A foreword from our Principal and Chief People Officer
Richard Backhouse - Principal
Berkhamsted is among the schools leading the way in pursuing a ‘foundation structure’. As a group of six schools, it combines scale of resource with individual attention and development of pupils –and staff. We start with our values: we aim for excellence – aiming high with integrity – in all that we do. We are adventurous, and support development, research, and experimentation in teaching and learning We serve others – at both pupil and staff level: ours is a non-hierarchical school in which the opinions of all matter, and in which we all share in the support and contribution to our local community
Above all, we are committed to developing remarkable people, both among our pupils and our staff We are looking for highly committed, ambitious and adventurous people to join a thriving staff body, whom we can support to flourish here, and whom we can help to grow. Our staff are so important that we have a Chief People Officer as one of our most senior members of staff.
Tracey
Evans - Chief People Officer
Our staff are our most important asset at Berkhamsted; investing in their professional development with their wellbeing a key priority We foster a working environment that firstly provides a sense of belonging and supports staff both professionally and personally. We offer a wide range of staff wellbeing initiatives. Colleagues can easily access financial, physical, emotional and social well-being support from school
We seek to enable all members of the school community to achieve their full potential in an environment characterised by equality, equity, respect and opportunity We work hard at Berkhamsted, but we also know how to come together as a community and enjoy downtime, building relationships which last a lifetime and enrich our professional and persona
History of Berkhamsted Schools Group
Berkhamsted School is situated in the historic Hertfordshire town of Berkhamsted, a prosperous community surrounded by Chiltern countryside and within easy reach of London Berkhamsted is a leading Independent School for pupils aged 3 to 18 years, the foundation of which dates back to 1541 (when John Incent, the Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral, successfully applied to King Henry the VIII for a license to purchase a piece of land for a ‘freescole’)
In 1888 a Girls School was founded in Berkhamsted under the same governing body, and the Boys’ and Girls’ Schools merged to form a diamond school in 1997 The Prep School was also integrated at this stage, and the School became Berkhamsted Collegiate School.
In 2011 the School merged with Heatherton House, a small independent day School for girls in Chesham Bois, and became the Berkhamsted Schools Group. Operating as a satellite Prep School, Heatherton provides a feed of Girls to the Berkhamsted Girls School every year In 2012 Berkhamsted Schools Group acquired Haresfoot, a small proprietary prep school in Berkhamsted This site now houses the Berkhamsted Pre-Prep and Berkhamsted Day Nursery Limited, and Berkhamsted Prep takes children from age 7-11.
Berkhamsted is the only School in the Herts, Beds and Bucks region, and one of only a small number of Schools in the country, to offer a ‘diamond’ structure that combines the best of both single-sex and co-educational teaching Boys and Girls are taught together until the age of 11 (Berkhamsted Pre-Prep and Prep), separately from the age of 11-16 (Berkhamsted Boys and Berkhamsted Girls), before coming back together again in a joint sixth form (Berkhamsted Sixth)
Job Description
Reporting to: Chair of Governors
Based: Overton House
Hours of work: 8 30am-5pm Monday to Friday, all year round.
Hours of Work:
14.25 hours per week - inclusive of admin time and attendance at 10 governor committee meetings per year (held in the evenings), plus 4 full governor board meetings (1 held in the evening and 3 on Saturdays across the year).
Areas of Responsibility:
1. Governors’ and Committee meetings
Convening meetings of the Governing Body and its committees and maintaining a meetings calendar, ensuring that it is published regularly to the Governors.
Consulting with, as appropriate, the Chair, the committee chairs, the Principal, the Vice-Principal, Chief Operating Officer over the agendas for meetings of the Governing Body and its committees.
Liaising with, as appropriate, the Chair, the Committee Chairs, the Principal, the Vice-Principal and the Chief Operating Officer over the deadlines for the production of Governors’ papers.
Publishing the agenda and papers to Governors and appropriate members of staff one week before the meeting
Attending meetings of the Governing Body to give advice on procedural matters.
Attending meetings of the Governing Body’s committees and working parties for the purpose of giving advice
Undertake an biennial exercise for Governors and SMT to evaluate the performance of the Governing Body and prepare summarised report for Governors
When a complaint against the school or any member of staff requires involvement of the Chair of Governors, or any member of Governing Body, provide guidance and advice on policy and maintain records of conversations held and decisions made
Job Description
Drawing up provisional minutes of the Governing Body meetings and its committees for approval by the Chair of the meeting
- All minutes shall be indexed for ease of reference.
Hours of work: 8.30am-5pm Monday to Friday, all year round
- All minutes shall include a summary of decisions.
- All minutes shall include a summary of action points
- All minutes shall be submitted to the chair of the meeting at the earliest opportunity and not later than one week after the meeting and thereafter shall be circulated to all Governors within one week of the Chair’s approval
Responsibility for administering and organising an archive of Governors papers, presentations and minutes
2. Compliance and Regulation
Advising Governors on legislation and guidance affecting their responsibilities and liabilities
- This will entail keeping abreast of key aspects of regulation and compliance.
