Governors (Remunerated board role)

Summary

Hereward House School is a preparatory school for boys in the heart of Hampstead. They seek governors to support the work of their board and expand their expertise.

Detail

Who we are

Hereward House School is a high-performing independent preparatory school for boys aged 4–13, located in North London. With approximately 155 pupils on roll, the school offers a deliberately small and academically ambitious environment in which boys are known individually and encouraged to thrive.

The school prepares boys for entry to leading senior schools at both 11+ and 13+. Senior school destinations regularly include Westminster, St Paul’s, City of London, Highgate, UCS, Tonbridge and Merchant Taylors’, alongside a wide range of other highly regarded independent and maintained schools. Many pupils secure multiple offers, reflecting both strong academic preparation and careful, individualised guidance.

We keep classes small and introduce specialist teaching in the upper years. Expectations are high, and results reflect that.

As a preparatory school to 13+, Hereward House remains committed to the distinctive value of Years 7 and 8. These final years offer academic depth, leadership opportunities and maturity that are increasingly rare in an 11+ transition model. The school continues to advocate strongly for this extended preparatory experience while adapting to changes in the senior school landscape.

Respectful of its heritage but realistic about the challenges facing preparatory schools today, Hereward House combines academic ambition with careful long-term thinking. The priority is to maintain academic strength while ensuring the school is financially secure and well-positioned for the years ahead.

About the role

School Governors provide strategic oversight and constructive challenge to ensure the long-term success of the school. Working in partnership with the Members, Governors help set the vision, ethos and strategic direction, while respecting the operational leadership of the senior team. Governors monitor educational performance, pupil well-being and safeguarding, ensuring the school meets regulatory requirements and maintains high standards.

They review and support financial sustainability, scrutinising budgets and major investment decisions to secure value for money and long-term viability. Governors also contribute expertise in areas such as education, finance, legal compliance, estates, marketing and HR, strengthening informed decision-making.

A key function of governance is accountability, offering supportive challenge, asking probing questions and ensuring that risks are identified and managed appropriately. Governors act in the best interests of the school community, upholding its values and reputation. The role requires integrity, sound judgement, discretion and a commitment to attending meetings and engaging fully in the life of the school.

Hereward House School is now seeking at least two governors to bolster the Board’s expertise and is open to a variety of applicant backgrounds and areas of expertise. As part of succession planning, the Board will be particularly interested in applicants who can demonstrate knowledge and strategic understanding of school leadership in an independent school context and who can also support the administration of the Board and school project management initiatives, such as marketing and communications. These roles will be remunerated, and further details can be discussed with the Peridot team.

Board meeting schedule and time commitment:

The Governing Board meets formally four times per academic year. Meetings are typically held:

September: start of academic year strategy and priorities

Late November / early December: Autumn term review and forward planning.

March: Spring term review and forward planning

June: End-of-year review

Meetings are usually held in the early afternoon and last approximately two hours. Papers are circulated in advance. We appreciate that professional commitments can sometimes make in-person attendance difficult, and Governors are able to join meetings remotely via Zoom when necessary.

Governors are also expected to:

Review documentation ahead of meetings

Contribute to email discussions where appropriate

Be available for occasional ad hoc consultation if required

Additional Opportunities for Contribution:

In addition to the four scheduled Board meetings, Governors may be invited to contribute to specific annual review processes aligned to their expertise.

Governors are remunerated for their role as members of the Board, reflecting the time and responsibility involved in governance and oversight.

Where a Governor is asked to undertake work that is materially beyond the normal expectations of governance, for example, carrying out an annual review of a section of the school, this would be discussed and agreed in advance and remunerated separately.

All such arrangements are clearly defined to ensure transparency and appropriate separation from routine Board decision-making.

Who we are looking for:

We are seeking individuals who can bring sound judgement, independence of thought and a genuine commitment to supporting the continued success of our prep school. We welcome applicants from a wide range of professional and personal backgrounds and value diverse perspectives around the Board table.

Ideally, we would be keen to appoint someone with experience of clerking who can support the efficient administration and governance processes of the Board. Experience of marketing within the prep school sector would also be advantageous, particularly in supporting pupil recruitment and brand positioning. However, we remain open to candidates whose skills and experience can add value in other ways.

All Governors must be willing to commit the time required to attend four meetings per year and to prepare thoroughly in advance. There is remuneration available for additional work undertaken in advising and supporting the Members of the Board beyond core governance responsibilities.