LEO Academy Trust is proud to serve over 3800 pupils from across the London Borough of Sutton and Surrey. The Trust was formed in 2015 from a singular academy trust, and grew with converter academies joining. Since then, it has developed a self-improving network of learning communities comprised of seven primary schools, supported by a range of hubs of excellence, which provide endless opportunities for its pupils, staff and local communities. With over 500 staff, its schools are empowered to support each other to improve both outcomes for its pupils, and to drive performance across the wider school system.

LEO Academy Trust is proud that all of its schools are members of the Challenge Partners Network of Excellence. Learning, excellence, and opportunity are at the heart of the Trust, embedded through its shared mission, values and aims. It is a high-performing Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) both financially and educationally, and has won DfE contracts for EdTech and Behaviour Hubs both at both the MAT and lead-school level. The Trust has a good working relationship with Surrey for school improvement. It was invited to support a school last year and, with great success, the school joined the Trust. The Trust has also recently begun supporting another Surrey school.

LEO Academy Trust has ambitious aims to continue its next stage of growth and development by increasing its network of eight schools to 12, or possibly 16. The Trust's main focus is to take on strong converter academies, but it is about to take on its third failing school to support and revitalise it. The Schools that form the Trust are very diverse in terms of pupils, with a large representation of ethnic minorities; 38% of its pupils are EAL students.

LEO Academy Trust is looking for a number of new Trustees to provide strategic leadership in conjunction with the Executive Team.

The key duties of Trustee board members are to:

• Ensure that the Trust complies with its governing document (its Memorandum and Articles of Association), charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations, pursues its objects as defined in its governing document, and applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of its objects
• Contribute actively to the Board of Trustees by giving firm strategic direction to the Trust, setting overall policy, defining goals, setting targets, and evaluating performance against agreed targets, working as an effective team. They will use the appropriate balance of skills, experience, backgrounds and knowledge to make informed decisions
• Make sure that decision making processes are informed, rigorous and timely, and that effective delegation, control and risk-assessment, and management systems are set up and monitored
• Exercise a clear, agreed and effective approach to supporting equality, diversity and inclusion throughout the Trust and through their own practice
• Safeguard the good name and values of the Trust
• Ensure the financial stability of the Trust
• Support the Trust by exercising their skill and knowledge as a member of one or more of the Trust’s standing committees or project steering committees

Trustees with particular skills may additionally be asked to assist the Trust through attendance at executive advisory committees.

The Trust is primarily interested in individuals with strategic level experience within another successful Multi-Academy Trust. Coming from either a primary or secondary education setting, this person might be a Director of Education / School Improvement, or an Executive Head with experience working across a number of schools. Applicants must understand the challenges and opportunities for growth in the context of the MAT sector, and the successful candidate will play a key advisory role in the Trust's ambitions to expand its network of schools. 

The Trust is also interested in individuals with expertise in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and inclusion. Applicants will be well-versed in safeguarding, SEND, and inclusion. They will have direct experience working with schools, local authorities, NHS CAMHS, or within educational psychology. They will look at the ongoing work at the MAT through this expert lens, and support and challenge the Executive Team on inclusion matters.

A third category of candidates which the Board would be interested in hearing from is individuals with commercial leadership experience. Applicants will ideally have led organisations through growth, either as a finance lead or in a revenue / growth generating capacity. 

The LEO Academy Trust Board is committed to maintaining and / or improving the diversity of its Board such that it accurately reflects and represents the communities its schools serve. For more information, please see the Diversity section.

For more information on LEO Academy Trust's Board of Trustees, please see here.

This role is pro-bono, however reasonable pre-agreed travel expenses will be reimbursed. 

There are four Board meetings per year, plus an additional three Sub-Committee meetings if you are asked to join one. Trustees are expected to commit time ahead of these meetings to prepare, which should only take a couple of hours. There is an additional annual strategy away day, and additional Trustees and Members days, where Trustees may be expected to attend events at the Trust's schools. 

The appointment is for a four year term, which can be renewed at the discretion of the Board.

This organisation is based in Sutton, Worcester Park (South West London) and meetings will take place in-person, but the Board open to virtual attendance where necessary. Candidates will therefore be UK-based for this appointment.

LEO Academy Trust welcomes applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability. As ethnic minorities are currently under-represented on the Board, applications from individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds are particularly encouraged to apply. 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 diverse candidates can demonstrate their ability to perform the role equally well.