Advising Governors on issues of compliance with the provisions of the Articles of Association, Charity Scheme and Standing Orders.
Ensuring that all governors are aware of their statutory responsibilities, especially their responsibility for the safeguarding of all pupils at the school by:
- Arranging regular training and updating for governors in these areas
- Ensuring that the systems through which school managers report to governors are fully robust and effective in helping governors to fulfil their statutory responsibilities
Liaising with the Chief Operating Officer to secure appropriate insurance for the governors as trustees.
Job Description Job
3. Support to Chair of Governors
Ensuring that all correspondence with the Chair of Governors (and other governors if necessary) is dealt with promptly
Providing support with the organisation of meetings between the Chair and other governors, members of staff and external visitors.
4. Governing Body Administration
Supervising changes in membership of the Governing Body and its committees in accordance with the Articles of Association and other governing documents.
In liaison with the Chair and Principal, establishing Terms of Reference for the committees and working parties.
Organising and making appropriate arrangements for the establishment of any panels of the Governing Body that may from time to time be required to hear appeals or to deal with complaints or grievances (including the identification of independent members to join these panels where appropriate)
Assist with the organisation of the biennial Governor Strategy Day.
Liaising with the Chief Operating Officer and the School’s accountants over the annual audit and trustees’ report, including coordinating an annual update of Governors’ Declarations of Interests
Ensuring that the Register of Governors interests is kept up to date.
Keeping a log of Governors’ attendance at meetings and school events.
5. Governor Induction and Training
Providing induction material for new Governors including a copy of the Governing documents and AGBIS guidelines for Governors and organising suitable training for them.
Job Description Job
Organising agreed and appropriate training for all governors, as agreed by the Governing Body, and recording such training.
Organising the annual programme of school/governor engagement days in liaison with the VicePrincipal
6. Liaising with AGBIS and other relevant bodies.
7. Ensuring that the Governors’ section of the School website is up to date
Person Specification:
Familiar with governance requirements and procedures for boards and committees
Previous experience of working on or with charity boards
Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to plan and coordinate meetings, deadlines, and documentation in a timely and efficient manner.
Strong written communication skills, with proven ability to produce accurate agendas, minutes, reports, and guidance notes to a professional standard.
High attention to detail, with the ability to identify, summarise, and record key actions, decisions, and follow-up points.
Strong IT skills, including confident use of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)
Discreet and trustworthy, with the ability to handle confidential and sensitive information appropriately.
Proactive and self-motivated, with the ability to work independently and anticipate the needs of the Governing Body and Chair.
Flexible and adaptable, with the capacity to manage a varied workload and respond to urgent issues when required
BenefitsBenefits
We boast a competitive salary structure, alongside other benefits, which includes access to a comprehensive pension scheme
The wellbeing of our staff is a priority. We have a developed programme for staff with initiatives and support in the areas of Economic, Physical, Emotional and Social wellbeing
Free classes and advisory services memberships and discounted rates in local establishments, together with cycle to work scheme, free on-site parking, free daily lunch, and fee reduction for staff's children are examples of some of the non-contractual benefits on offer in this programme
Watch our video
Watch our video and hear from our colleagues why they enjoy working at the Berkhamsted Schools Group Find out more about what it is really like to be a member of the community
BenefitsSafeguarding and Child Protection
Berkhamsted is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and visitors to adopt a child centred and coordinated approach to child protection and safeguarding
A copy of the School’s Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy can be found HERE
The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and visitors to adopt a child centred and coordinated approach to child protection and safeguarding. Berkhamsted Schools Group is a registered charity dedicated to education: 310630
Application and Next Steps
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The closing date for applications is 11 November 2025
It is an offence to apply for this role if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children; applicants must be willing to undertake a number of safeguarding checks including an enhanced Disclosure and Barring (DBS) This post is also subject to receipt of written references which must be satisfactory to Berkhamsted Schools Group along with documentary evidence of qualifications.
Successful applicants will need to provide confirmation of permission to work in the UK. Please note that under the Immigration Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, the school has an obligation to ensure applicants have the right to work in the UK prior to commencement of employment. (If it is found that those documents do not meet the legal requirement, an offer of employment will be withdrawn)
Where the successful candidate has worked or been a resident overseas in the previous five years, such checks and confirmations as the school may require in accordance with statutory guidance.
We aim to be an equal opportunities employer and we are determined to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, age, disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation, marital status, or race
Candidates with a disability who are invited to interview should inform the School of any necessary reasonable adjustments or arrangements to assist them in attending the interview.
If you have any questions relating to this role please contact the HR department at recruitment@berkhamsted.com
Early applications are encouraged, and interviews may take place on a rolling basis. We reserve the right to extend or close the deadline
