West Thames College is a successful and vibrant college of Further & Higher Education, situated in the London Borough of Hounslow. It is a medium-sized college (6,000 students / circa £21m income) set across two sites - a main campus in Isleworth, and a second, smaller campus just a few miles away in Feltham. The College offers an extensive range of vocational programmes and apprenticeships for young people and adults. Provision ranges from entry through to degree level, with a mixture of full-time and part-time study, and the curriculum is closely aligned to local and regional skills priorities. Following its last Ofsted inspection in 2021, the College was graded 'Good' with outstanding features.

Hounslow is a richly diverse borough, home to 285,000 residents of whom 86,000 are under-25. The student body at West Thames College, as well as its staff, is therefore extremely diverse. The College is genuinely inclusive and provides an array of support to enable students to achieve, irrespective of their starting point or any barriers to learning which they may be facing. The College plays a key role within the local community, contributing to economic recovery and prosperity as well as social inclusion. It works closely with a range of partners, some of whom are co-located with the College, including Ambitious about Autism, Hounslow Chamber of Commerce and Woodbridge Park Education Services. Although it is a standalone College, partnership work is a core strand of its strategy.

What is perhaps most distinctive about West Thames College is the extent to which its values and principles drive everything that it does. This was the product of an extensive consultation process which engaged the full breadth of the College's stakeholder groups. The values of Integrity, Excellence, Equality and Respect, and the behaviours which stem from them, play an integral part in how the College operates. As it looks to the future, the College will invest further in its ability to deliver an outstanding learning experience for all students, while being innovative and responsive to the needs of its local communities. With a new property strategy recently launched, there are also plans for further development of the estate, with a particular focus on sustainability.

The Corporation Board consists of up to 16 independent members, the Principal, a staff governor and two student governors. The Corporation Board is responsible for:

• The determination and periodic review of the educational character and mission of the College and for the oversight of its activities
• Approving the quality strategy of the institution
• The effective and efficient use of resources, the solvency of the College and the Corporation and for safeguarding their assets
• Approving annual estimates of income and expenditure
• The appointment, grading, suspension, dismissal and determination of the pay and conditions of service of the holders of senior posts and the clerk
• Setting a framework for the pay and conditions of service of all other staff

The Corporation conducts its business through a number of Committees.

The role of the Curriculum, Quality and Standards Committee is to provide assurance to the Corporation about the quality of teaching, learning and student outcomes for all provision, at all levels, for all age groups. The Committee also participates in the moderation process for the College Self Assessment Report (SAR).

The role of the Finance, Resources and Capital Projects Committee is to ensure value for money and maximisation of resources and to give assurance to the Corporation on the suitability and appropriateness of the College's financial strategy and policies. The Committee considers and advises the Corporation on financial matters, including investment and borrowing, human resources, health and safety, property strategy and commercial activities.

The Chair of these Committees will have the opportunity to take up the position of Vice Chair of the Corporation Board, though this is not essential.

Board Members - Curriculum, Quality and Standards Committee

West Thames College is seeking up to three new members for its Curriculum, Quality and Standards Committee, one of whom will become the Committee's Chair.

The successful candidates will be experienced leaders from within the education sector, however they could come from a wide range of backgrounds. The Board is open to both academic (curriculum, teaching and learning, school improvement) as well as non-academic (pastoral, student support and wellbeing) leaders. Given the breadth of the offer at West Thames, the Board is open to individuals from the primary, secondary, further education or higher education sectors. The board is interested in individuals who have been involved in executive leadership within these sectors as well as individuals operating at a lower level of leadership. First-time non-executives are strongly encouraged to apply, however it is likely that the Committee Chair will have sat on a Board previously.

Board Members - Finance, Resources and Capital Projects Committee

West Thames College is seeking two new members for its Finance, Resources and Capital Projects Committee, one of whom will become the Committee's Chair.

Both of the successful candidates will have operated at a senior, strategic-level within complex organisations across the public, private or non-profit sectors. One of the appointees must be a qualified accountant. The other could come from a range of backgrounds relevant to the Committee, such as property and estates management, sustainability, or HR (with a particular interest in EDI). Applicants do not need to have experience in the education sector, however an appreciation for the vital role that Further Education colleges play is important. First-time non-executives are strongly encouraged to apply, however it is likely that the Committee Chair will have sat on a Board previously.

Board members at West Thames College are valued for the unique perspectives they bring to the role. It is therefore expected that members engage fully in meetings, be prepared to voice their opinion, and to offer critical challenge and support to the executive.

A full list of current Board Members can be found here. 

The main Corporation Board meets four times per year. Meetings generally take place on Wednesdays at 6pm, on site at either the Isleworth or Feltham campuses, and last for two hours. In person attendance is strongly encouraged, however all meetings are hybrid in format. There are also two strategy half-days per year for the whole Corporation Board.

The Curriculum, Quality and Standards Committee and the Finance, Resources and Capital Projects Committee meets a further three times per year, on weekday evenings, and members of these Committees are expected to take part in the College's Self Assessment Review (SAR) which usually takes a whole day. The Committee Chairs will also sit on the Governance and Search Committee, which meets an additional three times per year. Beyond this, regular ad hoc engagement with the College, such as through attendance at events, is strongly encouraged.  

The roles are unremunerated, however reasonable, pre-agreed expenses will be reimbursed. 

Candidates should be London-based with an understanding of the West London region.

In line with its commitment to diversity and inclusion, West Thames College is looking to broaden the profile and experience of the Board so that it better reflects the communities which it serves. As such, women, those from ethnic minority backgrounds, and those from underprivileged backgrounds are actively encouraged to apply, as well as those looking to take on their first non-executive role. All appointments will be made on merit, following a fair and transparent process.