Chair Of Governors

Chair of Governors

Location: Ark Charter Academy, PO5 4HL and Ark Alexandra Academy, TN37 7PS

Closing date: 26/04/2023 12pm

Interviews:  May 2024

About the role:

We are looking for Chair of Governors for Ark Charter Academy and also a Chair of Governors to join Ark Alexandra Academy. This is an exciting time to join us as Chair of Governors. You will join a close-knit community of enthusiastic governors, teachers, senior leaders, pupils, and parents, with guidance and support from the central team of experts at Ark Schools.

The Chair must provide the local governing body with a clear lead and direction, ensuring that the governors work as an effective team and understand their own roles. The ideal candidate will have some experience in school governance (although this is not essential) but will have demonstrated leadership skills in a board or committee setting.

Key Responsibilities and Duties:

• Work closely with the Regional Director, Executive Principal and Heads of Schools to promote and maintain high standards of educational achievement by offering support, challenge and encouragement
• Ensure that the governing body sets a clear vision, ethos, and strategic direction for the school
• Utilise your personal and professional skills, experience, and knowledge to lead the governing body ensuring considered and sound decisions are made
• Delegate tasks across the governing body so that all members contribute, and feel that their individual skills, knowledge, and experience are well-used, and that the overall workload is shared
• Support the vision and ethos of Ark Schools and work collaboratively
• Approach the role within the delegated responsibilities as outlined in Ark’s Decision-Making Framework

Key Requirements:

• An engaging style, providing ideas and solutions
• A willingness to commit the required time and effort
• Team focused with strong leadership skills
• High levels of integrity
• An ability to challenge appropriately

As Chair you should expect to commit up to two days per month to the role in term time, but this is not necessarily time in school. We would encourage you to arrange a visit to the school so that you can see for yourself how we work to make Ark Charter Academy and Ark Alexandra Academy an inspiring school, and one which I hope you will consider joining as Chair.

How to Apply:

We want our local governing body to include members with a broad range of experience, backgrounds and skills that not only reflect the community we serve but contribute to our long-term goals and add real value to our strategic decision making. We welcome applications from the widest possible diversity of backgrounds and all appointments are made on merit following a fair and transparent process.

If you would like a confidential, informal discussion about one of theses roles please contact Louise Garcia— louise.garcia@arkonline.org.

If you would like to be considered for one of these positions, please send an up to date CV with a covering letter explaining why you believe you would be suitable for the role to louise.garcia@arkonline.org.

The closing date for applications is Friday 26th April 2024 and interviews will be held in May.

All Ark Chairs and governors are required to adhere to the Ark governors’ Code of Conduct, undergo an enhanced disclosure DBS check and make an annual Declaration of Interest. This may require you to withdraw from specific discussions where you, a partner or close relative or associate stands to gain or where you are so close to a matter being discussed that it will be difficult for you to be impartial.

Ark is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people in its academies. In order to meet this responsibility, its academies follow a rigorous selection process to discourage and screen out unsuitable applicants.  

Ark requires all governors to undertake an enhanced DBS check. You are required, before appointment, to disclose any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. Non-disclosure may lead to termination of employment. However, disclosure of a criminal background will not necessarily debar you from employment - this will depend upon the nature of the offence(s) and when they occurred. To read more about Ark’s safer recruitment process, please click this link. 

We aim to build a diverse and inclusive organisation where everyone – staff and students – can do their best work and achieve their full potential. We want to reflect and represent diverse perspectives across our organisation because we know that doing so will make us stronger and more effective. To know more about Ark’s diversity and inclusion commitments, please click on this link.