The Trumpington Federation

The Trumpington Federation consists of two primary schools in Trumpington, Fawcett Primary School and Trumpington Meadows Primary School. Trumpington is a suburb to the south of Cambridge, and has gone through a period of rapid expansion over the last 15 years with new housing developments being built to serve the city. Fawcett is a well-established school in the heart of Trumpington, named in honour of Henry Fawcett, the distinguished Victorian academic and politician. Fawcett School was built to meet the needs of families moving into the new post-war housing in the area. Trumpington Meadows School was opened in 2013 to serve Trumpington’s more recent growth. The school sits in the heart of a new development and beside the expansive Trumpington Meadows Country Park maintained by the Wildlife Trust. The two schools are governed by one Governing Body.

As a Federation, our strength lies in collaborating to share ideas and expertise across the schools; our cornerstone belief is that the Federation is greater than the sum of its parts. School leaders, governors and staff have a unified vision centred on supporting all children at our schools to achieve their potential. 

The Role of Co-Chair of the Governing Body

At The Trumpington Federation, we have operated with a model of two Co-Chairs for a number of years. We find that this not only helps with workload, but also reflects one of our core values of collaboration as the Co-Chairs work together to lead the Governing Body.

As Co-Chair, you will:

• Provide strategic leadership to the governing body, setting a clear vision, culture and direction for the Federation.

• Build and maintain a strong, professional relationship with the Executive Head Teacher, offering support and holding them to account for performance, wellbeing and leadership.

• Lead the board’s contribution to school improvement through strategic oversight of self-evaluation, priorities, pupil outcomes and stakeholder engagement.

• Ensure the board operates effectively as a team, balancing support and challenge and modelling high standards of conduct and governance.

• Represent and advocate for the Federation with external partners and within the wider community.

• Chair Governing Body business effectively, working with the Clerk to Governors to ensure focused meetings, sound decisions and follow-through.

What we’re looking for

We welcome applications from individuals who:  

• Have experience of governance.

• Enjoy working collaboratively and would welcome the opportunity to work closely with with a co-chair.

• Possess strong communication and facilitation skills.

• Are able to build consensus and manage challenge.

• Are committed to inclusivity, fairness, and the highest standards of integrity.

• Can dedicate time to Governing Body meetings, preparation, and engagement with the school community.

Knowledge of education is helpful but not essential.

More information can be found on the governance section of the Federation website

Interested applicants are welcome to contact clerk@trufed.org.uk to arrange an informal chat with our current Co-Chairs.

Early applications are encouraged; we reserve the right to make an appointment prior to the advertised closing date.

The Trumpington Federation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children  and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All governors are required to  undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check.