Trauma-Informed Education Governor: Shape Inclusive Futures in Hemel Hempstead

Haywood Grove School is seeking new governors - make a difference where it matters most. Our school provides a nurturing and inclusive environment for primary aged children with social, emotional and mental health needs. Rooted in a deep understanding of trauma and nervous system regulation, our approach prioritises safety, trust and empathy. We don't just manage behaviour - we understand it, respond with care and help children heal and thrive.

As a governor you will play a vital role in shaping the strategic direction of our school, ensuring our values remain at the heart of every decision. You will join a supportive and reflective team that is committed to listening, learning and leading with compassion.

We welcome applicants from individuals with lived experience, professional expertise in education, mental health, social care, or community work - or anyone with a strong belief in equity and inclusion. No previous governance experience is necessary; training and support will be provided.

We are especially keen to hear from candidates who:

• share our belief in trauma-informed, therapeutic approaches to education
• value diversity and understand the importance of representation
• are reflective, open-minded, and committed to life-long learning
• want to be part of a school that sees every child as capable and worthy

If you're ready to make a meaningful impact and contribute to a pioneering educational setting, we'd love to hear from you.

About Haywood Grove Specialist School: Haywood Grove School is a community that serves primary-aged children with significant social, emotional and mental health difficulties, and their families. We have a passionate conviction that all our children and community can achieve. We are optimistic about success and accept no restriction on what is possible for all people in our community.

We work respectfully and responsively with our families to ensure that the impact of our support can be seen both at school and home. We demonstrate high expectations for every child, through a high-quality creative curriculum and flexible and imaginative teaching that addresses each individual child’s learning and social, emotional, and sensory needs.

We get to know the children’s talents, their strengths and their weaknesses and build their learning around these, in addition to facilitating the accumulation of knowledge and skills across a broad and balanced range of subjects. We do the same for all community members.

We view behavioural challenges as regulatory issues and address all behaviours that would not be right for a safe and civil society. We provide the right kind of support, at the right time, in the right way such that children learn to regulate their own behaviour through internal control within the context of healthy and secure relationships, rather than by external force.

We make sure all our community members know how to stay regulated so that they can best help our children. We view behaviour as communication of thoughts and feelings, we listen to what children say and what they don’t say, and we engage in collaborative problem-solving with them, to find solutions.

We understand that their behaviour is driven by high levels of stress and support and teach them the explicit skills they need to return to a state of calm alert, ready for learning. We prepare our children for the next part of their educational journey and beyond, shaping their lives for the better. They become independent, resourceful, resilient and humane members of the wider world. They know their own worth and the positive contribution they can make to their own families and to a civil society.

Everyone is made to feel welcome at Haywood Grove.