Appointment of Chair Wellington College - January 2020 - Saxton Bampfylde

Appointment of Chair
 Wellington College

    January 2020

Contents
Introduction
About Wellington College
Governance
The Role
The Person
Terms of Appointment
How to Apply

Introduction
Wellington College is one of the world's top coeducational day and boarding schools founded in 1859,
combining innovation with 150 years of history. The Good Schools Guide says of Wellington that it is
“hard to imagine it done better. A site and campus to dream about. A school with mind, heart, guts
and a constant fizz”. The School’s identity is built upon intellectual curiosity, true independence, a
generous and far-reaching inclusivity and the courage to be properly and unselfishly individual.

The College’s ethos is based on understanding the needs and talents of each individual. While many
schools focus on examination results and league table position, Wellington strives to support its pupils
and bring out the best in them. We want our pupils to become truly independent, and those who can
think, learn and cope independently will be the leaders and game-changers of the future.

Underlying its mission, Wellington says of its students:

‘We want our pupils to be inspired by everything they do at Wellington, both inside and outside of the
classroom, so they leave school as interested and interesting people.

We want our pupils to adopt a genuinely intellectual approach to their academic work and to their
view of the world around them, in the knowledge that a Wellington education is only the beginning of
an exciting and life-long journey of learning.

We want each and every pupil to be valued and developed as an individual, so their Wellington
experience is much more than just going to school – rather, it is the journey to self.

And we want our pupils to be inclusive in all dealings with other people, so they leave the College with
the ability to engage with their local, national and international communities, and with a burning
desire to do good in the world.’

About Wellington College
Wellington College was granted its Royal Charter in December 1853, conceived as a living memorial to
distinguished military leader and Prime Minister HG Arthur Wellesley, the 1st Duke of Wellington.
The foundation stone was laid by Queen Victoria in 1856. The College was dedicated to educating the
orphan sons of army officers—the original ‘Foundationers.’ Wellington College began to admit girls to
the Sixth Form in the 1970s, before welcoming its first fully coeducational class in September 2006.

Located on 400 leafy acres in the Berkshire countryside, Wellington is situated just 35 miles
southwest of London. The College currently educates around 1,060 pupils, 80% of whom elect to
board. Wellingtonians can enjoy state-of-the-art facilities and beautiful historical buildings, including
the Science and Technology Centres, the Modern Languages Institute, the GW Annenberg Performing
Arts Centre, and the Mandarin Centre, as well as sports pitches, the brand new Robin Dyer Centre for
netball, tennis and cricket, Sports Centre, Real Tennis, squash and racket courts, two swimming pools,
and a championship golf course. The College enjoys an outstanding national reputation for the quality
of its sport and Performing Arts, as well as an established Global Citizenship Programme.

Wellington College blends strong academic and pastoral priorities to create a supportive learning
environment where pupils can excel. Wellington pupils regularly achieve over 90% A*-B grades at A
level; in 2019 the College’s IB average was 40.2, placing Wellington in the top 10 IB schools in the
world. Over the past five years, 118 Wellingtonians have been offered places at Oxford and Cambridge.
The College regularly send 25-30 students to US universities every year. Over 95% of Wellingtonians
go on to Oxford or Cambridge, Ivy League, or Russell Group Universities.

Pupils belong to one of 17 Houses, and 90-95% of pupils are awarded a place in their first or second
choice House. Each House has a Housemaster or Housemistress and a team of tutors who look after
individual year groups within the House community. The HMs serve a crucial role in the Wellington
community; they are the first point of contact for parents and have overarching responsibility for the
pastoral life of the pupils in their care.

Wellington’s approach to academic and pastoral care is underwritten by its commitment to centring
on the child as an individual. The College was the first UK school to pioneer a Wellbeing curriculum,
which is now in its 13th year. Wellington seeks to promote physical health, positive relationships,
perspective, engagement, sustainability, and meaning and purpose as the key markers of its pupils’
wellbeing, and sees these as central to a successful education.

Governance
The Board of Governors

Wellington College is governed by a Board of Governors, led by the Vice-President. The Board of
Governors is responsible for the wellbeing of the school as a whole, taking or endorsing strategic and
financial decisions, monitoring the College’s finances, and appointing the Master. Wellington’s
current governors come from a variety of backgrounds, and are united by a commitment to education
and the success of the school. The Governors are regular visitors to the College, meeting with staff and
students to stay in tune with developments.

His Grace the Duke of Wellington OBE serves as Ex-officio Governor to the College.

Executive Leadership

Wellington College is led by James Dahl, the 15th Master of Wellington College, who took up post on 1
September 2019. James read Classics at Cambridge, beginning his teaching career at Brighton College
before becoming Head of Classics. He then served as a Housemaster at Repton School. James joined
Wellington College as Director of Admissions in 2013, before taking on the role of Director of
Marketing in 2014, and becoming Deputy Head (Pastoral) in 2018.

James is supported by Cressida Henderson, Second Master; Stephen Crouch, Bursar; and six Deputy
Heads.

The Role
The Chair will provide strategic leadership to the Board, guiding the executive team to create an
outstanding, sustainable future for the College. The next Chair will be a highly respected individual
with the profile, stature, character and stakeholder engagement to be a compelling and effective
presence, both within the College and as an ambassador.

