Established in 2012, Aurora Academies Trust operates seven academies across four Local Authorities - East Sussex, West Sussex, Brighton and Surrey. The Trust serves over 3,000 children aged between 2 to 16 and employs over 400 staff.

Aurora aims to provide an outstanding, aspirational education for its pupils and their families, irrespective of their prior attainment or background. Through its challenging, knowledge-rich curriculum, Aurora prepares its young people for success in the next stage of their education, be that at college, university, or other forms of training. Aurora's schools promote equality and diversity and place great emphasis on teaching respect and tolerance of others’ cultures and beliefs.

Each Aurora school looks and feels different, with its own uniform and logo, and reflects the unique community it serves. However, they all share an ethos and subscribe to the vision and values of the Trust, which are best expressed by the Aurora Pillars. Aurora is very much 'Seven Schools, One Family'. It is a highly collaborative Trust - Heads and faculty regularly get together, there is a common Trust-wide primary curriculum and a shared approach to areas such as phonics and maths.

Uniquely, Aurora benefits from the sponsorship of Pansophic Learning, an international education company which operates schools globally, mainly in the United States but also in Switzerland, the Middle East and in Africa. This means that Aurora’s academies are part of an international group of schools, which has the added benefit of enabling them to share best practice with children and colleagues within Pansophic’s global network. For instance, there is an annual teacher exchange every Spring Term with a school in Colorado. Pansophic also offers useful marketing, IT and other back office support.

Looking to the future, the Trust hopes to continue to consolidate and grow its work across its existing academies, with the possibility of taking on more schools and reaching more disadvantaged communities.

The day-to-day running of Aurora Academies Trust rests in the hands of the Central Team under the Interim CEO, Martha Burnige. The Board is responsible for advising on overall strategic priorities and, where appropriate, guiding on particular areas of expertise.

Trustees set the long-term strategic vision for the Trust, including plans for growth, allowing the Central Team to have the scope and confidence to handle the day-to-day challenges, while holding them to account. They guide the Board as it tackles both short and long-term issues, providing constructive challenge and support to the Central Team. 

It is also hoped that Trustees will engage with Aurora's schools beyond Board meetings, such as attending regular or ad hoc events.

Trustee (Education)

Aurora is seeking a new Trustee with strategic-level experience in education to join its Board. They are open to individuals from a variety of backgrounds, from nursery and primary right through to secondary and higher education. Candidates may have held senior positions within a school, a local authority or another multi-academy trust; they may be an academic at a university with a specialism in education; or a current/former Ofsted inspector. Experience driving school improvement and a passion for teaching and learning and the curriculum would be highly valued. Although Aurora's schools are in the maintained sector, individuals with a background in the independent sector are encouraged to express an interest.  

Previous Board experience is welcome, but is not essential.

Trustee (Property & Estates)

Aurora Academies Trust is looking for a new Trustee with a background as a property / facilities / estates management professional, and experience of operating at a senior level on large projects as an architect, surveyor or developer. The successful candidate will be able to provide advice, guidance and appropriate challenge to the Board and Central Team on how the Trust can best maintain and develop its complex portfolio of school buildings. They will ideally bring experience of working across a multi-site organisation which contains a range of types of building. 

Previous Board experience is welcome, but is not essential.

Above all, the successful candidate will be committed to ensuring all young people at Aurora schools get the best possible experience that they can and that they leave equipped for the next stage of life, whether that be college, university or the world of work.

A full list of existing Trustees can be found here.

Trustees are appointed on an initial four year term which is renewable. There are five Board meeting per year, taking place in October, December, February, April and June. Trustees are expected to sit on one of the two Sub-Committees - the Education Standards and School Performance Committee meets four times per year, while the Finance, Audit, HR and Risk Committee meets up to six times. In-person meetings tend to take place at the school in Bexhill-on-Sea, however most meetings are hybrid in format. Occasional school visits and attendance at regular and ad hoc events is expected and encouraged. Reasonable travel expenses are covered.

UK-South East (East Sussex)

Aurora welcomes applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability. All appointments will be made on merit, following a fair and transparent process. In line with the Equality Act 2010, however, the organisation may employ positive action where candidates from underrepresented groups can demonstrate their ability to perform the role equally well.

Aurora is committed to continuous improvement in how representative it is of its local communities, including gender, ethnicity, religion, age, and all other aspects of diversity.

Candidates with a connection to any of its communities in Sussex and Surrey are strongly encouraged to apply.