Join DDAT as a Community Member to help shape the future of education in your community by bringing your voice, insight and local perspective to the heart of Trust governance.
Helping every child and young person experience “life in all its fullness” (John 10:10) is at the heart of Derby Diocesan Academy Trust (DDAT). Strengthening the connection between our schools and the communities they serve has never been more important and this new Community Member role is designed to bring that vital connection into the Trust’s governance.
Members play a light-touch yet highly significant role within the Trust, acting as guardians of our charitable purpose and governance framework. As a Diocesan Trust, many of our Members are representatives of the Diocese, providing important oversight and ensuring that our Christian vision and values are lived out across both our church and community schools.
We are now seeking a Community Member to complement this expertise and further strengthen our relationship with the communities we serve. We are particularly interested in individuals with links to local employers, who can provide valuable insight into the pathways we create for our learners and help us enhance the opportunities we offer them as they prepare for the future.
Who we are
DDAT is a Church of England Multi-Academy Trust serving 33 schools across Derbyshire and Derby City. Our schools span city, market town and rural communities, working together to deliver high-quality education and meaningful life opportunities for every child.
We are a Trust rooted in collaboration. Our schools are not carbon copies of one another. School leaders are empowered to adapt their provision to the needs of their community whilst being supported by a central team with expertise across finance, HR, operations and school improvement.
As a Diocesan Trust, we are committed to our values of Inclusivity, Integrity, Community, Excellence and Courage. We apply all of these in pursuing our vision to nurture and empower everyone to reach their fullest potential, supporting each other on this journey.
Supporting both church schools and community schools, these shared values are what unite us. We foster an educational environment where every person is empowered to be themselves, to excel and to flourish.
About the role
The Community Member will join the Trust’s Members in acting as a guardian of DDAT’s charitable purpose and governance. This is a strategic, non-operational role focused on providing oversight, assurance and accountability rather than involvement in day-to-day management.
Members play a key role in ensuring that the Trust Board operates effectively and remains aligned with our vision and values. As a Community Member, you will bring an independent, external perspective, helping to ensure that our governance reflects and responds to the needs and opportunities within the communities we serve.
A key focus of this role will be to strengthen the Trust’s understanding of, and engagement with, the local labour market. We are particularly keen to enhance the pathways available to our pupils and to ensure that we provide pathways and opportunities for our pupils that help to prepare them for life beyond school and education.
Your insight and connections will contribute to the strategic oversight of our provision, helping to ensure that our learners are well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment.
Who we are looking for
We are seeking an individual with strong links to the Derbyshire community, ideally with experience as a local employer, business owner or senior professional.
You will bring valuable insight into the realities of the local labour market and the skills, behaviours and experiences that young people need to succeed in the workplace.
You do not need to be an education specialist, but you will have an interest in education and a commitment to improving outcomes and opportunities for young people.
An understanding of governance, or experience in a strategic or leadership role, would be advantageous.
We are particularly interested in candidates who can help us strengthen our connections with business and industry, supporting the development of career pathways, employer engagement and real-world learning opportunities for pupils across our schools.
You will demonstrate sound judgement, integrity and independence of thought, alongside a willingness to provide constructive challenge and support. A commitment to living and upholding our Trust values will be particularly important.
You do not need to be of Christian faith, but you will need to understand our Christian ethos, rooted in community, inclusivity and working together to achieve the best for all.
Above all, you will share our ambition to ensure that every child not only achieves academically, but also leaves our schools with the knowledge, skills and opportunities to thrive in their future lives.
Time commitment
Members are required to attend the Trust AGM (typically in February) and the mid-year general meeting (typically spring/early summer). We estimate the reading and preparation time for this at 4-6 hours per year. You may also be invited to attend certain other schools and Trust events throughout the year, though attendance is not a formal expectation.
The overall time commitment is low, around 3-4 days per year, but it represents an opportunity to help shape the future of education in your community and use your skills, experience and local perspective to improve the life chances of thousands of young people across Derby and Derbyshire.
To view the role description and person specification, please go to the ‘How to Apply’ tab above, fill in your details and download the trustee application pack.
For further information about the role or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultant at Peridot Partners:
Eddie Caviezel Cox | eddiec@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07951 920768
Welcome from our CEO
Dear prospective Community Member,
Thank you for your interest in becoming a Community Member for Derby Diocesan Academy Trust (DDAT).
Your potential contribution comes at an exciting and significant time for our Trust. Since our establishment in 2014, DDAT has grown into a diverse family of Church and community schools that work collaboratively to deliver excellent educational provision and strong governance across Derbyshire.
As we continue to grow — welcoming new schools, strengthening our geographic hubs and planning for potential capital developments — the role of our Members in providing strategic oversight, accountability and governance assurance has never been more important.
