Whitefield Academy Trust is a learning community that educates 475 children and young people with a wide range of special needs and disabilities. It comprises two special schools, high-quality professional development services, expert outreach provision and an outstanding supported internship programme. Based in the London Borough of Waltham Forest, the Trust includes Whitefield School, a special school with high standards of education and welfare and personalised learning pathways for 370 pupils. It offers support for children with a wide range of special needs and disabilities. Joseph Clarke School combines high-quality academic provision with specialist support for vision impaired pupils and is an internationally recognised centre of excellence. All pupils attending both schools have and Education and Health Care Plan and school places are commissioned by 18 local authorities in inner and outer London

In addition to the schools, Whitefield Academy Trust offers various Professional Development courses and SEND outreach services for over 200 schools across London. They range from short and long-term programmes for Initial Teacher Training and Foundation Degrees, to a range of Continuous Professional Development courses. PDS is at the forefront of training within the special education sector. Whilst the Centre specialises in SEND provision, its courses are highly relevant to those in mainstream education. The Trust also runs Project SEARCH, a life-changing project opening up a world of opportunities for young people with SEND. The project is based at Whipps Cross Hospital and helps young people with SEND gain useful employability skills within a supportive and understanding environment. Working across north and east London, Whitefield Academy Trust equips children and young people with the skills, knowledge and, most importantly, self belief that will help them develop into happy and confident individuals who are well prepared for the next stage of their education and lives.

Whitefield Academy Trust is currently going through a period of significant change, including to its governance and is driving forward some key work around people and culture. With a very close relationship with the Department for Education (DfE) and various key stakeholders in local authorities and schools, The Trust includes one of the top special schools in Europe and some of the best expertise in the SEN sector. With a dynamic and ambitious CEO (Kirstie Fulthorpe) who is a DfE appointed growth leader, the organisation continues to build on its previous success and moves ahead into its next chapter.

Chair

Whitefield Academy Trust seeks to recruit a new Chair to lead the Board through its next stage of development.

The Chair's responsibilities include:

• Leading the Board of Trustees, providing strategic leadership and governance for the Trust and recruiting new Trustees
• Holding the CEO, executive and senior leadership team to account to successfully deliver against Whitefield’s mission and strategic plan
• Along with fellow Trustees and the CEO, ensuring an excellent education and level of safeguarding of students, as well as setting and monitoring performance benchmarks
• Ensuring that the Board focuses on the right areas and is able to respond to opportunities and challenges effectively, both in terms of the way in which it conducts its business and the skills of the Trustees
• Developing productive and supportive professional relationships with others on the Board and in the executive leadership team, particularly with the CEO
• Support the CEO in developing a robust central services system which supports both the Trust schools
• To ensure that the Trust offers a curriculum that maximises outcome for its students and to determine and monitor the trust’s performance against key indicators and the School Improvement Plans.
• Supporting the CEO with senior stakeholder engagement / relationship management where appropriate

Chair of the Finance, Audit & Risk Committee

Whitefield Academy Trust seeks a Chair of its Finance Audit and Risk Committee. They will act as a critical friend to the management team, particularly the Chief Operating Officer.

Their responsibilities will be as follows:  

• Scrutinise and ensure that the Trust’s finances are appropriately accounted for through budget setting, monitoring, preparation and publication of accounts and overseeing any investment decisions
• Advise the Board of Trustees on internal and external audit, internal controls and risk management
• Oversee, encourage and monitor the effectiveness of the financial and other internal controls ofThe Trust, on behalf of the Board
• Keep under review the internal controls and risk management systems
• Review the audited annual report and financial statements Give assurance to the Board that the financial operations are being managed and operated
• To ensure the Trust’s compliance with legal duties and responsibilities, including adherence to the Trust’s Memorandum and Articles
• To appoint and supervise the Trust’s Chief Operating Officer and provide constructive challenge to executive recommendations in order to provide robust accountability, oversight and assurance for both educational outcomes and financial performance of the Trust

Chair

Whitefield Academy Trust seeks an exceptional individual to step into the role of Chair of the Board of Trustees and take the Trust on the next stage of its journey. This is a challenging role requiring an experienced leader with a track record of success, strong interpersonal skills, an adaptive approach and a strategic mindset.

The new Chair will have experience of the multi-academy trust sector and should either

i) have held a senior executive role within another academy trust

or

ii) bring a business / public sector background and offer prior non-executive experience on the board of another academy trust.

It is preferable but not essential that candidates have had exposure or experience to the SEND sector and an appreciation that there are different funding structures for special schools.

The successful candidate will be passionate about making a tangible difference in the lives of children living with special educational needs. They will share the Trust's commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.

The new Chair will support and challenge a dynamic and experienced CEO in Kirstie Fulthorpe through a period of change for the MAT. While previous Chair experience is not essential, candidates must demonstrate the ability to manage robust discussion among Trustees and possess outstanding listening, interpersonal and ambassadorial skills. The Chair will need to form a strong, open and constructive working relationship with the leadership team and will be skilled in robust, non-confrontational challenge.

Chair of the Finance, Audit & Risk Committee

Whitefield Academy Trust seeks a Chair of its Finance Audit and Risk Committee who will ideally be financially-qualified and will be able to provide guidance and oversight as The Trust looks towards ensuring its long-term sustainability and resilience. This role requires an experienced leader with a strong track record of strategic financial planning and an ability to bring scrutiny to the board and executives.

Candidates would ideally be financially qualified (or qualified by experience) and have held a senior leadership role within either a commercial or public sector setting and experience of managing budgets equating to Whitefield’s £15m pound annual turnover. Experience of working in (as a charity Trustee or otherwise), or with schools and in particular special schools, is desirable. There is also an opportunity for this person to be elected as Vice Chair.

The successful candidate will be passionate about making a tangible difference in the lives of children living with special educational needs. They will share the Trust's commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Chair: The Board meets three times per year in the early evening with one AGM. The Chair will have to be available for calls with the CEO weekly and with other stakeholders on an ad hoc basis. They will be liaising with Board colleagues and doing meeting preparation in advance of / in between the Board meetings. The role is unremunerated but reasonable expenses will be reimbursed. The appointment is for a four year term, which can be renewed once.

Chair of the Finance, Audit & Risk Committee: The Finance, Risk and Audit Committee meetings are held six times per year and the Chair will also attend board meetings three times per year with one AGM. These are currently held remotely and these will continue for the foreseeable future. They will attend school visits once a term. The role is unremunerated but reasonable expenses will be reimbursed. The appointment is for a four year term, which can be renewed once.