Appointed School Governor

Heybridge Primary School, Maldon, Essex

Professional services

Part time

Volunteer

(Y)Our Opportunity

We are looking for a dedicated Appointed School Governor to join our supportive and collaborative team. We are seeking someone with professional experience, gained in any sector, who is passionate about the role that education can play in changing the lives of young people. Our governors are from a range of backgrounds and work closely with the school leadership team, they are responsible for overseeing the strategic direction, policies, and overall performance of our school.

The most important qualities for any governor are a commitment to the welfare and achievement of the children, a desire to make a positive contribution to the school, common sense, and a willingness to commit time to the role. Many of the functions of the governing body are statutory or have a legal framework. To carry out our core strategic roles, governors need to be able to think strategically, challenge, monitor, but also support.

Role specification:
Heybridge Primary School is part of The Kemnal Academies Trust, a Multi-Academy Trust. The Trust is a charity, and its Board of Trustees must ensure that it complies with its charitable objectives, which relate to the provision of education in its schools. As such, it is the Trust Board that is accountable for the performance of the Academies in the Trust, and in turn, it is held to account by the Department for Education.

The Trust has chosen to appoint committees for each of its Academies, and these are known as Local Governing Bodies (LGBs). The LGB’s responsibilities are set out here in the TKAT scheme of delegation.

The specific tasks and responsibilities of our LGBs can be summarised as

• Represent the Academy’s local community and stakeholders by ensuring that the Academy’s policies and practice meet the community’s needs

• Ensure that the Academy’s long-term vision reflects the needs of its community beyond current post-holders, and is in line with Kemnals’ vision and values

• Support Directors of Education to improve Academy outcomes

• Support the Headteacher to ensure staffing is efficient and effective

There are normally 6 governing body meetings per year, plus very occasional short meetings for the pay committee. It is expected that Governors attend as many in-person meetings as possible, although some meetings may be virtual.

Investing in our governors is a priority for us, and we can offer you:

• A comprehensive induction programme

• Excellent ongoing governor and education CPD, and opportunities to network with other schools and governors across the Trust

• Friendly and supportive environment, where everyone is committed to a Work/Volunteer/Life Balance

• Access to Trust resources and materials to support governance

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early should we receive a significant number of applications.

About Heybridge Primary School

Heybridge Primary School currently has 405 pupils ranging from 4 – 11 years. We have a bright modern building, which is well equipped and is set within unusually generous grounds with playing fields and gardens. We are a friendly and engaging school with strong connections amongst our local community, to find out more visit our website here.

If you are ready to make a significant, positive impact on the lives of young people, we want to hear from you.

As this is a voluntary position, you do not have to complete our full application form.

To find our more and apply please arrange a visit by contacting the school office on 01621 854082 or email [email protected]

About Kemnal Academies Trust

Kemnal Academies Trust is a group of schools with ambition for every child and pride in the communities we serve. We provide a broad and rich education that opens doors. Working together, we give every pupil the support and the skills they need to build a life of purpose, agency, and contribution.

Our ultimate aim is to ensure we drive educational standards through the provision of outstanding teaching, leadership, and learning for all. Our leaders focus on pupil progress and attainment, regularly sharing knowledge, insight, and experience across our family of schools. We believe passionately in the power of collaborative working and actively promote school-to-school support because when we work together, every child benefits.

A Culture of Belonging: Equity, Inclusion & Diversity

Belonging is of utmost importance to us. We strive to create an atmosphere where everyone feels welcomed and respected, where expectations are high, and genuine support is provided. Here, colleagues are trusted to lead, contribute, and grow in alignment with our mission. At Kemnal Academies Trust, we are committed to Equity, Inclusion, Diversity, and Belonging. We embrace and celebrate differences, value individual experiences, aspirations, and achievements, and continuously learn how to grow better together. We actively encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds, as we know diversity strengthens our community and drives us forward.

Flexible Working - Kemnal Academies Trust recognises the value of enabling our employees to develop their career while balancing their commitments and interests outside of work. We actively promote flexible working practices and opportunities to support a positive work-life balance.

Application Details & Next Steps - Interview dates for this role are listed in the key vacancy details above; please ensure you hold this date in your diary when applying. We reserve the right to close the vacancy early should we receive a high volume of applications, so early submission is encouraged.

Be Who You Are: Interview & Workplace Adjustments - Should you be selected and invited to interview, please let us know if you require us to adapt the recruitment process to enable you to participate fully. We are committed to making reasonable adjustments within both the recruitment process and the workplace to support every candidate.

Safeguarding & Safer Recruitment - Kemnal Academies Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all colleagues to share this commitment. All successful candidates will be subject to statutory safer recruitment checks prior to appointment. These include, but are not limited to, an Enhanced DBS check with Children's Barred List check, online searches (in line with KCSIE guidelines), identity and right-to-work verification, reference checks, relevant qualification/prohibition checks, and overseas checks where applicable. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended), certain spent convictions and cautions are 'protected' and do not need to be disclosed.

We are committed to building a culture where our values are evident in our everyday working, where respect and care for each other underpin our aspiration as an organisation.

Our motivation is to ensure all children can access the same opportunities and experiences whilst proudly celebrating their unique differences and backgrounds.

We are proud to have a workforce that has a shared belief of our purpose and values and one in which our staff, as well as our pupils, continue to thrive.

Heybridge Proud!

Our whole school aim is:

I am Inquisitive, I am Resilient, I am Ambitious, I am Me, We are Heybridge....

At Heybridge Primary School we have a fully inclusive, collegiate ethos where we aim to teach the values of good manners, positivity, trying hard, pride and good decision making. We have developed the ‘Heybridge Pledge’ with the children which encompasses these values and illustrates the ethos within which we work as a whole school community.

The Heybridge School Five

• We bring a positive attitude to school
• We are kind and polite to others
• We are proud of our school
• We make the right choice
• We always try our best

Salary

Voluntary

Hours

Adhoc six meeting a year

Benefits

Competitive

Closing date

01-11-2026

Interview Date

09.11.2026

Start Date

ASAP

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