The King’s Bruton Foundation comprises two schools - King’s Bruton and Hazlegrove Prep - and offers the opportunity for a continuity of outstanding education for girls and boys aged three to eighteen. The two schools are united by a common set of values and principles, and are bound by a shared history which stretches back to the foundation of King’s in 1519. The Foundation has a rich 500-year history: King's Bruton recently celebrated it's quincentenary with a number of events.

King’s Bruton, with a pupil body of around 360, has a reputation of being among the very best small schools in the South West. It is co-educational and the majority of pupils are full boarders. It offers excellence in teaching and pastoral care: leading pupils to high academic achievement, with the vast majority of them going on to their first choice of university. King's has a thriving sporting community, and a strong artistic culture, with a Chapel Choir who sing Evensong in regional cathedrals every term, and a 200-seat theatre that functions as a home for outstanding drama. The School's CCF is one of the oldest in the country, and over half its senior pupils undertake Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards. All pupils at the School are given three challenges: to do their best academically, make the most of their talents, and to look after each other. Through fostering individual talent alongside its community, King’s Bruton creates a mutual respect between staff and pupils, and between pupils and their peers, and develops courteous and confident young people who are well equipped both academically and morally to deal with the challenges of adult life.

Hazlegrove Prep School is slightly larger than King’s, with around 375 pupils, and is also co-educational and has a significant boarding community. It has a strong reputation for academic achievement and is also very strong in sports, music and the performing arts. The School aims to make learning an exciting experience and encourages children to be aware of their environment. All pupils are engaged in different and innovative projects. Unusually for schools under a single ownership, it is not assumed that all Hazlegrove Year 8 leavers will go on to King’s. The Preparatory School was established to provide continuity of education, enabling pupils to benefit, over the course of their education, from the significant strengths which are found in both schools. About half of Hazlegrove leavers move on to King’s, whilst others move on to a variety of senior schools, including the leading national boarding schools.

Looking to the future, the King’s Bruton Foundation aims to provide enduring stability and financial strength, enabling the schools in the charity to thrive and to advance children's education. The Foundation's historic and current strength lies in providing excellence on a small scale. As such, King's Bruton will aim to be the UK’s market leader in selective, small, co-ed boarding / day schools. King's also aims to remaining at the forefront of teenage pastoral support in the UK. Similarly, Hazlegrove aims to consolidate its position as the premier prep school in the South-West. It is an exciting time to join the Foundation as it moves out from the shadow of the global pandemic, and turns towards the next 500 years.

As part of a single Foundation, both King's Bruton and Hazlegrove share a single Governing Body and the same Bursar. The Governors’ principal committees - education, finance, estates and risk - span both schools, and there is a single annual process of budget setting and decisions on fee and pay levels. Longer-term development planning is undertaken with a view to ensuring the sustainability and growth of both schools.

Governors are responsible for the overall management and control of the King's Bruton Foundation. They ensure that the School meets its mission to provide the necessary education, training and support to enable all pupils to develop their potential.

They do this by:

• Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
• Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the Schools and pupils, and the performance management of staff
• Overseeing the financial performance of the Schools and making sure its money is well spent

The successful candidate will be expected to join the Education Committee.

As it looks towards the future, the King's Bruton Foundation seeks a new Governor with expertise in educational leadership to strengthen the Board. Candidates could come from a range of educational backgrounds, but the Foundation is especially interested in hearing from those with senior-level leadership experience in tertiary education. The Foundation is also open to those with experience in either secondary or primary education.

Tertiary Education: the successful candidate will be a senior education leader who has strategic-level experience in the higher education sector. This individual may be either an academic or a university administrator. They will have a deep understanding university admissions processes, ideally for both UK and overseas universities, and broad and current knowledge of the qualifications landscape. This individual will be able to advise the schools and their pupils on the university admissions, and the different educational pathways that might lead to a university education.

Secondary / Primary Education: the successful candidate will be a senior education leader in a high-performing school or across a number of schools. They may be a current or former Headteacher of a successful school, or an Executive Headteacher working across a group of schools. An understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the independent sector would be particularly useful, however applicants from the maintained sector are also welcome to apply.

Although prior board experience is welcome, the Board is open to applications from first-time board members. The King’s Bruton Foundation is committed to encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion among those who serve on the Board. As such, it is keen to encourage applications from a diverse range of candidates from all cultural or socio-economic backgrounds.

You can read more about the Board of Governors here.

There are three Board meetings per year, which start on Friday mornings at King's Bruton, and tend to end at around 3pm. Additionally, there are termly Committee meetings, which take place on Friday mornings, and tend to last two hours. Hybrid working can be arranged. Governors are also expected to attend an annual strategy day, and engage with the schools on an ad hoc basis (such as attending school events or visits). The appointment is for an initial five-year term. Governors can then be re-elected to serve another five-year term, which is followed by a possible further five years (renewed on a year-by-year basis). This role is unremunerated but reasonable, pre-agreed expenses will be reimbursed.

Candidates can be based anywhere in the UK so long as they are willing to travel for Board meetings.

The King’s Bruton Foundation welcomes applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability. As women and those from a BAME background are currently under-represented on the Board, applications from those candidates 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 diverse candidates can demonstrate their ability to perform the role equally well.