Katie Fitzsimmons, CEO of DBE, writes:
If you are making any resolutions this year, you may be considering how you may best apply the talents and experience God has gifted you. In the Salisbury Diocesan Board of Education (SDBE), we are blessed with almost two hundred wonderful Church of England schools, and we work with seventeen multi academy trusts. In addition to the CofE schools, Dorset and Wiltshire have hundreds of education settings, from preschools to FE colleges, all of whom function well thanks to the support of capable governance.
The Christian foundation of our schools and trusts is upheld and enabled to flourish through the commitment and courage of those who volunteer to be involved in their governance.
Do you, or some someone you know, have skills and experience which might benefit a school or a trust board? If you have experience in education, HR, business, finance, communications or legal work, if you have a heart for schools and working with those who support our children and young people, then this could be your chance to serve.
Governance isn’t easy – these roles can be demanding and time consuming – but roles vary. You can serve on a local governing body or as a trustee on the board of a multi academy trust, each layer of governance is important. It is challenging, but it is worth it - where could you support?
Time commitments will vary but expect to be involved in meetings regularly and you will need to set aside time for reading and preparation. Once you have been in post for a while, you may be called on in the event of an inspection or the recruitment of a Headteacher, but you will receive support to do this well.
It is a big commitment, but if you choose to step into this you would not be alone. Your application process will be personal to you, then on appointment you will be required to complete an induction programme. You will then be well supported as you start. For those in governance who are the guardians of a school or trust’s Christian foundation, you get additional bespoke support from us at Salisbury Diocesan Board of Education.
Whether you feel called to serve a Church of England School or your local community setting, know that all schools value those who volunteer in support of school governance highly and we at SDBE pray for you in your work. For those of you reading this who already serve in this way, thank you – we truly appreciate all you give.
If you are interested in working with SDBE, but don’t have in mind a specific trust or school in mind, please email us at marion.bagshaw@salisbury.anglican.org stating the area you live in and the experience you feel you can offer. If you would like to offer your Christian service to support Diocese of Salisbury Academy Trust then please contact Bella, Leader for Church School Governance of DSAT at ibyrne@dsat.org.uk. If you have legal or secondary education experience then do consider supporting Magna Learning Partnership by contacting Carina Sawyer, their Head of Governance on compsec@magnalearningpartnership.org.uk for further information.