News

Plymouth CAST

CANDIDATE BRIEF NOVEMBER 2017

CHIEF EXECUTIVE

A Welcome from the Chairman

This is an extremely important appointment for us all. The successful candidate will be joining us at a crucial time in our journey to becoming an excellent Multi Academy Trust. All our stake-holders (students, staff, governors and parents) view this appointment as key to their future.

You will be heading an established, dedicated and supportive team and will have the opportunity to shape the way the Trust governs, supports and leads the 36 schools in the Trust. This is a very rare opportunity to impact positively the education of 8,000 students in a caring community that will give you the support you need.

Your research will tell you that the Multi Academy Trust has been the subject of a focused Ofsted review. They found the MAT to be in need of strong leadership both in the senior management role and in the boardroom in order to provide "effective challenge and support for school improvement".

Indeed as part of your pack we have included a summary of the findings of Ofsted - in An Introduction to Plymouth CAST. You will note that we have subsequently completely changed the board, we have enjoyed the services of an excellent interim CEO, and recruited a COO, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Head of School Improvement and are thus well positioned to bring about the changes needed.

We are a Catholic MAT with a strong Catholic ethos and one in which our faith permeates all we do; we are also a very inclusive community with more than half of our student body being from other faith backgrounds and with significant numbers of looked-after children and those with special educational needs.

We are passionate about improving the learning environment for all our young people and giving them the tools to cope with every aspect of their lives, educationally, socially and in their relationship with God. We need to ensure that every child makes the greatest progress of which they are capable. Your commitment to these aims is essential.

As the CEO of the largest Multi Academy Trust in the South West you will have a very high profile with the educational establishment. You will need to develop excellent relationships with the EFA, the Regional Schools Commissioner and the Local authorities. You will also have a high profile in the faith life of the MAT and be our champion for change and development.

We are under no illusion as to the situation we are in and therefore it is imperative that we find the right person to get us through this very challenging time and take us forward to become the leading Multi Academy Trust we should be!

Yours sincerely,

Sandy Anderson

Chair of Plymouth CAST

Introduction to Plymouth CAST

What is Plymouth CAST?

Plymouth CAST is a Multi Academy Trust set up by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Plymouth in March 2014, with 1 nursery, 33 primary schools and 2 secondary schools. We have 8,000 pupils, 720 teachers, 970 support staff, 380 governors and 7 directors.

Where are our schools?

Our schools are located across the counties of Cornwall, Devon and Dorset and currently operate in three clusters: West, Central and East Area.

The Vision:

Plymouth CAST’s vision is that every school will be where:

Every parent would want to send their child

Every school sector employee would want to work

Children of ALL abilities and backgrounds flourish

All look for good practice and innovation

Where ‘the gospel is preached at all times; using words if necessary’ (after St Francis)

OFSTED Inspections and Focused Review

In October 2016 Ofsted carried out a focused inspection of Plymouth CAST. The process started with the inspection of 9 CAST schools plus the re-inspection of 1 school where in June 2016 the safeguarding had been found to be ineffective. The results of these inspections were:

3 Schools judged Good

3 schools judged Requires Improvement

3 schools judged Inadequate

The school re-inspected was judged to have effective safeguarding.

The following week Plymouth CAST MAT was inspected. Ofsted provided oral feedback on the 20th October 2016 and sent a letter to the Plymouth CAST MAT on 25th November 2016. The letter highlighted key weaknesses of Plymouth CAST summarised below:

• The Trust is failing to provide effective challenge and support for school improvement.

• The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and directors of the Trust Board do not have a sufficient understanding of schools performance. Membership of the Trust has not led to higher standards of achievement in too many of its schools.

