The Catch22 Multi-Academies Trust provides young people aged 4-16 with alternative and special education in order for them to progress and succeed in sustained education or employment. It does this through high-quality teaching and learning based on effective relationships which enable the achievement of life skills and meaningful qualifications. Catch22 was approved as an Academy Sponsor by the Department for Education (DfE) in February 2014 and became the sponsor of its first Academy, The Ashwood Academy in Hampshire, in September 2014. The Catch22 Multi-Academies Trust is the vehicle for its sponsorship of what will be an expanding number of academies focussing on learners who can benefit from small, supportive alternative and special education provision. It now sponsors six academies spread across Torbay, Norfolk, and Basingstoke. 

Academy sponsorship is about using partnerships to provide specific expertise and skills to enhance standards. Catch22, with its existing wide experience of alternative and special education provision, brings a focus on academic and behavioural improvement leading to re-integration back to mainstream provision up to Key Stage 3, infrastructure support, improvement to pastoral provision, and greater focus on preparing young people for the world of work.

Catch22 looks to increase access to one-to-one and mentoring opportunities through a mixture of off-site and extra curricular events in order to improve the self-esteem and self-confidence of learners. It also implement speech and language development programmes. It offers a full national curriculum as well as a nurturing environment for primary and vocational subjects for older students. Catch22 has high aspirations for all learners, with an expectation that all secondary learners will work toward achieving at least five GCSEs. 

Additionally, Catch22 also brings a wealth of experience in delivering successful employability programmes for learners in its secondary provision. Its focus is on better preparing learners for the world of work by providing access to apprenticeship opportunities, a wider choice of career experiences and promoting the development of the right mindset for successful and sustained employment.

The Trustees of the MAT are appointed to oversee the operations and strategic direction of the charity. As such, the objective is that they have significant experience of senior operational, strategic and educational leadership, combined with knowledge of young people in difficult situations more broadly. There are seven Trustees, each of whom provides independent scrutiny of its operations and strategy.

The Trustees have responsibility for the legal framework in which the Trust operates, including Articles, Funding Agreement, Academies Financial Handbook, Charities Commission and company law. These are referenced within this Governance Plan and are also periodically reviewed by the MAT Board and its advisors.

In line with the Articles approved by the DfE, the Trustees of the MAT are appointed by Catch22.

As several Trustees near the end of their terms, the Catch22 Multi-Academies Trust seeks four new Trustees with senior experience in either finance, risk, educational management, or data management to join its Board.

• Finance — The successful candidate will be a CFO / qualified accountant who will not only understand finance, but be able to support the CEO and hold them to account. This could have been gained in financial services.
• Risk Management — The successful candidate should have senior-level strategic risk / compliance experience. They will understand risk management in the broadest sense and bring a view on financial risk as well as health and safety and policy changes. There is a possibility that the appointed candidate may go on to chair the Finance and Risk Committee.
• Data Management — The successful candidate will have a strong track record of working in a digital environment and understand how effectively to use data to improve processes or outcomes.
• Education Standards — The successful candidate will either be a senior-level educationalist, for example a headteacher, retired headteacher, Director in another MAT, or they could bring experience of governance within the education sector. There is a possibility that the appointed candidate may go on to chair the Curriculum and Standards Committee. 

Above all, candidates will be aligned with Catch22's mission to help learners who can benefit from small, supportive alternative and special education provision.

For all roles, a connection with Hampshire, Torbay, or Norfolk, where Catch22 academies are located would be welcomed but is by no means essential. Finally, as Catch22 also seeks to appoint a Vice-Chair, any previous MAT Trustee or chairing experience would also be welcomed. 

Kath Grant, Chair
Pauline Campbell
Tom Richmond
Laura Trendall-Morrison
Eileen Zhang
Alison Alexander

Catch22 Multi-Academies Trust welcomes applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability. As younger people and those from an ethnic minority background are currently under-represented on the Board, applications from those individuals would be particularly encouraged. All appointments will be made on merit, following a fair and transparent process. In line with the Equality Act 2010, however, the organisation may employ positive action where candidates from underrepresented groups can demonstrate their ability to perform the role equally well.

There are six Board meetings per year. Additionally, Trustees normally sit on one of the Board's Sub-committees, each of which also meets six times per year. Trustees will also be expected to attend an annual strategy day. The appointment is for a renewable four-year term, though this can be negotiated. Reasonable, pre-agreed domestic expenses will be reimbursed. 

Meetings are conducted virtually, except for one or two occasions per year when they are held at Catch 22's office at 27 Pear Tree Street, London. Candidates should be UK-based.