Trustee Inclusion Champion

Join Us as a Trustee for Inclusion – Anthem Schools Trust

Anthem Schools Trust is seeking a passionate and committed Inclusion Champion Trustee to join our Board of Trustees. This is a unique opportunity to help shape the future of education by championing the needs of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) across all our schools.

The role of Trustee is voluntary, requiring a minimum commitment of one term of service, lasting four years, with the option to continue for an additional four-year term. Trustees attend a combination of full board and committee meetings, and visits to schools.

About Us

Anthem is a leading school trust, serving over 8,000 students across 16 non-selective primary and secondary schools in the East Midlands, London, and the Thames Valley.

Our schools span diverse communities, from rural areas to inner cities, and many of our students come from varied backgrounds, including a significant number with additional learning needs. We are committed to fostering inclusive, ambitious schools where every child, including those with SEND, can thrive in a supportive and challenging learning environment.

The Inclusion Champion Trustee plays a crucial role in holding the Executive Team accountable for fostering an inclusive environment, particularly for pupils with SEND.

Within this role, you will:

•     Lead the Board's oversight of SEND and inclusion, ensuring a relational approach is at the heart of governance.
•     Act as the Board’s advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, making these core priorities in decision-making.
•     Collaborate with Anthem’s Head of SEND and Inclusion and Director of Education to strengthen inclusive policies and practices.
•     Provide scrutiny, support, and challenge to the development and execution of the Trust’s SEND and Inclusion Strategy.

Key Responsibilities:

•     Approving SEND and Equality policies prior to full Board review.
•     Ensuring the Board is well-informed about inclusion policies and practices, providing effective challenge where needed.
•     Monitoring Anthem’s data on SEND, inclusion, and demographics, identifying trends and tracking progress on key outcomes.
•     Observing inclusion provisions during school visits, focusing on strategies that support students from diverse and disadvantaged backgrounds.

What We’re Looking For:

•     A committed volunteer aligned with Anthem’s mission to foster inclusion and equity for all students.
•     Strong understanding of SEND and inclusion, ideally with experience in education or a related field.
•     A passion for supporting diverse, disadvantaged, and minority groups in an educational context.

Why Join Us? 

This is your chance to contribute to a trust that believes in the power of inclusive education. You will be part of a skilled and knowledgeable board who are dedicated through their strategic oversight to ensuring that every child, regardless of their starting point, receives a quality education that allows them to thrive.

Apply today and help us champion inclusion across our schools.

If you believe you are a good fit for this role, please contact our Governance Manager, Pippa Truman Davies, at PTrumanDavies@anthemtrust.uk She can help arrange a conversation with a member of our current Board of Trustees or Executive team.

If you decide to pursue this opportunity further, you will need to complete an application to meet our safer recruitment requirements.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and require all staff and volunteers to share and demonstrate this commitment. The successful candidate will have to meet the requirements of the person specification and will be subject to the relevant pre-employment checks which will, where applicable, include a health check, an enhanced DBS check, the Children’s Barred List check, internet checks and satisfactory references.