BIRMINGHAM DIOCESAN ACADEMIES TRUST

Transcription

1 BIRMINGHAM DIOCESAN ACADEMIES TRUST Educating for Dignity and Respect Wisdom, Knowledge and Skills Hope and Aspiration Community and Living Well Together Life in all its fullness CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER APPLICATION PACK March 2017

2 BIRMINGHAM DIOCESAN ACADEMIES TRUST Chief Executive Application Pack CONTENTS Welcome Message An overview of Birmingham Diocesan Academies Trust (BDAT) Vision and Values Governance Structure School Improvement Offer Job Description Person Specification How to Apply

3 BIRMINGHAM DIOCESAN ACADEMIES TRUST Chief Executive Role Welcome Message Thank you very much for your interest in the post of Chief Executive Officer for Birmingham Diocesan Academies Trust. We are at an exciting stage - launching our brand new Multi-Academy Trust, following agreement from the Regional Schools Commissioner and subsequent approval to become a sponsor. I hope the following pages will give insight into our vision and ambition for the work of the Trust as well as practical details about the post itself. The Diocesan Board of Education in Church of England Birmingham recognises that the future for schools lies in formal collaborations; schools working together, in partnership, to offer life in all its fullness for the young people who attend them. Church schools have a very distinctive purpose: Education is taught in an environment where there is a set of values and ways of behaving that stem from and express the Christian foundation of the school. The church is seeking to be a provider of education as a common good, open to all and of benefit to all; Our schools are about providing an education within a Christian framework for children of the local community of any faith or none; Our Trust seeks to provide a place where Church schools can continue to provide high quality education, knowing that their distinctive ethos will be protected into the future. The underpinning vision and values may be ones that community schools share too; we welcome any school that feels able to commit to the same purpose to consider joining our Trust. Do you want to be our CEO? We are looking for a CEO who is able to combine humility with determination. A nurturing leader who does not seek credit but wants success to be sustained over a longer period of time, long after they are gone. We are looking to appoint someone who will identify and include people who share the vision and can contribute to the direction of the Trust, as well as having the skills and knowledge needed to meet our objectives. We need our CEO to be someone who will not shy away from facing and accepting truths and realities of data, numbers and situations - but at the same time doesn t lose hope of a better future. We recognise that you may come from a different faith background or have no faith yourself. Our priority is to employ leaders that share the same values regarding education provision: Educating for Dignity and Respect Educating for Wisdom, Knowledge and Skills Educating for Hope and Aspiration Educating for Community and Living Well Together Whatever your personal belief, we seek to appoint a CEO who is able to hold the ethos and values of the Trust and speak passionately and with conviction about them. Page 1

4 ABOUT THE ROLE The role of the CEO will evolve as the Trust grows. We are at the beginning of our journey, and are looking to take 6 Primary Academies into our Trust at the beginning of the autumn of 2017, a further 6 schools the following year, then a further 6 spread over the next two years. We initially see the Trust growing to about 20 schools. You will initially be responsible for an annual budget of c 10m and 1500 children, growing to c 30m and 4500 children. The role combines vision and delivery, shared responsibility alongside accountability and communication, engaging with as wide a stakeholder group as you are likely to meet. It will suit a leader who likes to be hands on, shaping and setting the direction but also getting into schools to see things in practice. We are looking to appoint someone with leadership experience from a school setting, as an executive or system leader from a trust or federation. The Chief Executive balances their time between central activity and close working with the academies and academy leaders. You ll work centrally to lead the central team, managing risk, monitoring performance across all our academies and growing the Trust network - supporting and ensuring that the Board has the information that they need to make judgements about how best they can carry out their roles and responsibilities. But you ll also be out in the Academies themselves: providing direct challenge and support to Head Teachers/Principals, developing capacity through training and facilitation, and also supporting improvements in the classroom through observation and evaluation. We wish to give our Trust the best start we can, so the Diocese in Birmingham is providing funding for us to appoint the CEO, a Finance Director and some administrative support right from the outset. We hope this is an exciting proposition for a passionate leader committed to making a difference! We look forward to receiving your application. Sarah Smith Interim Chair of the Birmingham Diocesan Academy Trust If you wish to have an informal conversation about the role please do contact Sarah at Church of England Birmingham on Page 2

