Vacancy: Governor

Location: Cheshire

Description: Pownall Hall School is seeking to appoint a voluntary EYFS Governor to provide strategic oversight of our Early Years Foundation Stage.

The role focuses on ensuring that our EYFS provision delivers high‑quality education, meets all statutory and regulatory requirements, and remains inspection‑ready. It involves meeting periodically with the Head of EYFS, carrying out occasional monitoring visits, and reporting to the Governing Body on safeguarding, compliance and educational quality. This is a strategic role and does not involve day‑to‑day management.

We welcome interest from individuals with experience or enthusiasm for early years education, childcare, safeguarding, leadership or governance. Full training and induction will be provided, and previous governor experience is not required.

● Term: 4 years

● Remuneration: Voluntary (reasonable expenses reimbursed)

How to apply: For further information or an informal discussion, please contact the Clerk to Board of Governors [email protected]   Closing Date – 30^th June 2026

Vacancy: Governor

Location: Oxfordshire

Description: Sibford School is both a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. As such, our governors typically serve dual roles as trustees of the charity and directors of the company.

Governors set the strategic vision, constructively challenging current processes and using their unique perspective to support senior leaders in a variety of ways.

Governorship also represents an opportunity to develop additional professional leadership and collaboration skills, all while making a real impact on our children’s education. Previous governance experience is an advantage but is not required as training will be made available.

Why become a Governor?

Serving as a Governor of an independent school is not only a responsibility - it is a rewarding opportunity to make a real difference in the life of our whole school community.

The role: As part of our Governing body, you will have the opportunity to:

• Make a meaningful contribution to the life of our school and the wider community.
• Gain valuable experience in governance and leadership.
• Work alongside a dedicated team of educators and community members.
• Enjoy personal and professional development opportunities

We are looking for specific skills based on our strategic needs and current vacancies within the Board.

About you: We are particularly interested in recruiting new Governors with the following experience:

• Finance and Accounting
• Early Years, Primary or Secondary Education
• Marketing
• Health & Safety
• Human Resources
• Commercial or Corporate Leadership

Governors are required to:

• Along with fellow Governors and school leadership to set and review the strategic vision and priorities of the school
• Provide constructive challenge and support to ensure the school delivers excellent education and pastoral care
• Support the school through the process of ISI independent school inspections
• Uphold the values and ethos of Sibford, ensuring compliance with governance best practice and statutory requirements
• Oversee key areas such as finance, marketing, legal matters, or human resources (depending on your expertise).

Being a Governor requires commitment and dedication. Members of our Governing body are asked to:

• Attend a minimum of 6 meetings per year - sometimes online and sometimes in person
• Review reports and background materials in advance of meetings
• Set aside time to visit the school during working hours and attend key school events
• Undertake relevant training and attend seminars or conferences.
• This is a voluntary role.

To view and/or download a candidate information pack please visit Work With Us - Sibford. 

If you are ready to take on this rewarding role please send your CV and a brief covering letter outlining your interest to [email protected].   To arrange an informal discussion about the role of Governor at Sibford School, please email [email protected] who will be able to arrange a convenient time for a discussion with the Chair of Governors.

All School Governors undergo an enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring) check, Prohibition from Management Check and are required to provide two professional referees.

We welcome expressions of interest from individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences.

Sibford School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The School is permitted to ask prospective Governors to declare all convictions and cautions on a self-declaration form in advance of attending an interview (including those which are “spent” unless they are “protected” under the DBS filtering rules) in order to assess their suitability to work with children.

The School may carry out online searches on shortlisted applicants and all applicants will be required to provide details of their online profile, including social media accounts, as part of their application.

GOVERNANCE ROLES - Canford Schools Group

Voluntary Positions
Required September 2026

Background

The recently established Canford Schools Group currently oversees 2 schools: Canford School, an independent boarding and day school and Dumpton School, a day preparatory school.  Canford was founded in 1923 by Reverand Percy Warrington who aimed to develop boys’ character and prepare them for life, a mission that continues to guide the school’s ethos today.  Canford became fully co-educational in 1995.  Dumpton School was founded in 1903 in Broadstairs, Kent as a boy’s boarding school.  The school relocated to Wimborne in 1945, is now a co-educational day preparatory school, feeding a variety of senior schools, including Canford.  Further growth of the Group is planned in the short to medium term.

The Roles

We seek experienced volunteers to fill 2 vital roles in the governance of the Canford Group of Schools as we develop, enlarge and oversee the Group.  

