About this Role

The Springfields Academy  is seeking dedicated and passionate individuals to join the team of voluntary Governors, who look to make a difference in the School community. 

Governance at Reach South Academy Trust

At Reach South Academy Trust, governance is the cornerstone of our commitment to delivering high-quality education across our family of academies. Our governance framework ensures accountability, strategic oversight, and continuous improvement, supporting our mission to advance education for all.

The Trust operates through a multi-layered governance structure that includes:

• Members: guardians of the Trust’s constitution
• Board of Trustees: responsible for strategic direction and oversight
• Board Committees: focused on key areas such as finance, education standards, people, risk, and audit
• Executive Team: led by the CEO, managing day-to-day operations
• Local Governing Bodies (LGBs): providing challenge and support to individual academies.

Each tier plays a vital role in ensuring that our academies are well-led, compliant, and aligned with our values and educational principles.

To learn more about our governance structure, roles, and responsibilities, please refer to our comprehensive Governance Handbook.

Main responsibilities of the Board of Governors

• To act within the formal powers and rules as set out in the Memorandum and Articles of Association
• To determine the educational character and mission of the School and to exercise oversight of its activities
• To approve the quality improvement strategy for the institution.
• To ensure the effective and efficient use of resources, the solvency of the School and to safeguard its assets.
• To act in the best interests of the School.
• To be fully informed about the operation of the School.
• To ensure decisions are always taken for the benefit of the School, its students, staff and other users and with a view of safeguarding public funds.
• To act as individuals and not bound by mandates from other bodies.
• To attend School events, such as student awards presentations and open days, in order to gain an appreciation of and support the work of the School.

About the School

The Springfields Academy is specialist academy for 250 pupils aged 4-19 who have a diagnosis of autism and/or present with a speech, language and communication need. Over recent years the school has substantially grown in response to Wiltshire need and now offers high quality research based education to its population.

The Springfields Academy builds safe, independent lives through support, understanding and enablement for our autistic population.

To achieve this goal, we look at the unique impact autism has on the individual child and as a result, personalise the child’s curriculum, care and therapeutic package to ensure every child achieves and experiences success and independence.

This model is based on personalisation and innovation, and we pride ourselves on approach to meeting the presenting needs of all pupils. We are proud to be recognised as an Ofsted ‘Good’ school that holds the NAS Advanced Specialist Award.

We have a clear strategic vision of becoming a ‘centre and system of excellence’ for autism and are two years through a four year plan to achieve this.

What is the Springfields Therapy Offer?

Our Therapy first culture lays the foundation lays the foundation for all our pupils to learn. Our Therapy Team implement our tiers of therapeutic support in Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language and Wellbeing. They detail our whole school and class approaches, group and individual therapy.

What is the curriculum offer?

At Springfields we have two clear curriculum pathways. When pupils join us in Reception we assess which Curriculum pathway they will access from year 1.

• Discovery Curriculum – semi-formal Pathway. A Semi-Formal Curriculum Pathway is a sensory and developmental curriculum, aimed at learners that are in the very early stages of learning and development. Discovery learners work consistently below the National Curriculum, with aspiration to work towards end of Key Stage 1 expectations by the end of Key Stage 4.

• Explorer/Pathfinder Curriculum – following a formal curriculum pathway that makes reference to the National Curriculum.

This Pathway is aimed at learners that are able to work within the levels of the national curriculum and Early Years Foundation Stage Framework. However, our curriculum is structured to bespoke curriculum journeys towards aspirational outcomes tailored for our pupils.

What Autism Enablement approaches are in place?

Springfields' approach to autism enablement is based on the social model of support, removing barriers to enable our learners to thrive.

Pupils benefit from an autism friendly environment and sensory support strategies where the TEACCH principles are embedded throughout our environment at whole school, class and individual level (as required). Our learning approach ensures that pupils have the opportunity to retrieve/recap information, develop key vocabulary and learn key concepts in a variety of ways using our 8 Steps to Lesson Success Model.

As well as experiencing a Total Communication Environment, specific speech and language approaches are embedded into our teaching such as Attention Autism, shape coding, word aware, sensory stories, task cards and graphical organisers. In addition, our Discovery learners benefit from Intensive Interaction, Identiplay, PECs, Communication boards and aids and follow a communication curriculum.

How is Springfields structured?

When pupils join us in Reception access a bespoke early years environment where we can gain a greater understanding of their academic and communication profile before they move onto a semi – formal or formal curriculum pathway.

Primary and Secondary pupils up to Year 8 benefit from a ‘core class’ approach with consistent staff Pupils in Year 9/10 benefit from a ‘core class’ approach, with limited transitions to their chosen Pathway.

We find this approach helps pupils to have a sense of belonging and reduces transitions, which may cause anxiety.

Pupils in Year 10/11 can access a subject specific class having built up the self-reliance skills.

In order to transition and organise themselves during their Springfields journey.

How are pupils prepared for adulthood?

We appreciate that every child’s developmental journey to adulthood is unique.

Our curriculum has a specific Personal Development focus which helps our pupils develop the knowledge and skills to inform post-school planning regards employment, independent living, community inclusion and health.

The Annual Review of Education, Health and Care Plans encompasses a personal centred ‘My Life, My Way’ PATHs approach to planning provision and pupils’ next steps.

All pupils access an accredited ‘Life and Living’ program personalised to their needs and we aspire that pupils achieve Duke of Edinburgh Award and qualifications in first aid, travel training and health.

We are proud to host our annual Neurodiverse ‘Futures Fair’ which brings together employers, support services and further and higher education establishments to inspire our pupils at the possibilities that lie ahead post Springfields.

Come and Join us!

This is an exciting time to join Springfields! The school supports many schools and organisations across the South West of England and is positioning itself positively to support and respond to an ever changing national SEND picture.

About the Trust

Reach South is a young and developing Trust which operates across the South West of England with the aim of delivering all through 3-19 education. We operate 16 academies in Plymouth, Exeter, Bournemouth, Dorset and Wiltshire. We are building this Trust on a clear set of values, behaviours and curriculum principles. At the heart of those values and principles is a belief in our young people and a determination to support them to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes to become the successful citizens for today and all of their tomorrows.

Our core business is delivering exceptional education for children and young people with a mission to help all pupils aspire to achieve beyond the expectations that others put on them. We do this through the development of a talented and committed workforce. In order to deliver exceptional opportunities for learning, we need highly motivated staff across all parts of the organisation.

Those we recruit are able to demonstrate that they share our values, are highly motivated to work with colleagues, within and beyond their school, to continuously develop their skills and pursue professional excellence.

Next Steps

Please get in touch by contacting the  Chair of Governors Sandra Chase  ;  sandra.chase@reachsouth.org