Hallfield School has offered an exceptional education to its pupils since 1879, known originally as Edgbaston Preparatory School, or EPS. Over the past 140 years, Hallfield has continued to evolve from an all-boys 7-13 prep school with boarding, first opening a pre-prep department and then admitting girls 27 years ago. Ten years ago, it opened Hallfieldfirst (an on-site nursery) for children aged from 3 months, and two years ago the school re-introduced Year 7 and 8 pupils to the school, once again educating pupils to 13 years old, making it the only prep school in Birmingham educating children from 3 months to 13 years. With an excellent academic reputation and having grown in recent years to over 590 pupils on roll and 125 staff, Hallfield is one of the leading prep schools in the Midlands and possibly the country.

In the past year, 92% of children were successful in gaining places at the highly-selective King Edward VI Foundation Grammar and local grammar schools. The School’s ethos: ‘Happy, Secure and Purposeful’, reinforces the emphasis on academic progress and success within a framework of a happy community and a secure educational environment. In February 2019, the whole school was inspected by ISI as part of an Educational Quality Inspection and was assessed as ‘excellent’ in both pupils’ academic and other achievements and pupils’ personal development. The school does not judge simply on academic results and has always nurtured a strong ‘hidden curriculum’ which cannot be measured by league tables - where courtesy, manners, self-discipline, and respect are valued and reinforced. It is this strong hidden curriculum that underpins everything that takes place at the School: ‘happy children are successful children’.

The School has undergone considerable transformation during the past four year, since the current Head Master joined the School, leading “Hallfield Futures” (the School’s current five-year strategic vision) into fruition, despite the challenges of the Pandemic. Hallfield has a fantastic reputation of delivering excellence in education and great success in terms of placing pupils — it is an exciting time to be joining, with the School in rude health in terms of financial stability and pupil numbers. The School already has excellent facilities in place, but it will be heavily investing to develop the site further, particularly in terms of STEM and a performance arts centre, projects which are currently underway.

The Chair will demonstrate strategic leadership as well as overseeing governance and board development. They will provide guidance and appropriate support and challenge to the Head Master as well as contributing towards shaping the School’s future strategy, driving change and organisational development. In addition to their requirements as a Board member, the Chair will be expected to:

• Provide leadership to the Board, enabling the Board to act strategically to formulate policies and agree priorities
• Facilitate discussion during meetings, ensuring that appropriate time is spent on substantive items and encouraging all members to participate fully and contribute towards collective decision making
• Develop effective working relationships with members, the Executive Team and the Board
• Provide support and challenge to the Head Master, undertaking regular one-to-one meetings with him and recognising the pressure of the role
• Conduct the Head Master's annual performance appraisal and agree future objectives
• Develop an effective working relationship between the Board and the Executive Team as well as between the Board and external stakeholders / the wider community
• When required, be willing to act as a spokesperson for the School / Board

The Board seeks an individual who:

• Has a background in education or who has sat on the board of an educational organisation previously. This person could have served within the state or private education sectors or within higher or further education
• Will ideally bring experience serving as a member of a Board and have experience chairing and running meetings.
• Is able to demonstrate strategic leadership experience as well as an understanding of governance and board development, differentiating between governance and management
• Has gravitas, along with excellent communication and relationship-building skills across various stakeholders including parents, the Head Master, the Exec, the wider staff and the Board as well as a variety of external stakeholders
• Is objective and impartial and has the ability to manage time carefully and resolve conflict
• Is, above all, passionate about the continued success and development of Hallfield School, the independent schools’ sector and the importance of preparatory education
• Has the time to commit to the School

A list of current Governors is available here

There are three Board meetings per year and the Chair would ideally attend most Sub-Committee meetings (Finance, HR, Compliance, Education and Marketing). Currently meetings are held in a hybrid manner, but the Chair should be present in person for most meetings. To effectively carry out this role, the Chair would spend two days per month in an oversight role. The role is unremunerated but reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed. The appointment is for a two-year term, renewable three times.