Independent Governor

Department: Education

Employment Type: Volunteer

Location: Melton Park, Doncaster, Doncaster School, Hybrid

Your role

• Agreeing the school development plan, the safeguarding arrangements and the measures we will judge ourselves by, before there is any history to fall back on
• Meeting more often in the first two terms while the school establishes, then settling to four to six governing body meetings a year
• One school visit a term at minimum, walking the site, meeting staff and talking to pupils
• Testing the quality of education as it takes shape: curriculum design, adaptive teaching, attendance, behaviour and where pupils go next
• Scrutinising how well the school meets the needs of pupils with SEN, from EHCP delivery to what actually happens in a classroom on a Tuesday afternoon
• Preparing the school for its first Ofsted inspection, which will come sooner than anyone would like
• Supporting a new headteacher and challenging a new headteacher, often in the same meeting

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• A genuine interest in children who have had a hard start, and the patience to stick with it
• The confidence to challenge in a room full of professionals, and the warmth to do it well
• Real strength in at least one of three areas: quality of education, SEN, or safeguarding
• That might come from being a headteacher, curriculum or quality lead, SENCO or SEN adviser, designated safeguarding lead, social worker, local authority officer or inspector
• The appetite for a start-up. Nothing will be tidy for the first two terms
• Time to read the papers properly before the meeting
• A willingness to complete safer recruitment checks, including an enhanced DBS check

Benefits

• The rare chance to help build a school from nothing, for young people who have very few people in their corner
• A founding board seat, where the questions you ask now shape how this school runs for years
• A proper induction, governance training and access to safeguarding and Ofsted-readiness briefings
• A direct line to the headteacher and to Eslands senior leaders
• Reasonable expenses paid in full, including mileage, travel and any care costs that let you attend

Safer recruitment