Over recent years, DDAT has invested in major improvements across our schools, including a unified management information system for our primaries and the implementation of new finance and HR platforms. These developments have created greater consistency, improved efficiencies and enhanced the support we can offer to our academies.
With further systems and initiatives on the horizon alongside work to embrace educational reforms, the Trust is entering a new phase of strategic development and we are seeking a Community Member who can provide an independent perspective, uphold the Trust’s charitable purpose and hold the Board of Directors
Our vision is clear: to build a better future for all across our academies, enabling our young people to positively impact their communities.
We do this by:
- Providing children with excellent educational provision
- Rapidly improving underperforming schools
- Strengthening school‑to‑school support
- Building meaningful, outward‑facing partnerships
- Raising aspirations and tackling disadvantage so that no pupil is ever failed by their school
DDAT academies — both Church and non‑Church — share a commitment to delivering an inspirational and holistic education that enables every child and member of staff to thrive. While our Christian foundation shapes our values and ethos, our schools are at the service of their communities; many non‑Church schools have chosen to join DDAT because they see those values reflected in our work.
At DDAT, we want all children and young people to “experience life in all its fullness” (John 10:10). Whether or not one comes from a faith perspective, this aspiration unites us in our ambition to provide opportunity, equity, and excellence for every pupil.
As a Community Member, you will play a vital governance role within the Trust. Members are responsible for safeguarding the Trust’s constitution, ensuring it remains true to its charitable object and exercising important powers such as appointing and removing Directors and holding them to account for the effective governance of the Trust.
Becoming a Community Member offers a meaningful opportunity to influence the long-term integrity and direction of the Trust, rather than its day-to-day operation, by providing independent oversight and supporting strong, transparent governance. The role is distinct from that of a Trustee and focuses on assurance, stewardship and accountability at the highest level.
If you share our vision and feel you can contribute your expertise, insight and commitment to our group of Members, we warmly encourage you to apply.
I look forward to the possibility of working together in the service of our schools and communities.
Yours faithfully,
Dr. Sarah Clark
Chief Executive Officer, Derby Diocesan Academy Trust
About us
Derby Diocesan Academy Trust (DDAT) is a growing family of 33 schools across Derbyshire and Derby City, united by Christian values of service, hope and aspiration.
Formed in 2014 and strengthened by a 2024 merger, the Trust now provides inclusive, high‑quality education for over 7,500 pupils in 32 primary/infant/junior schools and one secondary school, Derby Cathedral School, which includes an expanding sixth form.
We are a Trust that believes in local distinctiveness and shared accountability. Our schools are not carbon copies of one another; they are embedded in their communities, with freedom to shape their curriculum and culture in ways that respond to their context. At the same time, they are supported by a central infrastructure that provides expert leadership in finance, HR, IT, operations and school improvement. This structure allows school leaders to focus on what matters most: teaching and learning, pupil experience and staff development.
What sets DDAT apart is our collaborative ethos. We are not just a collection of schools; we are a connected community, committed to sharing expertise and learning from one another. Our school improvement team includes former headteachers, with inspection experience and we use robust internal data and external validation to ensure we are continuously improving.
Our impact is demonstrable: the longer a school is with us, the stronger the outcomes. We have a good track record in supporting our schools to improve their outcomes in reading, writing and maths over time and we are proud to have supported several schools out of ‘Inadequate’ status into strong, ‘Good’ provision.
Derby Cathedral School, our flagship secondary, represents our ambition in this phase. Opened in 2018 and moved into a new purpose-built site in 2021, it welcomed its first Year 12 cohort in 2023 and is rapidly developing its curriculum, sixth form offer and character education programme. The school embodies its FAITH values: Fellowship, Aspiration, Integrity, Tenacity and Humility and serves a richly diverse student body in the heart of Derby City.
We are now preparing for our next stage of growth and evolution, including a deepening commitment to the secondary phase. We know that to do this well, our governance must include expert voices with credibility, rigour and a passion for the transformative power of education.
Thank you for your interest in this role. Please download the Role Description and Person Specification and Application Form.
To formally apply, please submit the above application form and a supporting statement (ideally maximum 2 sides of A4 each) that clearly outlines your suitability for the role against the criteria provided in the person specification, including your interest and motivation in applying for this position.
Please include your home address, contact email and mobile.
Please ensure that your application is emailed to response@peridotpartners.co.uk, inserting “Application: Derby Diocesan Academy Trust — Community Member” into the subject field. You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt within 2-3 days. If you do not receive an acknowledgement, please contact our admin team.
For further information about the role or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultant at Peridot Partners:
Eddie Caviezel Cox | eddiec@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07951 920768
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Timetable
Closing date: 9 a.m. Monday 15th June 2026
We are in the process of confirming interview dates. As soon as we have this information, we will update the site and inform all who have already applied.
Equal Opportunities Monitoring
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