5 Birmingham Diocesan Academies Trust An Overview Vision and Values of our Trust The underpinning vision of the Birmingham Diocesan Academies Trust (BDAT) is based on the following values: We are made in the image of God, all people are of equal worth, to be treated with dignity, given hope and aspirations and to live in community We believe Jesus came to give life in all its fullness. We aim to deliver excellence in education and want the very best outcomes for children and young people so that they can achieve their fullest potential. With many schools reporting that they feel under increasing pressure to make artificial choices between academic rigour and the wellbeing of their pupils, we are unequivocal in our message that there is no such distinction a good education must promote life in all its fullness. It is about educating the whole person. We are therefore committed to our Academies: Educating for Dignity and Respect Human dignity, the ultimate worth of each person, is central to good education. The basic principle of respect for the value of each person involves continual discernment, deliberation and action and schools are one of the main places where this happens, and where the understanding and practices it requires are learned. This includes vigilant safeguarding. It is especially important that the equal worth of those with and without special educational needs and disabilities is recognized in practice. Educating for Wisdom, Knowledge and Skills Good schools foster confidence, delight and discipline in seeking wisdom, knowledge, truth, understanding, know-how, and the skills needed to shape life well. They nurture academic habits and skills, emotional intelligence and creativity across the whole range of school subjects, including areas such as music, drama and the arts, information and other technologies, sustainable development, sport, and what one needs to understand and practise in order to be a good person, citizen, parent, child, employee, team or group member, or leader. Educating for Hope and Aspiration How we learn to approach the future is crucial. Good schools open up horizons of hope and aspiration, and guide pupils into ways of fulfilling them. They also cope wisely with things and people going wrong. Bad experiences and behaviour, wrongdoing and evil need not have the last word. There are resources for healing, repair and renewal; repentance, forgiveness, truth and reconciliation are possible; and meaning, trust, generosity, compassion and hope are more fundamental than meaninglessness, suspicion, selfishness, hardheartedness and despair. Educating for Community and Living Well Together Education needs to have a core focus on relationships and commitments, participation in communities and institutions and the qualities of character that enable people to flourish together. We believe our living is inextricably involved with others, sharing our humanity and life on a finite planet. If those others are of ultimate worth, then we are each called to responsibility towards them and to contribute responsibly to our communities. Given these basics focusing on the pursuit of wisdom, knowledge and skills, on trust and hope in the good as more fundamental than the bad, on the centrality of relationships and community, and on the dignity of each person, there is endless scope for deeper thinking and further applications, improvisations and creativity. This is what we mean by life in all its fullness. Page 3

6 Christian distinctiveness underpins the principles about how we work When decisions are made at any level in the Trust, they will be made with our values, as described above, clearly at the heart of the decision. Our values will be reflected in the way people are treated, whether children, families or employees of the Trust. Jesus came to give fullness of life to all. There will be an expectation that all endeavour to live by the values whether students or employees. We will share responsibility for all of the children in all of the academies. Our Trust is one with a generous heart. All will be both givers and receivers. Leadership at Trust level and of our individual schools Great leaders combine Humility with determination. We see this in the example of Jesus. They are the nurturing leaders, who do not want credit, but want success to sustain over a longer period of time, long after they are gone. Leaders will identify and include people who share the vision and can contribute to the direction of the Trust as well as having the skills and knowledge needed to meet the objectives. Our leaders will not shy away from facing and accepting brutal truths and realities of data, numbers and situations but at the same time they won t lose hope of a better future. We will encourage our leaders to practice and encourage a disciplined approach towards their work life, maintaining a positive work/life balance. We recognise that our leaders may come from a variety of different faith backgrounds or have no faith themselves. Our priority is to employ leaders that share the same values regarding education provision Educating for Dignity and Respect Educating for Wisdom, Knowledge and Skills Educating for Hope and Aspiration Educating for Community and Living Well Together Whatever a leader s personal belief, we would be seeking to appoint leaders who uphold the ethos and values of the Trust and the uniqueness of their individual school. The uniqueness of the Individual academy The academies in the Trust will work collaboratively together on aspects of teaching and learning as appropriate and needed, but will still retain their individual character. Individual academies are responsible for deciding on and developing their own unique character/ethos, the way the teaching and learning is delivered and the curriculum it is delivered through, within the overarching value of providing Life in all its fullness. Page 4

