Two vacancies on the Local Governing Body of Pebsham Primary Academy, Bexhill
Pebsham Primary Academy is a one form entry school, joining the TKAT Multi Academy Trust in January 2014. Situated in Bexhill-on-Sea, it is a one-form-entry school for around 210 pupils aged 3-11. In its last Ofsted inspection in 2019 we received a 'Good' judgement. The School offers a rounded curriculum which is underpinned by outdoor learning, and specifically 'beach learning', taking advantage of its coastal location.
The Academy has its own Local Governing Body (LGB), to which the TKAT Board of Trustees has delegated a number of responsibilities. The primary role of the LGB is to provide support and challenge to the Headteacher in ensuring every child makes good or better progress and that parents and carers are fully involved in their child’s education. We provide Trustees with an independent local voice combining a passion to make a difference with common sense and a unique perspective. This means their challenge and support compliments how the TKAT Board holds schools to account. As an LGB, we have the flexibility to structure and organise ourselves in ways that best benefit our community and stakeholders.
We, the Governors, are a diverse group of people from a range of backgrounds, including education, human resource management, retail work, legal work and finance. We aim to use our skills to support the school so that we attain our vision of a school where every child can shine. We are not paid, but can claim expenses for some activities.
Being a school governor is a rewarding and fulfilling role; helping to provide a suitable, safe, and exciting environment for learning is critical to giving every child the chance they deserve.
Effective LGB members do not need to be education specialists. Effective governance is about asking questions and holding to account. We need members who are able to engage in constructive dialogue and work as part of a team. Board members don’t necessarily have to be there in the room for meetings – so attendance via a conference call is very welcome – however they must know the school and be able to visit at least three times per year.
We are a small governing body and welcome new members who have experience in reviewing policy documents, have financial understanding (although as an LGB we do not set the school budget) and an ability to engage with both children and adults.
During our meetings we review the financial performance of the school (although we are not required to set the budget). Therefore, applicants who are financially confident are welcome. Applicants will also need to be aware of the requirements of the EU GDPR. Health and Safety and Safeguarding are standing items on our meetings so we would welcome applicants who are able to demonstrate an understanding of how these skills are relevant to an academic environment.
It is important that our LGB members are engaged and fully present during LGB meetings. We require members to put aside enough time to review papers ahead of the meeting and be prepared to ask questions and engage in discussion during the meetings.
We meet as a Local Governing Body, independent of the TKAT Board of Directors, but accountable to TKAT for everything we do, and our main functions are to set the strategic direction for the Academy and to hold its leadership to account.
We visit the school regularly to monitor its progress and we ask challenging questions to ensure that the school is meeting the needs of all the children and providing an education that will enthuse and inspire them. We regularly speak to children, parents and staff to find out their views.
Each Governor is assigned a number of "link" roles. These roles are the specific area that they will focus on when they complete a monitoring visit. For example, the Governor may focus on EYFS provision, Health & Safety, Safeguarding or Equality. Following their visit they will feedback to the full Governing Body highlighting key focus areas for their next visit.
Governors also provide a point of contact for parents - bringing their points of view to the attention of the Board and a discussion point for meetings.
As a Body, we support the Head in designing the workforce and discuss staffing decisions. We also ensure - through visits and conversation - that our EAL and SEND children are adequately supported and assessed therefore supporting the school in achieving the attainment targets set by TKAT.
Please apply through Reach in the first instance. Shortlisted candidates will be asked to provide a covering letter detailing why you are interested in this role and your relevant experience. Interviews will be an informal Zoom chat or in person conversation with the Chair of Governors.
