Chief Executive Officer

Kent Catholic Schools’ Partnership is part of the Archdiocese of Southwark whose vision for its schools is that they should each provide an authentically Catholic education for all who want it, in a setting in which all children flourish and where the quality of education, including educational standards, is exemplary.

We were formed as a community of schools, each with its own unique character, working together with effective collaboration and communication. We aim to keep our children and young people safe and offer all of them the opportunity to grow in confidence and maximise their potential. We aim to make our schools not only places of outstanding learning but also places where Catholic faith is both taught and nurtured.

Founded in 2012, by 2017 we grew to 24 schools spread across Kent. We have developed a range of school improvement strategies and support, introduced executive heads leading clusters of schools, developed our local governance support while maintaining high financial standards and a good level of reserves.

Our 5 secondary and 19 primary schools serve a wide variety of communities. A few have a mostly Catholic intake. Most serve a mixture of Catholic and non-Catholic families. We have schools in relatively affluent commuter towns, deprived coastal areas and estates, an ex-mining village and fast growing urban areas with an increasing ethnic diversity.

We are looking to appoint our second Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to take our schools on the next stage of their journey towards the vision we share with the Archbishop and to welcome the schools not yet in partnership as full and contributing members. The new CEO will have significant leadership experience, as Headteacher of a school, preferably Catholic, or leading a group of schools. As a practising Catholic, leadership skills will be rooted in faith and lead others to work for the Common Good in service of the children and young people entrusted to our schools. Our new CEO will articulate and communicate our vision in a way that empowers and inspires staff, local governance committee members, the wider Catholic community and be the ambassador for our schools to government and the public.

Appointment Process

The Trust has retained the services of Futures Education to help identify the widest possible field of suitable candidates and assist in the assessment of candidates against the requirements for the role. An executive search exercise is being undertaken alongside the public advertisement of the post.

Applicants should submit the application form and a statement of their reasons for applying and their suitability for the post addressed to Michael Powis, Chair of the Trust Board.

Full details of the post and recruitment process can be viewed at kcsp.futures.co.uk

Completed applications should be sent to kcsp@futures.co.uk. The closing date for applications is midday on 5 March 2021.

The shortlist of candidates will be selected early in the week commencing 12 March 2021 and shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend a selection process in the week commencing 22 March 2021.

Kent Catholic Schools’ Partnership is committed to equality, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. An enhanced DBS check is required for all staff. We are an equal opportunities employer that recruits on merit and we welcome applications from all members of the community.

For further information and/or to arrange a discussion with the Chair of the Trust Board, please contact Tom Haygarth of Futures Education on 07786 323 368 or tom.haygarth@futures.co.uk.