7 Governance (See Page 7: organogram) The BDAT will be managed on a day to day basis by a Chief Executive Officer (CEO), who will report to and be held accountable by a board of Directors (Trustees). The Board will operate with two main subcommittees which will focus on standards and finance and resources. The CEO will attend all Board meetings and in line with the agreed model articles for CE schools will be also be a director. They will be line managed by one of the directors. Standards and Resources Committee will meet termly proceeding the full MAT board meetings. These meetings have clear agendas and will focus on each academy, individually scrutinising reports provided by the CEO (Standards committee) and Finance Director (Resources committee), monitoring progress towards agreed outcomes, and budget monitoring. The Chair of the MAT board will be elected by the Board of Directors. The BDAT is committed to maintaining strong local governance, and this will manifest itself through the Local Academy Boards (LABs) which will replace the current school governing bodies. The responsibilities of the LABs can be seen in the schemes of delegation. The BDAT considers it essential that Directors/ Trustees maintain good communication with the academies and as such there will be two forums: one for all chairs of LABs, chaired by the CEO, and secondly a headteachers forum, chaired by the CEO. All headteachers will be expected to participate in the forum, and their views will be sought and considered on any changes that will potentially affect the day to day running of their academy. These will meet termly and will aid the communication between the directors and the schools and Local Academy Boards. Agendas will allow for discussion and information sharing. Each academy will receive at least an annual visit from a Director/Trustee. Initially each academy will receive a visit from the CEO on at least a termly basis Clear terms of reference will be provided for all committees and Local Academy Boards within the BDAT structure, including the BDAT main board and any sub-committees, and the LABs and any subcommittees thereof. LABs will have the opportunity to decide how they operate with sub-committees, in agreement with the CEO. Every academy within BDAT will work with a named advisor who will report directly to the CEO. As stated above, each academy within the BDAT will retain a Local Academy Board that will operate under the terms of a Scheme of Delegation. In order to provide high performing academies with autonomy, and in order to provide additional support to those academies that need it, levels of delegation will be varied. Each Local Academy Board (LAB) within the BDAT will operate under the terms of a Scheme of Delegation, which is subject to review by the Directors of the BDAT on an annual basis. The BDAT will operate on the principle of earned autonomy. The academies will be reviewed annually as part of the annual development plan process, and their level of autonomy will be considered at that point. Generally all academies that are Good or Outstanding will have the standard scheme of delegation, whereas Requires Improvement schools will have a reduced level of delegation which will allow for the greater involvement of the CEO/advisor in the decision making of the academy. Academies graded as Inadequate will have an Interim Academy Board put in place with a high level of involvement from the CEO/advisor. The Scheme of delegation makes clear the roles and responsibilities of the MAT board, the CEO, the headteacher of the individual academy and the role of the Local Academy Board, for those schools which are supporting schools (Good or Outstanding), supported schools (RI/Inadequate) Page 5

8 Where appropriate, and in full consultation with the Local Academy Board, the BDAT may consider creative models of leadership to provide the best possible school effectiveness, and make the best possible use of available resources. The BDAT will operate a clear accountability framework. All headteachers will be expected to submit a half termly report to the CEO, covering all key areas of the academy s performance. The report must be submitted using the standard BDAT template, but this same template will be used for reporting to the LABs in order to minimise administrative burden. Constitution of the Local Academy Board In terms of Foundation Governor representation, the Local Academy Board (LAB) composition shall remain as the predecessor school. Should an inspection report indicate that the school and Local Academy Board is not achieving as expected, BDAT reserves the right to intervene at the appropriate level, including as a last resort to replace the LAB. In the event that the predecessor school has an interim executive board, the BDAT will appoint a committee consistent with the Articles to act as Local Academy Board of the academy. The Directors (all or any of them) shall also be entitled to attend any meetings of the LAB. Any Director attending a meeting of the LAB shall not count towards the quorum for the purposes of the meeting and shall not be entitled to vote on any resolution being considered by the LAB. All persons appointed or elected to the LAB shall give a written undertaking to the Directors to uphold the objects, ethos and mission of the BDAT. Any governor vacancies must be notified to the BDAT as soon as they arise and noted in LAB minutes. Subject to the provisions of the Companies Act 2006 and in accordance with the BDAT Articles of Association, every member of the LAB or other officer or auditor of the BDAT acting in relation to the academy shall be indemnified out of the assets of the BDAT against any liability incurred by him/her in that capacity in defending any proceedings, whether civil or criminal, in which judgment is given in favour or in which he is acquitted or in connection with any application in which relief is granted to him/her by the court from liability for negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust in relation to the affairs of the BDAT. Page 6

9 MAT Structure for BDAT MEMBERS MAT BOARD DIRECTORS Resources Committee CEO Standards Committee Chairs Forum HT Forum Regional Academies LAB LAB LAB Board LAB School School School School LAB LAB LAB: Local Academy Board Page 7

