boards must be ambitious for all children and young people and infused with a passion for education and a commitment to continuous school improvement that enables the best possible outcomes. Governance must be grounded in reality as defined by both high-quality objective data and a full understanding of the views and needs of pupils/students, staff, parents, carers and local communities. It should be driven by inquisitive, independent minds and through conversations focused on the key strategic issues which are conducted with humility, good judgement, resilience and determination.” 
Source: Governance Handbook, Department for Education (2019)

Trusteeship is a voluntary, unpaid role for people who have the energy and skills to make a real contribution to shaping the future of our schools. You do not need to have any specialist knowledge of education.

Applications

Academy Ambassadors is a non-profit programme which recruits senior business leaders and professionals as volunteer Members and non-executive directors onto the boards of multi-academy trusts. If you are interested in applying for the role please send your CV and a short expression of interest detailing which role you are applying for to academyambassadors@newschoolsnetwork.org. Please note: candidates should live within reasonable travelling distance of the trust and/or have a link with the region. For more information, please call 0207 952 8556 or visit www.academyambassadors.org.

Key Dates

We strongly recommend applying as early as you can to have the best possible chance of being considered as we may change the closing date if we have received sufficient applications. Applicants should be aware of the following key dates in the recruitment process –

Deadline for applications: Friday 25^th October 2019