Woodard Academies Trust (WAT) is an academy trust formed in 2007 to deliver the academy programme on behalf of its sponsor, Woodard Schools. Created by founder Nathaniel Woodard in 1848, Woodard Schools is the largest group of independent Church of England schools in England and Wales. Woodard Academies Trust consists of state funded academies where Woodard Schools are independent. Both share a common ethos and vision: to inspire young people to make a difference.

WAT is an inclusive Trust with a strong Christian ethos, which accepts pupils of all faiths and none. Its pupils always come first with their families and the local communities they live in a close second. All young people attending WAT academies deserve to have access to a high-quality education and opportunities for personal growth to equip future generations with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to go out into the world and make a positive difference and live a happy and fulfilling life. Standards matter, teaching matters, leadership matters, the learning environment matters — and every child matters.

The first four academies were allocated to the Trust by the Department for Education (DfE) as failing schools during the early phase of the government’s Academies Programme. All Woodard academies apart from Kings Priory School are in areas of challenge and social deprivation.

Woodard currently sponsors six academies across the UK:

• Sir Robert Woodard Academy, West Sussex (11-18 years, opened Sept 2009)
• The Littlehampton Academy, West Sussex (11-18 years, opened Sept 2009)
• St Augustine Academy, Kent (11-16 years, opened Sept 2011)
• St Peter’s Academy, Stoke-on-Trent (11-16 years, opened Sept 2011)
• Kings Priory School, Tynemouth (3-18 years, opened Sept 2013)
• Polam Hall School, Darlington (3-16 years, joined the Trust in April 2017)

The Woodard family of schools and academies provides many inter-school opportunities; the sharing of best practice and a strength and expertise within education. Their pioneering heritage places much emphasis on leadership and personal development. Woodard’s Christian ethos reflects the Trust’s deep commitment to delivering an outstanding education to its students. Woodard prioritises inclusion and values the individual through a sustained focus on delivering pastoral care and personalised learning paths for all students. The Trust’s aim is to offer students not only a first-class education, but also to teach real-life skills that will provide lifelong benefits. Woodard believes that its academies should enrich the communities they serve and play an active role in their development.

The Trust has an annual turnover of £43.8m, and has been investing heavily in school improvement. Having taken three of its four Ofsted rated 'Requires Improvement (RI)' schools to 'Good' within a six-month period last academic year (with one school awaiting an imminent inspection), the Trust has established a strong foundation under its new CEO. It's an exciting time to join the Trust as it as it develops its next five-year strategy in a complex and challenging environment.

The Trust is governed by a Board of Trustees with the skills and expertise to offer support and challenge, and to exercise robust accountability and oversight for both educational and financial performance. Woodard Academies Trust is both a company limited by guarantee and a charity so those who serve on its Board act both as non-executive Directors and as trustees.

The role of a charity trustee and a non-executive director of the Woodard Academies Trust involves working as part of the Board to ensure clarity of vision and strategic direction; hold the executive to account for delivering outcomes; and ensuring public money is well spent. There are also duties in relation to compliance, care, and prudence. Specifically, a trustee should:

• Contribute to the development of the trust’s future strategic goals, ensuring that the best interests of pupils are served
• Ensure the highest standards of educational provision across all academies within the trust, and that the leaders of the trust and all academies are held to account
• Ensure consistent focus upon what is best for the trust’s schools and their pupils by providing challenge and advice to the trust’s executive leadership team
• Ensure the trust establishes key objectives and control and management frameworks to deliver the agreed plans, identifies and assesses the risk of achieving them and regularly monitors performance to ensure appropriate corrective action can be taken
• Ensure the highest levels of transparency, audit, governance and accountability in the education, corporate and financial affairs of the trust
• Represent the trust in a positive manner with national, regional or local bodies or individuals in order to enhance the position of the trust
• Lead or participate in relevant board committees or task groups of the trust
• Work as part of a team, and to accept shared responsibility and accountability, as well undergoing a personal annual appraisal, reviewing own performance and that of board members, and commit to personal development

The Woodard corporation is the sponsor of the academy Trust. The Lichfield Diocesan Board of Education is a “member” of the Woodard Academies Trust, and alongside the Woodard Corporation, acts as a custodian of the governance of the Trust. This includes the appointment of trustees. As such, any successful candidates will be appointed by the Diocesan Board of Education.

Trustee (Finance / Audit)

As it continues to strengthen the expertise of its Board, Woodard Academies Trust seeks two new Trustees with senior-level financial experience in Finance and / or Audit.

The successful candidates will bring strong strategic-level experience in financial management. They may be working within the finance function of a successful organisation, or they may be a consultant in a professional services environment. The Trust is open to applications from candidates with a range of general and financial leadership positions, so long as they come from an audit or accounting background, and are financially qualified. 

Prior board experience is not a requirement for the role. Woodard Academies Trust are also open to applications from individuals who bring general organisational leadership experience gained in large organisations in any sector.

One of the two new Trustees will be expected to Chair the Finance and General Purposes Committee. 

Trustee (Education)

Woodard Academies Trust also seeks a new Trustee who has senior-level experience in education or plays a leadership role in a large and complex organisation.

The successful candidate will be a senior education leader who will bring a strong understanding of the challenges associated with running an educational establishment. This experience could have been gained in a MAT, primary or secondary school, or FE / HE setting, but could equally have been gained in an educational charity or the third sector.

The Trust is open to applications from those with non-executive experience in education (such as those who have sat on education boards or committees) but prior board experience is not a requirement for the role. Woodard Academies Trust are also open to applications from individuals who bring general organisational leadership experience gained in large organisations in any sector.

The new Trustee would have the opportunity to Chair the education committee, but would not be required to do so.

Above all, candidates will be aligned with the Trust's deep commitment to delivering an outstanding education to its students, and share in its belief that the Trust's academies should enrich the communities they serve and play an active role in their development.

You can read more about the Board composition here.

There are five Board meetings a year, which take place online on weekdays. Additionally, there are six sub-committee meetings per year, which also take place online. In addition, there will be ad hoc events, school visits and an annual strategy day. The trust can accommodate a blend of remote access and face to face meetings. The appointment is for a three-year term. This role is unremunerated; reasonable, pre-agreed travel expenses will be reimbursed.

The trust can accommodate a blend of remote access and face to face meetings. Candidates can be based anywhere in the UK.

In line with its commitment to diversity and inclusion, Woodard Academies Trust is looking to broaden the profile and experience of the Board so that it better reflects the communities which it serves. As such, women, those from ethnic minority backgrounds and those from underprivileged backgrounds are actively encouraged to apply, as well as those looking to take on their first non-executive role. All appointments will be made on merit, following a fair and transparent process.