10 School Improvement Offer 1.0 All BDAT academies will benefit from a school improvement service which will provide: 1.1 Support and challenge through a minimum of six visits a year. This will be provided though quality assured, Challenge Advisors appointed/contracted to the Trust, with a background in successful school improvement. The Challenge Advisors will be appointed through a selection process based on the impact they are able to demonstrate in previous school improvement work that they have been involved with, and their understanding of the vision and values of the Trust. The Challenge Advisor visits will be quality assured by the CEO; consistent reporting, templates and training will be provided by the Trust. All Challenge Advisors will be initially line managed by the CEO. As the Trust grows this will be part of the Head of School Effectiveness remit. The visits will be based on a dialogue between the academy leaders (Senior Leaders and LAB) and the advisor, with a combination of a planned agenda for Trust accountability purposes and a negotiated agenda according to the school s areas for further development. 1.2 A tailored offer developed in conversation with academy leaders, around the concepts of regular external review, monitoring and evaluation. Every academy will be part of a review cycle. The reviews may be a peer to peer model, a formal review in Ofsted style (by an Ofsted qualified school leader), a focused aspect review. This will be determined with the academy leaders, and will take into consideration where the academy is in the Ofsted cycle, and the academy s individual development needs. The outcomes of the review will then determine the appropriate development and support needed. 1.3 In-depth data analysis, carried out by the Diocesan Data Officer and shared with the academy s assessment lead and senior leaders. This will include access to Fisher Family Trust Aspire (FFT Aspire). 1.4 Target setting support provided through FFT Aspire and Challenge Advisor. 1.5 Capacity building within individual academies and between academies, through a quality assured leadership programme developed from NQT through to executive headteacher, providing MAT CPD opportunities to develop and share leaders. 1.6 Self-sustaining school improvement provided through training and appointment of area/subject specialists to work across the MAT beyond their own academy. Central MAT training in areas/ aspects. A network of good practice will be developed with all schools being willing to share and receive. 1.7 System leadership. The MAT will seek to develop leaders to lead beyond their own academy and where necessary influence and/or lead more than one academy. Leaders will have the opportunity to be supported into new roles. Where there is weakness or lack of capacity then an executive headteacher model may be employed. 1.8 Opportunities to work in partnership with existing centres of educational excellence through developing a relationship with a local Higher Education provider to give access to research and development and masters programmes. 1.9 Access to quality assured training and network opportunities (to include annual leadership conference, annual governors conference, middle leader networks Decisions about risk are based on an annual risk assessment that takes into account 3 year data trends, predicted results for next two years, the most recent Ofsted report, the latest SIAMS report and other available intelligence e.g. new headteacher in post. Page 8

11 Additional offer* 2.0 The annual risk assessment process, will enable the Challenge Advisor, the CEO and the academy s leaders to identify what the academy needs to move forward further towards outstanding, or to be inspirational. There will be opportunity for academies to access exemplary practice through the MAT s relationship with Birmingham Education Partnership, and the Teaching Schools. Staff in good or outstanding academies will have the opportunity to develop their own skills as trainers and support and lead in other settings beyond their own academy. 2.1 The MAT recognises that all academies have something to learn and something to share and that some strong and experienced leaders choose to lead vulnerable schools. The support that any academy receives will be brokered according to the need of the individual academy and will recognise the capacity of the existing staff team. 2.2 When an academy has been identified by Ofsted as Requires Improvement or Inadequate, a bespoke improvement plan will be agreed, led by the Academy Challenge advisor with the headteacher. A supporting headteacher from a MAT good or outstanding school will be assigned to work with the head teacher. 2.3 Additional resources will be available to the advisor through the resources of other good or outstanding MAT academies. If appropriate, additional support will be provided in terms of a partner headteacher. 2.4 When an academy is in crisis, a Team around the academy committee will be established consisting of MAT board representative, Chair of LAB, headteacher, Challenge Advisor and supporting headteacher, which meets at least half-termly to review the progress against the identified actions. Schools might also have their LAB completely withdrawn and an interim board put in place. 2.5 The committee will have SLEs for literacy and numeracy (from MAT academies) allocated to support the academy in these areas. Should the MAT not be able to resource support from its own academies, it will use the Birmingham Education Partnership as a resource and its contacts with local Teaching Schools to provide commissioned support. 2.6 All academies will be held accountable through the governance structure. The MAT board will have two sub committees; Standards and Resources. These meetings will be held 3 times a year with a transparent agenda. *negotiated additional cost Page 9

