The White Horse Federation (TWHF) was founded with the aim of improving life chances and raising the aspirations of young people. To achieve these goals, the Trust believes in the power of a first-rate quality of education through a broad and balanced curriculum: such an education is the best foundation for helping young people to succeed and overcome social barriers, irrespective of their backgrounds or starting points.

TWHF currently comprises 31 schools, making it the largest education provider in the South West. Its five secondary schools, 24 primary schools and two special schools serve a range of urban and rural communities across Swindon, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and Reading.

The Trust has gained national recognition and has been designated an Associate College for the National Institute of Teaching and a DfE Attendance Hub. The Trust delivers the highest quality of Initial Teacher Training alongside teacher and leader development across the region. Its schools benefit from this by having access to a stream of well-qualified and expertly trained teachers, middle leaders and senior leaders.

Working in communities that are often materially and socially deprived, TWHF seeks to provide a first-rate education and to raise ambitions at all of its schools. It believes in replicating in the state sector what is most often found in the independent sector - ensuring that students receive the quality of education and access to the same sorts of opportunities their peers whose parents can pay for education receive.

TWHF's aim is for our students to leave its schools ready to take their place in the world - well-educated, motivated and with strong leadership skills, personally accomplished and determined to make a positive and lasting contribution to the world. The Trust firmly believes that a child’s background should not be a barrier to success and it is committed to delivering an education that broadens students’ horizons in a truly transformative way.

The Trust Board is the governing body of the Trust and, led by Ninna Gibson as the Chair, it contributes to the development of and monitors the implementation of the Trust’s Strategy. The Board ensures that adequate systems of governance and risk management are in place and that the Trust is sustainable and financially viable.

Trustees must ensure that they act in accordance with accepted standards of behaviour in public life (the Nolan Principles). Trustees must also ensure that the Trust’s strategy, performance and use of resources are appropriately directed towards furthering its charitable purposes. All Trustees play an important role in the business of the Trust and, whilst not being drawn into day-to-day executive management, seek to establish supportive working relationships with the Chief Executive Officer and other senior officers of the Trust, constructively challenging and adding valuable insight and perspective.

Trustees are responsible for:

• Setting the vision and values, ethos, and strategic direction of the MAT
• The effective management of the Academies and other associated settings
• Financial, educational and academic performance and monitoring of all settings within TWHF
• Developing and implementing a risk management strategy and making major decisions about TWHF including its funding applications, capital initiatives and key contracts
• Ensuring the reputation of the MAT is continually strengthened and is not compromised
• Identifying terms of reference for the Board’s committees and the Local Governing Bodies, and ensuring these are reviewed

TWHF is seeking three new Trustees who will have the potential to chair one of the following Board sub-committees: Finance, Capital and Resource; Human Resources; and Audit and Risk.This is an exceptional opportunity to share your expertise and make a positive contribution to a nationally renowned institution. Alongside the skills and experience commensurate with holding a high-profile non-executive position, candidates will demonstrate a genuine affinity for the Trust – its mission and values. In addition, candidates will have substantial experience in shaping strategy and reviewing performance, with the ability to synthesise complex information readily and contribute to a wide range of strategic discussions in a collegiate manner.Candidates will demonstrate expertise and experience in the following areas:

• Board experience, ideally as a non-executive director as well as an executive director. Chairing experience would be valuable
• Honed acumen and experience as a strategic-level leader within Finance, Human Resources, or Audit and Risk, gained in an appropriately complex organisation
• Affinity with the vision and values of the Trust
• Previous experience in education, government department / agency, large charity or cultural organisation is considered valuable but not essential
• First-hand experience in high performing organisations with an understanding of what it takes for an organisation to develop from good to great
• Capacity to exercise independent judgement, engender a supportive and collaborative ethos and know when to assume certain responsibilities to meet the Committee’s objectives

All candidates will have experience in contributing to the shaping of strategy and review of performance objectives, be able to maintain a strategic focus and challenge management decision-making processes and outcomes. Candidates will have well-developed commercial acumen, including the ability to understand and challenge financial information.TWHF is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and through this appointment process and it is the Board’s clear stated aim to develop candidate pools that include applicants from all backgrounds and communities.

There are currently 11 members of the Trust Board including the Chief Executive Officer, Paul Smith. The Board is supported by the Head of Governance Assurance and a professional corporate Governance Team. There are four committees of the Board of Trustees: Audit & Risk; Education Standards; Finance, Capital and Resource and Pay and Remuneration. Each committee is chaired by a member of the Trust Board, and each Trustee may be asked to join one or more Committees. Members of the Board may also be requested to join advisory or working groups from time to time.

A full list of current Board members can be found here. 

Trustees normally serve for a four-year term. The incoming Trustees will join the Trust Board from September 2023.

The Trust Board typically meets five times a year, plus an Away Day, with meetings expected to take place in Swindon. The typical cycle of meetings is October, December, March, May and July. The Board Committees meet between four and six times a year.

The Trust provides a comprehensive programme of induction and training to build on a new Trustee’s existing skills and knowledge. Trustees support and influence the future development of the Trust, and therefore have a significant impact on the Trust’s students, staff and regional communities.

In the spirit of charity governance, Trustees are not remunerated, but members may reclaim all reasonable travelling and similar expenses incurred on TWHF business.

TWHF is headquartered in Swindon with schools across Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Wiltshire. Meetings take place in-person where possible, usually in Swindon, though there is always the option of dialling in. Candidates will therefore be UK-based and ideally within a reasonable commutable distance of Swindon.