Clerk to Governing Body

We are looking for an organised and dedicated candidate to join our outstanding school as a Clerk to our Board of Governors

About Kensington Aldridge Academy

KAA is an 11 – 18 academy situated in the heart of Notting Hill.  We opened in brand new buildings in 2014 with just Year 7 and have grown year by year and are now a full school with 1,250 students in Years 7 to 13. 

KAA has grown to become one of the top academies in the UK. DfE performance tables show we are in the top 5% of schools nationally in terms of KS5 Progress. Our Ofsted report grades us outstanding in all categories and describes standards as “exceptional”. In 2018 we were awarded TES Secondary School of the Year.  

The Role

KAA is a standalone secondary school with full governing body. Candidates should be aware that because of the school’s proximity to Grenfell Tower it has faced a range of unique challenges in the last two years – challenges which of course need to be navigated, ultimately, by the governing body. KAA has a very experienced and effective group of governors but we do need specialist clerking support from someone with a high level of professional expertise to help us. The school has received extensive support due to the pressures of Grenfell – for example we work direct with central government on a range of issues – and maintaining these relationships with government officials and other stakeholders will be one aspect of this role.

We expect the right candidate to have extensive experience clerking a Governing Body in a Secondary School and will have detailed knowledge of the role and responsibilities of school Governors and of the legal framework in which they operate. They will also have the personal skills to liaise effectively with Governors, Senior Staff and all other partners of the school including the local authority and other outside agencies. You will have a high standard of written and verbal communication skills and extensive experience of taking clear and concise minutes.

Key Responsibilities

Main duties

· To help shape the overall strategy of the board by offering advice and insight on agendas and decision making 

· To provide advice to the Governing Body on governance and procedural matters as they arise 

· To provide effective administrative support to the Governing Body and its committees

· To manage information effectively in line with legal requirements

Advice to Governors

· To give clear advice in line with legislation and best practice and to take advice from external persons if necessary

· To ensure that Governors are aware of their responsibilities in relation to statutory policies

· To advise on the annual calendar of meetings and governance task

· To ensure that new Governors receive appropriate induction materials and contribute to induction as appropriate

Administration of Meetings

· Work with the Chair and Principal to prepare focused agendas

· Liaise with school staff to ensure papers are available in the required timescale

· Record attendance at meetings

· To take minutes with actions and timescales and send drafts to the Principal and Chair of Governors/Committee

· Circulate agendas and papers by email for all meetings including Governor panel hearings

· Follow up agreed action points

Membership and Information

· Maintain a record of all governor contacts and their terms of office

· Maintain a register of interests

· Maintain a record of training undertaken by Governors

· Maintain records of signed minutes

· Maintain copies of terms of reference for Committees

· Ensure that statutory policies and other governance documents are published as agreed on the school website (working with School Communications Manager)

Personal Development

· Keep up to date with current educational developments and all legislation affecting school governance

· To attend appropriate training

Other

· To carry out any other reasonable tasks relating to governance as requested by Governors or the principal

Download the full candidate pack for more information about this position and the academy.

Please send completed applications to Payal Joshi at recruitment@kaa.org.uk by 9am on Wednesday 22th May 2019.

Early applications are encouraged and in the event that the academy is able to fill the vacancy before the deadline, it reserves the right to close the vacancy and won’t review further applications.