• Some schools have seen a significant decline in their performance since joining the Trust.
• Trust leaders do not have the capacity to bring about improvement with the necessary urgency. They have been too slow to recognise and tackle weaknesses in the quality of provision. They have not intervened quickly enough to secure or maintain the quality of teaching and leadership required for pupils to achieve well.
• In 2015, overall pupil progress between Key Stages 1 and 2 was below average in two thirds of the primary schools in the Trust. Provisional results based on 2016 National tests show that 21 of the Trust’s 32 primary schools did not achieve a positive progress measure for writing. Similarly, in mathematics, 23 of the Trust’s primary schools do not achieve a positive progress score.
• Trust leaders and board members do not have a clear strategy to tackle underachievement and disadvantaged pupils. They cannot account for the impact of the £2 million of additional funding which the trust received for these pupils in 2016.
• Outcomes for disadvantaged pupils and for the most able pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, vary too widely from school to school. These groups of pupils do not do well enough.
• The Trust does not meet the statutory requirement to publish a scheme of delegation on its website and for all schools to have a copy of the scheme on their own websites.
• The scheme of delegation is not fit for purpose. Lines of accountability within governance and leadership are blurred. It is unclear who is accountable for improving the performance of individual schools and the Trust as a whole.
• Until very recently there was no overarching strategy monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of safeguarding procedures in the Trust’s schools. Some schools have been too slow to comply with the trusts recently introduced safeguarding checks.

The following actions have been taken in response:

• The Chair of the Trust resigned and the Vice Chair was elected Chair by the Board of Directors.

• The CEO of the Trust was put on special leave and left Plymouth CAST on 11th March 2017.

• The structure of the board was changed to reflect Lord Nash’s recommendation there should be no employees on a MAT Board of Directors. Three new Foundation Directors were appointed by the Bishop.

• Two Interim Executive Officers were appointed in December on a temporary basis:

o Lisa Mannall was responsible for School Improvement and line managed the three Area Advisers; Lisa left us in March for personal reasons and

o Kate Griffin who in addition to being the Diocesan Schools Commissioner was responsible for all other areas of the Trust

• Kate Griffin continued as the Diocesan Schools Commissioner and Interim CEO and still has both roles.

• All schools, due to be inspected between January and June 2017, had their safeguarding procedures reviewed and updated.

• The websites of all schools in CAST were reviewed and updated.
• A thorough review of Pupil Premium funding was undertaken to match actions with effectiveness.
• A new leadership team has been appointed and now reporting to the interim CEO there is an Executive Head of School Improvement, a COO and a CFO who is a chartered accountant.
• We have also commissioned three external reviews at the request of the Regional Schools Commissioner: Governance, Safeguarding, Pupil Premium and our action plans have taken note of their recommendations

Ten Key Priorities

1. Governance

To ensure Plymouth CAST has clarity of ethos, vision and strategic direction to facilitate the delivery of challenging objectives.

2. Governance

To enable governance to be effective and challenging by implementing a clear structure with tightly defined remits, particularly in relation to functions delegated to committees or other bodies.

3. Governance

To ensure governors can properly hold Trust Leaders to account, by having the appropriate skills, time and commitment, and sufficient diversity of perspectives to ensure internal challenge and actively contribute in line with clearly defined roles and responsibilities under an effective Chair and an explicit code of conduct, and with active succession planning.

4.Finance

To ensure there are robust processes for financial and business planning; oversight and effective controls for compliance, propriety and value for money.

5. Leadership and Management

To ensure the individuals with leadership and management responsibilities within Plymouth CAST and the individual academies can demonstrate:

• Good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role, so that they effectively fulfil their responsibilities and consistently meet the standards required.

• They actively prioritise school improvement and promote the well-being of pupils

6. Leadership and Management

To enable leaders to have a clear understanding of what is expected of them and through the effective use of performance reviews confirm when they are achieving their targets and when they are not.

7. Quality of Teaching, Learning and Assessment

To develop a framework for pupil performance to be evaluated by reference to Plymouth CAST’s/Individual academies as provided to parents or to national norms (or both) and the framework is used effectively to guide teaching and learning for individual pupils.

8. Quality of Teaching, Learning and Assessment

To ensure teaching and learning is effective, challenges pupils and removes the gap between disadvantaged and all non-disadvantaged pupils.

9. Personal Development, Behaviour and Welfare

To develop Plymouth CAST-wide arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils and ensure they are property supervised at all times (with particular regard to any guidance issued from time to time by the Secretary of State).

10. Outcomes for Pupils

To produce a clear and rapid improvement in pupil performance.

