Academy Councillor - North Somerset Cluster in England

Lead Change. Inspire Futures. Become an Academy Councillor with CLF. Volunteer and Make a Lasting Impact on Education Across North Somerset!

Are you passionate about helping young people thrive? Do you want to influence education in your community? At Cabot Learning Federation (CLF), we’re looking for committed volunteers to join our Academy Councils and help shape the future of learning. CLF is a family of 36 academies—including primary, secondary, all-through schools, and post-16 provision—spanning Bristol, South Gloucestershire, Gloucester, Weston‑Super‑Mare, and Somerset. Our shared purpose is simple: every child deserves the best possible start in life.

The North Somerset Cluster includes a mix of primary, secondary, and alternative provision academies.

Key Responsibilities of an Academy Councillor

• Attend Council Meetings regularly (around 5 per year, 2 hours each).
• Champion Safeguarding & Wellbeing: Ensure health and safety policies are implemented and statutory training is met.
• Monitor Risk & Improvement: Review risk registers, academy improvement plans, and responses to Ofsted/DfE inspections.
• Hold Leaders to Account: Oversee student attainment, attendance, and curriculum effectiveness.
• Policy & Compliance: Approve and monitor local policies and procedures.
• Panel Participation: Take part in panels for exclusions, complaints, and key decisions.
• Financial Oversight: Review financial plans and monitor resource allocation.
• Recruitment & Appraisal: Engage in senior leadership recruitment and contribute to Principal appraisals.
• Champion Inclusion: Advocate for disadvantaged pupils and educational equity.
• Act as an Ambassador for the academy, its pupils, and staff.

Average time commitment: around 1 hour per week across the year.

Why Volunteer with CLF?

• Influence Education: Help guide strategic decisions and hold leaders accountable.
• Professional Growth: Develop skills in leadership, governance, and strategic planning.
• Community Impact: Make a tangible difference to children and families in your area.
• Networking: Connect with over 300 passionate volunteers across the South West.

We welcome volunteers from all walks of life. No prior education experience needed, just enthusiasm and commitment. We especially encourage applications from underrepresented and global majority groups.

How to apply:

By clicking ‘Apply’ on the advert page, you will be re-directed to the CLF Governance Page. On this page, please access and complete the Expression of Interest form (towards the bottom of the page and titled ‘Express Your Interest’) and detail the academy you are interested in becoming an Academy Councillor. The Governance Team will pick this up and contact you directly to arrange an initial call/meeting, along with informing you about any other next steps of the process.

We welcome visits from potential volunteers. If you would like to arrange a school visit as part of your interest in becoming an Academy Councillor at one of our academies, please let us know during the initial call/meeting you have with a member of our Governance Team.

Safeguarding & Inclusion

We take safeguarding seriously. All volunteers must complete an application form, provide references, and undergo checks, including a DBS.

Safeguarding Statement

The Cabot Learning Federation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All roles across the trust have a varying level of responsibility for ensuring safeguarding practice, with some roles holding significant responsibility and involving working with children on a daily basis in regulated activity. Regardless of the level of responsibility and involvement in each role, we expect all staff, visiting professionals and volunteers to share this commitment.

All successful candidates will undergo a comprehensive pre‑employment checking process, including an enhanced DBS check (including a further check against the appropriate barred list), references from current and previous employers, health, right to work in the UK, child disqualification (where applicable), prohibition from teaching/management and online checks. You must also tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.