•    Local Schools Committees – Members.  We seek up to 6 members for the Canford and Dumpton Local School Committees (LSC).  LCSs will meet termly and candidates would need to be willing to attend the odd event and visit the school from time to time.  The role is advisory.  No special qualifications are needed although a keen interest in the school in question is most important.  We currently seek volunteers with experience in governance, business or commercial activities and education, although others with wider relevant experience are welcome to apply.  

•    Group Board – Governors.  We seek up to 5 governors to take on the role of group governors, who will be both trustees of the charity and directors of the company.  Governors would be expected to attend up to 9 meetings a year, with 4 or 5 in person: the others on-line.  Candidates would need to be willing to attend the odd event and visit group schools from time to time.  On a rotational basis, governors will adopt the role of ‘link’ governor, attending one of the LSCs as well.  We currently seek volunteers with experience in any of the following:

o    Accounting
o    Legal
o    HR
o    Technology
o    Medical
o    Health & Safety
o    Governance

Both roles are strategic rather than operational, supporting, challenging and advising the Group CEO and Heads of both schools. Applicants may wish to follow this link to our website Job Vacancies - Canford School

How to apply : Please get in touch with the Clerk to the Governors, Andy Butterworth ([email protected]) for an initial chat.  Conversely please send your CV with a covering email.  We anticipate holding discussions with applicants between 15-25 June 2026. 

Homefield Preparatory School - HR Governor Opportunity

Homefield Preparatory School for boys is a leading independent school in Sutton, dedicated to providing a well-rounded education that nurtures the Heads, Hearts and Hands. We are seeking to appoint a committed and experienced HR professional to join our Governing Body.

This voluntary role would suit someone with experience in HR, organisational leadership, people management, or change management who is interested in supporting the strategic direction and long-term success of an independent preparatory school in South London.

The successful candidate will provide support and constructive challenge to school leaders on matters relating to staffing, organisational development, workforce planning, and change management. Previous governor experience is not essential.

We are particularly interested in candidates who can demonstrate:

• HR or people management experience
• Experience of supporting organisational change
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Sound judgement, discretion, and professionalism
• An ability to think strategically and work collaboratively

Governors play an important role in supporting the School’s leadership, ensuring good governance, and helping the School continue to thrive. As a steer on time commitment, the governors currently meet roughly six times a year with no committee work.

This is a rewarding opportunity to contribute professional expertise to a well-established and ambitious school community.

For further information or an informal discussion, please contact the Bursar and Clerk to Governors at:

[email protected]

About Us

Doha College is recognised as one of the world’s leading British international schools for pupils aged 3-18, with an outstanding reputation for academic achievement and holistic education. Proudly not-for-profit, we have been named as one of the top hundred private schools globally, in both the prestigious Spear’s School Index and the Carfax Index, and we are Qatar’s sole entry in both lists.

Our state-of-the-art campus reflects our unwavering commitment to excellence – not only in academics, but in sport, music, drama, art, and a wide range of co-curricular activities that enrich every pupil’s experience. We are dedicated to creating an inclusive environment that values individuality and celebrates diverse perspectives. With 45 years of history at Doha College, every decision here starts with our pupils.

The Opportunity

At Doha College, the Board of Governors works in close partnership with the College’s leadership team and wider community to ensure the school continues to thrive — academically, financially, and culturally. The Board recently came together with the College’s leadership team for a strategic planning session focused on shaping the next phase of our journey. The discussions reflected the exceptionally strong position Doha College is in today and highlighted our shared ambition and excitement for what the future holds.

To support this next chapter, we are seeking passionate individuals to join the Board as Governor-Elected Governors, alongside our current team of 12 Governors (based in and out of Qatar), and a British Embassy representative.

Who We’re Looking For

We welcome individuals who can bring fresh perspectives, strategic insight and a strong commitment to shaping the long-term future and success of the College. Ideal candidates will be able to commit approximately 2–4 hours (flexible) per week to governance responsibilities, bring professional expertise to complement the Board’s existing skills, and demonstrate the ability to constructively challenge and support decision-making at a strategic level.

To strengthen our current oversight capacity, we particularly welcome applications from individuals with professional experience in the following fields:

• Accounting and Finance
• Law
• Education
• Technology
• Human Resources

Application Process

To request a detailed job description, application form or more information about the process, please contact Lubna Chawla, Clerk to the Board of Governors, at [email protected]

• Submission Deadline: 23:59 on 10 June 2026.

To find out more about Doha College, please visit our website.

We are fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Applicants must be willing to undergo rigorous child protection screening, which includes reference checks with previous employers and criminal record checks. Teaching staff are also subject to a Barred List and Prohibition from Teaching check.

You can read our full Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy here.