Job description

Term: Full time

Responsible to: Chair and Board of Trustees

Accountable to: Chair and Board of Trustees

Location: St Boniface House, Ashburton, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ13 7JL

There will be a requirement for travel throughout the Catholic Diocese of Plymouth which covers the counties of Cornwall, Devon and Dorset.

Line Management: Chief Operating Officer

Head of School Improvement

Chief Financial Officer

Remuneration: Salary range: circa £125,000 (More may be available for an exceptional candidate)

Local Government Pension Scheme; standard HMRC Mileage allowance; relocation package negotiable.

Vision and Ethos

The ethos of Plymouth CAST is inseparable from the ethos of the Roman Catholic Church which has the love of Jesus Christ and the desire to follow His teachings as core to all its actions. This ensures that we put the dignity of the individual at the heart of everything we say and do.

The vision of Plymouth CAST is that each school is where

• Every parent would want to send their child;

• Every school sector employee would want to work;

• Children of ALL abilities and backgrounds flourish;

• All look for good practice and innovation;

• The Gospel is preached at all times – where necessary using words.

Given this context it is essential that the successful candidate is a practising Roman Catholic in full communion with the Catholic Church.

Purpose of the role

• To contribute to and implement the vision and strategy of the Plymouth CAST Board and ensure that this vision is understood and supported by employees at every level, as well as parents, children and the wider community.

• To provide effective leadership for all the schools, inspiring and motivating all those engaged in the activities of teaching and learning by ensuring that school improvement is at the core of every decision taken.

• To create and maintain a culture of continuous improvement, ensuring that both Plymouth CAST as a whole and its individual schools remain fully inclusive and consistently achieve outstanding outcomes for all their pupils.

• To act as the lead education professional for academies in Plymouth CAST, managing its day-to-day operations and ensuring that it has an effective strategy for building educational and leadership capacity, to enable it to continue to achieve its goals.

• To represent Plymouth CAST and act as an advocate for its mission and values, forming and developing effective partnerships with education, business and other community groups.

• To ensure that Plymouth CAST’s financial viability is secure, firmly based on accurate analysis, the optimum use of resources and the generation of sufficient surplus funding to meet development needs.

• To share and model Plymouth CAST’s values and successfully
• implement the approved policies.
• To serve as the Chief Executive and Chief Accounting Officer.

Key Accountabilities

Strategic educational leadership and performance management

• Contribute to the formulation of Plymouth CAST’s overall strategy and the effectiveness of its education performance, including meeting all required national targets and benchmarks and ensuring a culture of continuous improvement.

• Ensure that education and, in particular, the transformation of the performance of Plymouth CAST academies is central to all activities.

• Ensure that appropriate performance management and appraisal systems are in place to ensure the effective implementation of Plymouth CAST’s strategic plans.

• Contribute to the strategy for the successful development of future leaders of schools.

Financial accountability

• As Accounting Officer, ensure robust systems are in place so that the funds available to Plymouth CAST are used properly, efficiently, effectively and in accordance with the Academies Financial Handbook

• Establish and maintain effective systems for financial allocation and control that will identify risks to the financial viability of both Plymouth CAST and the individual schools, ensuring prompt and effective action is taken to address any such problems.

• Ensure that Plymouth CAST’s long term financial sustainability and that of the individual schools is enhanced and secured by successfully benefiting from its size.

• Present to and advise the Board of Directors on the annual budget of both the Multi-Academy Trust as a whole and of CAST Central and the individual schools.

Operations

• Manage the day to day activities of the organisation to ensure that key objectives are met.

• Ensure Plymouth CAST meets its Health and Safety, Safeguarding and Financial and Legal obligations.

• Develop and implement plans effectively to meet future demands.

Board management and stakeholder relations

• Work closely with the Chair of the Board of Directors and those of the subcommittees as appropriate and secure a positive working relationship with the Board of Directors as an ex officio member of the Board.

• Provide information, objective advice and support to the Board of Directors to enable it to meet its responsibilities for securing effecting teaching and learning, improved standards of achievement and for achieving value for money.

• Support the Board in the formulation and development of strategy, and ensure that all decisions made by the Board are recorded and implemented.

• Work effectively across the full range of external stakeholders, including government, funding and regulatory bodies.