12 Birmingham Diocesan Academies Trust (BDAT) Chief Executive Officer JOB DESCRIPTION The Chief Executive Officer will be an outstanding strategic leader who is able to articulate the vision, values and ethos for the Birmingham Diocesan Academies Trust (BDAT) and will inspire and empower others to share in achieving them. The CEO will come from a successful school leadership position and will take responsibility for the performance of all academies within the Trust. RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Overall 1.1 To provide strategic leadership and direction of the Trust and its academies within the vision and strategy agreed by the Trust Board, to ensure that children and young people consistently achieve good or better outcomes. 1.2 To ensure that the Trust s financial viability is secure, firmly based on accurate analysis and is able to meet the Trust s and its academies needs. 1.3 To be the lead education professional for academies in the Trust, ensuring an effective strategy for building educational and leadership capacity ahead of need. 2.0 Strategic 2.1 Provide overall leadership and direction to the Trust and its academies within the vision and strategy agreed by the Trust Board. 2.2 Support the Trust Board in the formulation and development of strategy and ensure that all decisions made by the Board are recorded and implemented. 2.3 Hold Local Academy Boards and school leaders to account for maintaining and further developing the vision and values of the Trust and their own individual ethos within it. 2.4 In conjunction with the Finance Director, take responsibility for the annual business plan and key documents such as the Trust s long term strategic plan, self-evaluation and improvement plans of the academies. 2.5 Lead the growth and development of the Trust, including due diligence and preparing schools for conversion. 2.6 Together with the Trust Board and Finance Director, ensure proactive, robust and appropriate risk mitigation and management for the Trust and that the risk strategy is aligned to local academy risk strategies. 2.7 Develop and maintain effective relationships with key partners/stakeholders: the Regional School Commissioner (RSC), Department for Education (DfE), Education Funding agency (EFA), the Local Authorities, Trade Unions, Church of England in Birmingham, Birmingham Education Partnership (BEP), local teaching schools, Trust directors, school leaders and Local Academy Boards. 2.8 Maintain an outward facing role on behalf of the Trust to further its external relationships, future growth and development and support within the Birmingham Diocesan Academies Trust. Page 10

13 3.0 Leadership and Management 3.1 Provide motivational and inspirational leadership at all levels of the organisation. 3.2 Be an inspirational leader, committed to the highest achievement in all areas of the Trust s work, and develop an ethos of continuous improvement. 3.3 To actively drive the Strategy priorities, ensuring that the Trust s strategic plan is fully aligned and fits with the local academy plans. 3.4 Lead and manage all operations through the agreed organisational structure and accountability matrix, and though the development, implementation and review of Trust-level policies to ensure life in all its fullness for all involved with the Trust. 3.5 Ensure that the Trust s management and organisational structures are fit for purpose and lead to and support continuous improvement. 3.6 Lead the Forums of the Principal/ Head Teacher and Chair of Local Academy Boards to ensure effective communication is developed and maintained. 4.0 Teaching and Learning/School Improvement 4.1 Be accountable for all aspects of teaching and learning and standards across the Trust, setting high professional standards and ensuring the Trust s education vision is understood and embraced. 4.2 Be responsible for developing and leading the framework and systems for school improvement across the Trust, providing quality assurance and accountability. 4.3 Provide strategic direction and leadership for teaching and learning across the academies, ensuring these enable individual academies to be supported on their own improvement journeys. 4.4 Develop and lead a Trust-wide improvement service committed to working with individual School leaders and support them in ensuring that the requirements of each academy s performance are identified and analysed, appropriately costed and prioritised and actions are developed and secured. This to include negotiating the commissioning of external support from a range of providers or individuals through academy to academy support and/or external support from a range of quality assured sources. 4.5 Undertake the role of School Challenge Advisor when needed, particularly during the first two years of the Trust s life. 5.0 Resources/Change Management 5.1 Hold the Trust s local academies to account to ensure that in each the learning environment, resources and facilities are best used to enable children and young people to experience life in all its fullness. 5.2 Be accountable for large scale asset management across the estates of schools, including overseeing major capital projects. 5.3 Work closely with the Diocesan Director of Education and Local Authorities in relation to school creation and expansion. 5.4 Be responsible for meeting the demands of changing legislation and practice and new initiatives. 5.5 Lead, oversee and advise on the allocation of resources across the Trust. 5.6 In line with the agreed Trust Models of Delegation, select, train, develop, empower and motivate the senior staff of the Trust. Appoint associate consultants as appropriate and support local academy Principals/Head Teachers in recruitment and staff development. Page 11

