The Board of Governors of More House School is seeking to appoint a Governor with extensive accountancy experience (ideally with an accountancy qualification) from June 2024.

Description

This is a voluntary position with an expected term length of at least three years with a maximum of nine. The appointee will support the school’s leadership and governors in strategic forward planning and all matters finance related. Post-holders will be responsible, together with their fellow governors, for the overall governance of the charity, monitoring performance and securing compliance with statutory requirements, and for the development of the school’s aims and objectives.

About this post:

The duties of a governor include:

· Supporting the aims of the school and its mission statement, and ensuring that these are achieved.

· Determining the overall direction and development of the school through good governance and clear strategic planning.

· Promoting and developing the school in order for it to grow and maintain its relevance in society.

· Acting in the best interest of the school, beneficiaries and future beneficiaries at all times.

· Interviewing and appointing the Head and Bursar (when required) and monitoring the work and activities of the senior team.

· Maintaining absolute confidentiality about all sensitive/confidential information received in the course of governors’ responsibilities to the school, and to accord with the conflicts of interest policy.

· Contributing expertise to the discussions of the Governing Body.

· Attending committee meetings, specifically half-termly meetings of the Finance & General Purposes Committee.

· As necessary, Governors may be required to sit on a panel to hear parental complaints or other panels, etc.

· It is the collective responsibility of the Governing body to ensure there are effective safeguarding arrangements and procedures at the school.

· The non-executive post-holder will report to the Chair of Governors and, as a trustee of the charity, is accountable to the Charity Commission.

There is a degree of commitment required of a governor to:

· attend as many meetings and school events as possible;

· be prepared to commit sufficient time to visit the school periodically during working hours, and to study reports and background papers;

· attend training courses and seminars and complete e-learning;

· Keep up to date with statutory guidance including Keeping Children Safe in Education.

Person specification:

· Accountancy qualification, and extensive experience in this field.

· Capable of sound judgement and diplomacy.

· Ability to challenge and support, and be a critical friend to the senior leadership team.

· Experience in a similar role or board level experience.

· Experience of handling securely, highly confidential information.

· Strong, secure and personal commitment to the School’s ethos and aims in promoting the best possible outcomes for pupils, including safeguarding their welfare.

The role of Governor is very rewarding and enjoyable. A current governor recently commented 'Serving on the More House School board has been an incredibly rewarding experience, providing me with a unique opportunity to contribute to a community that is truly making a difference in the lives of its students. The collaboration, dedication, and passion of this team are unparalleled, and I am proud to be part of it.'

Safeguarding:

This role is deemed to be one of working in regulated activity, meaning that the post-holder may expect to come into unsupervised contact with children and young people frequently in the discharge of their duties on-campus. As such, the expectations of conduct, required of all adults working at More House School, apply to this position, as does a full Safer-Recruitment vetting process of any appointee. A key responsibility of all adults working within the School is that of ensuring the effective safeguarding of all children and young people, through adherence to the School’s policies; full-training is given.

Applicants must undergo child protection screening, including checks with past employers and an enhanced DBS check. More House School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

To Apply:

Please visit our website www.morehouseschool.co.uk, and complete the online application form: More House School - Support Staff Application Form

The selection process for this important role includes two key stages: an informal discussion with the Chair of Governors to explore your interest and alignment with the school’s ethos, followed by a more formal interview with the Nominations and Governance Committee to assess suitability and discuss potential contributions to the board.

This post is subject to an Enhanced DBS clearance and the receipt of satisfactory references before a formal job offer is confirmed.

More House School is firmly committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.