Strategic

   • The Chair will ensure that the College has a clear strategic vision which includes a clear view of
     where the school wants to position itself in the world today that is shared and agreed between
     Governors and senior staff and is in line with the aims of the College and delivers against Public
     Benefit requirements.

   • The Chair will play a key role in ensuring that the agreed strategic vision is analysed, expressed
     and implemented via strategic plans that contain a clear set of objectives. It is expected that all
     subsidiary plans, objectives and work must be aligned with and contribute to the strategic plan.

   • The Chair will work with the Governors to ensure the Board’s work is a balance of necessary
     attention to current operational issues and the need to secure the future of the College by clear
     strategic, forward planning; this may include thinking about innovative ways to diversify revenue
     streams.

Governance and risk

   • The Chair will provide leadership and focus for the Board. The College is an increasingly complex
     organisation and needs modern and effective governance structures to enable its successful
     operation.

   • The Chair will be responsible for appraising the contribution and performance of the Governors
     both individually and collectively, thus ensuring that the Board is fully capable of fulfilling its role
     and purpose.

   • The Chair will be formally and informally involved in the process of recruitment of new members
     to the Board, and should ensure all new members receive an effective induction.

   • The Chair will ensure the Board is a powerful resource for the Master and Executive Leadership
     Team, facilitating communication and delegation of work streams as appropriate to achieve such.

   • The Chair holds responsibility for ensuring that a multi-dimensional risk framework exists,
     defining the College’s risk tolerance and ensuring regular monitoring of compliance in relation to
     such. This is to critically include all elements of safeguarding and pastoral care, in parallel with
     normal financial measures.

Leadership

   • The Chair, in conjunction with the Master and the Executive Leadership Team, will define the
     agenda and annual calendar of the Board. The Chair will ensure the agenda strikes the right
     balance between developing new strategies and operational reviews.

   • The Chair will ensure that the Board receives appropriate, good quality and timely information to
     enable the Board to make sound decisions.

   • The Chair will ensure that key committees are in place, staffed and evaluated appropriately.

• The Chair will be responsible for identifying Chairs of the Committees of the Board and will make
    recommendations for appointment to the Board after consultation with the Nominations
    Committee.

  • The Chair should ensure the Board exercises collective responsibility, encouraging all members to
    work together and seeking to build consensus. Differences between Governors or between the
    Master and members of the Executive Leadership Team should be resolved quickly and
    constructively.

The external role

  • The Chair will play a major role in representing the Board and Wellington College externally.

  • The Chair will lead the ongoing development of contacts in both the private and public sectors

  • The Chair will be expected to play a major role in liaising between key stakeholders and
    Wellington College.

  • Through personal influence and networking skills, the Chair will add weight and gravitas to
    fundraising efforts. This will be coordinated with and supported by the internal fundraising
    development team.

Child protection and safeguarding

  • The Chair will lead the Board in satisfying its Child Protection and Safeguarding responsibilities.

  • The Chair will work closely with the Governors with specific responsibility for Child Protection to
    keep abreast of the Child Protection and Safeguarding issues as they arise in the School.

  • The Chair is kept informed and discusses important safeguarding matters with the Master or
    other members of the Executive Leadership Team as applicable and ensures the monitoring of
    the effectiveness of the Board and staff to whom safeguarding responsibilities are delegated.

The Person
The next Chair of Wellington College will:

   • Be a proactive and significant presence;

   • Be an ambassador for Wellington College, regionally, nationally and internationally;

   • Lead a renewed fundraising initiative and strategy, as a strategic objective for the Board;

   • Chair and lead the Board, including building and developing board membership and bring a
     strong and modern view of good governance;

   • Support the Master and wider Executive Leadership Team in their roles.

The next Chair of Wellington College will demonstrate:

   • A great interest in and passion for education;

   • An in depth understanding of complex governance structures and procedures;

   • A strategic approach to public benefit requirements and wider goals of social impact;

   • Outstanding listening and communication, with the experience to exercise wise counsel and
     judgment;

   • Outstanding influencing skills, as well as strategic and financial leadership;

   • The ability and personal qualities to lead a successful fundraising strategy;

   • An ability to take a strategic view on income generation, including an understanding of how to
     diversify revenue streams in a regulated environment;

   • The ability and personal qualities to support a successful fundraising strategy;

   • A person of integrity and a proven ability to build relationships across public and private sectors.

Terms of Appointment
Term of Appointment

Four-year renewable term.

Start Date

The appointed candidate will commence as Chairman from June 2021, and Chairman elect from June
2020.

Time Commitment

Approximately sixty days a year.

How to Apply
Saxton Bampfylde Ltd is acting as an employment agency advisor to Wellington College on this appointment.

Candidates should apply for this role through our website at www.saxbam.com/appointments, using code
GAIAEA.

Click on the ‘apply’ button and follow the instructions to upload a CV and cover letter.

The closing date for applications is noon on 21 February 2020.

GDPR personal data notice
According to GDPR guidelines, we are only able to process your Sensitive Personal Data (racial or ethnic origin,
political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, genetic data, biometric data, health, sex
life, or sexual orientation) with your express consent. You will be asked to complete a consent form when you apply
and please do not include any Sensitive Personal Data within your CV (although this can be included in your covering
letter if you wish to do so), remembering also not to include contact details for referees without their prior agreement.

The equal opportunities monitoring online form will not be shared with anyone involved in assessing your application.
Please complete as part of the application process.

Saxton Bampfylde
LONDON
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London WC2E 7EG

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