Role: School Governors x 2

Location: East Sussex/Hybrid

Northease Manor School is a centre of excellence for the education of neurodivergent students aged 9-19. We aim to provide an outstanding educational environment that restores and increases young peoples’ self-esteem and educates the whole child, so that each student has the tools they need to overcome the societal barriers and attitudes to their specific learning support need. The school has a clear and focused objective to become a leading school in its field, and we’re delighted that our ISI inspection last year confirmed that all standards are met.

We are now looking to continue the development and strengthening of our Governing Board through the appointment of two new Governors. In addition to living and breathing the Northease Manor principles and values, we’re seeking candidates ideally with experience in finance, ideally within a school or educational setting, but otherwise within the world of business; knowledge or understanding of SEND needs is an important quality we also value in our governors. Previous non-executive/governor experience is not necessary, but you do need a good understanding of corporate governance and strategic risk.

Governors play an important role in supporting the School’s leadership, ensuring good governance, and helping the School continue to thrive. As a steer on time commitment, the governors currently meet once a full term for full governing body meetings and once a full term for sub-committee meetings.

This is a rewarding opportunity to contribute professional expertise to a well-established and ambitious SEND school and charity.

If this sounds like an opportunity you could relish, please contact Denise Kirkham, our retained partner at Distinctive People, for an informal discussion on 07833 475669.

Closing Date: 9am Friday 3^rd July 2026

To find out more about Northease Manor School, please visit our website www.northease.co.uk 

We are fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Applicants must be willing to undergo rigorous child protection screening, which includes reference checks with previous employers and criminal record checks. Teaching staff are also subject to a Barred List and Prohibition from Teaching check.

Governor opportunities

Ashville College, Harrogate is a long-established and growing school for girls and boys aged 2 – 18. Join the top performing school in Harrogate, within the top 10 independent schools in the North (The Sunday Times, 2026). Ashville gives parents the ultimate confidence, blending a rounded, holistic education with exceptional academic achievement.

We are particularly looking for individuals with marketing expertise or experience in leadership within the independent school sector.
 
Requirements:
- Commitment to upholding the values and ethos of Ashville
- Ability to work collaboratively within a team of diverse professionals
- Willingness to dedicate time and effort to governance responsibilities
 
Why join Ashville:
- Opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the future of education
- Engage with a vibrant and inclusive community of educators, pupils, and parents
- Professional development and networking opportunities
 
If you are ready to take on a rewarding role and contribute to the ongoing success of Ashville please email [email protected] to express your interest.

St Christopher School (www.stchris.co.uk)

Location: Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire
Term of Office: 4 years
Voluntary role, but reasonable expenses will be reimbursed.

We currently have seven Governors with a broad range of expertise across Education, Finance, Safeguarding, Health & Safety and Technology.  We are seeking at least two new Governors to join our Board and help shape the strategic direction of St Chris.

We are looking for individuals who can demonstrate:

• Strategic thinking and sound judgement
• A commitment to education and improving outcomes for young people
• Integrity, discretion and high ethical standards
• The ability to analyse complex information and make informed decisions
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion
• An understanding of collective responsibility and confidentiality
• A willingness to dedicate sufficient time to the role

While applications from all suitably qualified individuals are encouraged, we are particularly keen to strengthen the Board’s expertise in legal services, education, SEND and fundraising.

As a Governor, you will join the Board and have the opportunity to contribute to:

• Shaping the long-term strategic direction of the School
• Supporting educational innovation and excellence
• Strengthening financial sustainability and resilience
• Ensuring effective governance and regulatory compliance
• Supporting the School’s commitment to inclusion, wellbeing and safeguarding
• Enhancing the School’s reputation and profile
• Preserving and developing the distinctive St Chris ethos.

Governors serve as Trustees of the School’s charitable trust and Directors of the School’s company.

Commitment

• Our Full Governing Board meet termly in person at the school during the day.
• We also have four sub-committees (Academic, Pastoral & Education; Safeguarding & Boarding; Finance & Resources; and Marketing, Recruitment & Retention) that each meet termly via MS Teams from 6.00-7.30 pm.  It is expected that Governors will join one or two sub-committees, dependent on their skills and experience.
• In addition, it is encouraged that Governors support key events in School (eg. Open Days, Career Days, Morning Talks, visit Departments).
• Full induction will be provided and new Governors will be asked to undertake an AGBIS online training course to help support their role.

For further information and to apply please contact Toni Warner (Head’s PA and Clerk to the Governors) with your CV via e: [email protected] or telephone 01462 650901.  We warmly welcome tours and informal conversations.