Become a Governor

Uplands Academy is part of MARK Education Trust.

What does the board of trustees do?

The board of trustees is the accountable body for the trust and must ensure that the trust meets its charitable purpose which is to advance education for public good. It does this by undertaking the three core strategic functions.

1. Ensuring there is clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction.
2. Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation, its students, and the performance management of staff.
3. Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent.

Currently MARK Education Trust board has six trustees who have been appointed based on the skills and experience they bring. The trustees’ current priority is to recruit further trustees who can contribute to the team as the trust moves into the next stage of the its development.

The trust is keen to recruit trustees who bring diversity of culture, experience and skills to the table and are particularly interested to hear from potential candidates with financial, HR and legal experience.

However, a belief in the values and ambitions of the trust is the most important attribute for any candidate.

What qualifications do I need to have?

There are no formal qualifications needed, however, the one essential requirement is an interest in, and commitment to, the education of the students. Trustees need not be experts in the field of education but will need the necessary skills, character and time to contribute.

Skills that would be advantageous to have are: the ability to build relationships with a range of people, to be able to work as part of a team, to be able to question, be discreet, open minded & fair and to make connections between different types of information.

How much time will I have to commit?

A trustee serves for a term of four years. In each academic year the board meets six times, with the meetings starting at 2pm and usually lasting for three hours. Additionally, there are committee meetings or panels that you may be required to attend. There is also a commitment to complete regular training and CPD, particularly in the area of safeguarding and child protection.

Finally….

Trustees must be prepared to adopt the Nolan principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership. The role of a trustee is voluntary and therefore is not paid.

Interested?

If you would like to find out more about the opportunities that exist on the board of trustees, please do contact the Governance Professional Cheryl Adams or email clerk@uplands-academy.org.

The trust governance information and application pack is also available to download.