Communication

• In partnership with the Board of Directors, ensure that an effective internal and external communications strategy is in place.

• Communicate effectively with academy principals, teachers, school staff, pupils, parents and governors.

• Represent Plymouth CAST effectively to key external partners, the media and the public both locally and nationally.

Confidentiality

• Ensure that confidentiality is maintained in line with agreed policies and protocols.

Safeguarding

• Ensure that all employees comply with Plymouth CAST policies and procedures on safeguarding and child protection and ensure the appropriate level of supervision for all volunteers, visitors and external contractors within CAST Academies.

Equality

• Ensure that Plymouth CAST actively values and promotes diversity, unity and community cohesion, and supports pupils to become successful citizens.

• Actively challenge and address discrimination.

• Ensure a continual focus on equality as measured by pupil progress.

Beliefs, attitudes and personal attributes

• Relentless focus on high quality.

• Resilient, persistent but flexible.

• Nurtures faith and spirituality.

• Self-aware and able to learn.

• Optimistic and enthusiastic.

• Values diversity and equality.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential

• A practising Roman catholic in full communion with the Catholic Church.
• Educated to degree level, with evidence of continuing professional development.

Desirable

• NPQH, MBA, Diploma in Management or other equivalent.

• An background in Education (SE, HE or FE)

Experience & Qualifications

Essential

• Proven track record of outstanding education leadership of a comparable scale and complexity.

• Proven experience of strategic financial management, including budget formulation, medium-term financial planning, monitoring and control with strong business acumen.

• Evidence of strategic planning and budget management which has brought about significant organisational change.

• Sound track record of performance managing professional staff; improving morale, raising standards and promoting a team ethos, particularly with regard to a multi-site organisation.

• Experience of working effectively with a Board/Governing Body to create a vision and inform the direction for an organisation.

• Successful experience of promoting equality and diversity in relation to employment and service delivery.

Desirable

• Demonstrable success in achieving rapid and sustained school improvement, ideally across a range of schools sizes and types.

• Knowledge of successful strategies for raising pupil achievement and advancing effective teaching and learning.

• Proven success in building effective partnerships with the Department for Education (DfE), Regional Schools Commissioners (RSC), local authorities.

• A clear understanding of the current educational landscape, including issues specifically relating to academies, safeguarding and Ofsted inspections.

Skills, abilities & Personal Qualities

• A strategic thinker who can work with the Trust leaders, Plymouth CAST Board and others to develop a compelling vision for the organisation, underpinned by a strong Catholic ethos and values.

• Committed to the highest standards in all areas of school life, including behaviour, academic standards and curriculum enrichment.

• Well-developed presentation and public speaking skills. The ability to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences, acting as an effective ambassador for Plymouth CAST.

• Experience of dealing with Government officials and policy makers.

• Ability to build a positive organisational culture, encourage reflection, delegate responsibility, build teams, strive for continuous improvement and inspire staff to achieve their full potential.

• A leader who can analyse and process complex information and data quickly and rigorously in order to make the best of opportunities.

Special Requirements

• Full driving license and use of car is essential for duration of employment. There is an absolute expectation that the successful candidate will be able to travel between the office and schools by car.

How to apply

To apply for this position, please send a comprehensive CV tailored to the role and a cover letter. Please ensure that your application fully addresses the appointment criteria in the person specification.

You should give the names, positions, organisations and telephone contact numbers of three relevant employer referees, one of whom should be your current/most recent employer. References will only be taken once your express permission has been granted.

Finally please ensure that you have included mobile, work and home telephone numbers, as well as any dates when you will not be available or might have difficulty with the indicative timetable.

Applications can also be emailed directly to Ben Pountney at ben.pountney@morganhunt.com

Timetable

Closing date: Friday 24th November 2017

Preliminary interviews: From 27th November – 8th December 2017

Final interview: W/C 11th December

Recruitment Process

Should you decide to make a formal application, you will receive feedback within two working days of the closing date. Shortlisted candidates may be required to undertake an additional assessment prior to the final interview. The successful appointment is subject to a satisfactory criminal records disclosure and written references.

Queries

If you have any queries on any aspect of the appointment process or need additional information please contact Ben Pountney on 07713 710584 or 0117 366 7276.