14 6.0 Finance and Procurement 6.1 As Accounting Officer for the Trust, ensure that it works to the standards set out in the Academies Financial Handbook. 6.2 Work closely with the Finance Director to ensure long-term financial sustainability, by establishing and confirming the effective monitoring of proper financial systems, that appropriate action is recommended to address problems identified, and to ensure that the Directors receive accurate and timely financial reports. 6.3 Through the most appropriate agreed roles within the Trust structure, to negotiate and agree optimum price with various service providers in order to achieve economies of scale, and to adopt the appropriate procurement processes. 7.0 Safeguarding and Compliance 7.1 Ensure that the Trust and all schools within the Trust meet their safeguarding responsibilities in line with current legislation. 7.2 Be the Designated Safeguarding Lead for the Trust initially. 7.3 Ensure that the Trust meets all legislative and statutory requirements, including Health and Safety and those required by Companies House, the Charity Commissioners, Data Protection, and the master and supplementary Funding Agreements. 7.4 Ensure the effective capture of all data to meet statutory and legislative structures. 7.5 Embed across the Trust clear quality assurance systems that drive consistency and improvement in performance. Accountable to: Reporting to: The Academy Trust Board The Chair of the Board of Directors. In addition the CEO will be required to report to the members and other key stakeholders, including the DfE and the Regional Schools Commissioner. Page 12

15 Birmingham Diocesan Academies Trust Chief Executive Officer PERSON SPECIFICATION Key Criteria Essential Desirable Professional Qualifications Experience Degree and recognised Professional teaching qualification relevant to the role. A record of recent and relevant continuing professional development. At least 5 years proven track record of successful Headship. Demonstrable success in achieving rapid and sustained school improvement. Experience of successful working with Governing Bodies. Evidence of strategic planning and budgetary management. Clear understanding of the current educational landscape. Successful track record of human and financial resource management. Post-graduate educational/ leadership or management qualification. Headship within a Trust environment. Headship experience in a school with a Christian character and ethos. Worked across a range of school types and sizes. Successfully led significant organisational change. Skills, Knowledge and Understanding Comprehensive knowledge and experience of Ofsted s Schools Inspection Criteria and processes. Ability to communicate a vision of outstanding teaching and learning through inspiration and empowerment. Understanding of the statutory educational framework, current education issues in relation to Academies, Company and Charity Law ; also knowledge of relevant policies, legislation and codes of practice across education. Clear understanding and knowledge of the role of governance in an Academy and Trust. Strategic planning, monitoring and review of progress against plans in terms of standards, performance and finances, taking decisive action as necessary. Financial project costing and budgetary management. Resource Management: estimating securing and monitoring resources. Ability to advise on funding and grant opportunities for the Academy Trust. Ability and commitment to working flexibly and collaboratively as part of a team, whilst taking a leading role when required. Ability to plan strategically based on use of data, targets and bench marking. Understanding of issues specifically relating to academies. Understanding and knowledge of SIAMS framework. Page 13

16 Personal Qualities Other Belief and commitment to the overarching values of the Trust and ability to articulate vision to a wide range of audiences. Highly effective and credible leader, who inspires the respect and support others and has an open and approachable interpersonal style. Commitment to the highest of standards in all areas of school life. Strong leadership skills including adaptable communication skills. The ability to be able to build a positive organisational culture, encourage reflection, delegate responsibility, build teams, strive for continuous improvements and inspire staff. Excellent relationship management, able to build effective working relationships at all levels, reinforcing partnerships. A strategic thinker who can establish and develop systems and processes to grow and mature the Trust. Committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfares of children and young people. Supportive of the Christian foundation of the Trust. Willingness to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends when necessary. Current driving licence and access to a vehicle. Page 14

17 HOW TO APPLY Please go to to download an Application Form. Please send completed Application Forms to Closing date for applications: 12 noon on Friday, 24 March Interviews: Interviews will take place in central Birmingham as a two-part process: First stage on Monday, 03 April 2017 Shortlisted candidates will be invited to return on Thursday, 06 April 2017 Please ensure that you are available on both dates. References and eligibility: All appointments are subject to satisfactory references, eligibility to work in the UK and a satisfactory DBS check. The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. An enhanced DBS will be required for this role. Page 15