Eastbourne College is a leading co-educational independent school, operating under a single charity together with its prep school St Andrew's. Together, the two schools offer academic excellence to approximately 1,000 pupils aged from nine months to 18 years in a superb coastal location.

Eastbourne College and St. Andrew's Prep are a vibrant, nurturing and collaborative community, where both pupils and the governing charity at large play an active role in the world beyond the school gates. The College is one of the founding members of the Coastal Schools Partnership (CSP), a group of maintained and independent schools whose mission is to collaborate on projects for the mutual benefit of pupils and staff. The charity as a whole is also committed to widening access through significant investment in bursaries, with a long-term target to increase its restricted and endowed funds from £11m to £30m. This year, 234 pupils (25% of the total student body) received some assistance with their fees through means-tested bursaries. This is supported by the Eastbournian Society, which brings together former pupils, current and former parents, as well as current and former staff of both schools and other supporters. It also includes a legacy club, the Devonshire Society, which celebrates its 21st anniversary in 2023.

Educationally, Eastbourne College's primary aim is to equip children to lead happy, fulfilled lives in a safe environment - to help "every child find their own superb". It operates on the basis of shared values: pursuit of excellence, integrity, participation, and kindness. Although a traditional school with a long history, Eastbourne College has a modern mindset with a penchant for innovation. Its diverse academic syllabus and exceptional co-curricular opportunities encourage pupils to be inquisitive, open-minded and find inspiration in everything they do. This year, the School celebrated outstanding 2023 A-level results with half of all exam grades awarded at A* or A, plus a further 24 A* grades achieved in Extended Project Qualifications (EPQs). In addition, as a 'blue health school' situated in an enviable coastal location, enjoying the outdoors is a key part of Eastbourne College's commitment to its 'whole of learning' approach. You can explore the College's 2021-2022 Highlights Booklet to see just some of the achievements attained by its pupils last year. Also operating under the same charity, St. Andrew's Prep aims to prepare children for a fast-changing world by giving them lifelong-learning skills alongside leadership, enterprise and teamwork opportunities. It offers a broad education that provides opportunities for every pupil in all aspects of school life: academic, sport, performing and creative arts and social.

Having made considerable investments into its physical estate in recent years, Eastbourne College sits on exceptionally strong foundations as it looks to the next 5-10 years. It will continue to be a safe, stable, high-quality environment for families from nursery through to A-Levels.

Governors serve both as Directors and Trustees of the charitable company, which comprises both Eastbourne College and St Andrew's Prep. The two schools operate in close partnership, each with its own Head Teacher, and are responsible to the same Board of Governors.

As a Board, the Governors are responsible for setting the overall strategy of the charity and have statutory responsibility for key aspects of compliance, including safeguarding, and health & safety. Further, they seek to ensure, for all who have an interest in the charity, the maintenance of the distinctive ethos of both schools, and the delivery of its charitable objects for today’s pupils. In order to fulfil these responsibilities, they delegate day-to-day management to the two Heads and their senior management teams.

Eastbourne College is a seeking to appoint a financially-qualified Governor to join the main Board and Finance Committee. They will provide high-level oversight and challenge across financial matters, as well as broader strategy. 

As this new appointee will join the Finance Committee, they will need to be a strong and strategic financial leader to play a key role in ensuring the School continues to go from strength to strength. The ideal candidate should possess a background in auditing, accounting, or financial roles within commercial organisations. They will be ACA or FCA-qualified or equivalent, and will employ their astute financial acumen to lead the Committee and the wider Board in maximising opportunities and mitigating risks as they oversee the School's resources.

Candidates should have a strong understanding of financial statements and budgeting, and will be comfortable reviewing the performance of finance functions. They will also have a good grasp of risk management and internal controls, as well as the ability to review financial reports and identify potential areas for improvement. Above all, the successful candidate will bring an enthusiasm for both the ethos and community of Eastbourne College.

First-time board members are welcome to apply, as the successful candidate will be provided with a comprehensive learning and development programme in addition to the standard induction. In order to foster a diverse and inclusive Board which accurately mirrors the vibrant composition of the School community, applications from women are particularly encouraged. 

You can find out more information about the Board here.

There are three Board meetings per year - one per term - plus an annual strategy meeting. These are held in-person on the College's grounds. Additionally, there are termly Committee meetings for the College's eight committees. Of these, this Governor would be expected to sit on the Finance Committee. Committees generally meet in a hybrid format, giving the option to join virtually.

Governors are also expected to engage with the Board and the College on an ad-hoc basis (such as attending extra-ordinary Board meetings or College events).

The appointment is for an initial three-year term, which can be renewed twice at the discretion of the Board. This role is unremunerated, and reasonable, pre-agreed travel expenses will be reimbursed.

Candidates should be willing to travel to Eastbourne on a regular basis, both for Board and Committee meetings but also to visit the Schools in person.

Eastbourne College welcomes applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, belief or disability. As women are currently under-represented on the Board, applications from women 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.