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Parent Councillor Vacancy

Dear Parents and Carers,

A message from the Chair of the Academy Council

We currently have a vacancy for a Parent Councillor, and we would very much welcome nominations from any parents or carers who feel they would like to support us in this role. The Academy Council, together with support from the Cabot Learning Federation, provides the Governance of the Academy and is responsible for holding staff to account for the quality and effectiveness of the education students receive. The Council also oversees the systems and procedures for safeguarding, welfare and health and safety of students.

Meetings are normally held five or six times a year, although there may be occasions when an extraordinary meeting is convened to discuss urgent business. It is important that Councillors attend meetings regularly, and there is an expectation that they spend some time reading the agenda and associated papers prior to each meeting in order to prepare. Councillors are encouraged to link up with a specific part of academy life.  This might be taking a special interest in a subject area, such as English, or having a focus on a group of students, such as those with special educational needs. Councillors are also asked to complete some online training on an annual basis.

Parent Councillors are not elected to represent parents, rather they are a representative of the parent body. They are able to bring a parent’s perspective to discussions and decisions being made by the Academy Council.

All parents and carers are eligible to stand for election, except:

  • Persons subject to a bankruptcy restriction order, interim order or debt relief order;
  • Persons disqualified under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986; Companies (Northern Ireland) Order 2002, or an order made under the Insolvency Act 1986;
  • Persons that have been removed from the office of trustee for a charity by an order made by the Charity Commission or Commissioners or High Court on grounds of any misconduct or mismanagement in the administration of the charity, or under section 34 of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 from being concerned in the management or control of anybody;
  • Persons included in the list of people considered by the Secretary of State as unsuitable to work with children or young people
  • Persons barred from any regulated activity relating to children
  • Persons subject to a direction of the Secretary of State under section 142 of the Education Act 2002 or section 128 of the Education and Skills Act 2008
  • Persons disqualified from working with children or from registering for child-minding or providing day care
  • Persons disqualified from being an independent school proprietor, teacher or employee by the Secretary of State
  • Persons (subject to certain exceptions for overseas offences that do not correlate with a UK offence) that have:

Been sentenced to three months or more in prison (without the option of a fine) in the five years ending with the date preceding the date of appointment/election as a governor or since becoming a governor

Received a prison sentence of two and a half years or more in the 20 years ending with the date preceding the date of appointment/election as a governor

Received a prison sentence of five years or more

  • Persons that have been convicted and fined for causing a nuisance or disturbance on school or educational premises during the five years ending with the date immediately preceding appointment/election or since appointment or election as a governor
  • Persons that refuse a request by the clerk to make an application to the Disclosure and Barring Service for a criminal records certificate.

If you would like to put your name forward, please email [email protected] with your expression of interest by Friday 20th January 2023. Please include the names and dates of birth of your children who currently attend the Academy.

You will need to write a brief factual statement about yourself (not exceeding 100 words). You might like to include a little about your background and why you want to be a Councillor. Should an election be necessary, your statement, and those of other candidates, will be circulated to voters for their information. Please do look at the Academy Council section of our Hans Price Academy website for information about our Council.

If you are interested or would like more information, please contact me at [email protected] I look forward very much to hearing from you and receiving your statement.

Yours faithfully

Kathryn Volk

Chair of the Academy Council