Lead Change. Inspire Futures. Become an Academy Councillor with CLF.

🌟 Volunteer and Make a Lasting Impact on Education Across Bristol! 🌟

Are you passionate about helping young people thrive? Do you want to influence education in your community? At Cabot Learning Federation (CLF), we’re looking for committed volunteers to join our Academy Councils and help shape the future of learning.

CLF is a family of 36 academies—including primary, secondary, all-through schools, and post-16 provision—spanning Bristol, South Gloucestershire, Gloucester, Weston-Super-Mare, and Somerset. Our shared purpose is simple: every child deserves the best possible start in life.

The Bristol Cluster includes a mix of primary, secondary and alternative provision academies. For further information on the full list of academies and provisions, this can be found in the ‘Bristol Cluster: Our Local Academies’ section of the advert below.

Key Responsibilities of an Academy Councillor

As a Sponsored Academy Councillor, you’ll act as a critical friend to the academy, providing challenge and support to Principals and leadership teams. Your responsibilities include:

• Attend Council Meetings regularly (around 5 per year, 2 hours each).
• Champion Safeguarding & Wellbeing: Ensure health and safety policies are implemented and statutory training is met.
• Monitor Risk & Improvement: Review risk registers, academy improvement plans, and responses to Ofsted/DfE inspections.
• Hold Leaders to Account: Oversee student attainment, attendance, and curriculum effectiveness.
• Policy & Compliance: Approve and monitor local policies and procedures.
• Panel Participation: Take part in panels for exclusions, complaints, and key decisions.
• Financial Oversight: Review financial plans and monitor resource allocation.
• Recruitment & Appraisal: Engage in senior leadership recruitment and contribute to Principal appraisals.
• Champion Inclusion: Advocate for disadvantaged pupils and educational equity.
• Act as an Ambassador for the academy, its pupils, and staff.
• Average time commitment: around 1 hour per week across the year.

Why Volunteer with CLF?

• Influence Education: Help guide strategic decisions and hold leaders accountable.
• Professional Growth: Develop skills in leadership, governance, and strategic planning.
• Community Impact: Make a tangible difference to children and families in your area.
• Networking: Connect with over 300 passionate volunteers across the South West.

We welcome volunteers from all walks of life. No prior education experience needed, just enthusiasm and commitment. We especially encourage applications from underrepresented and global majority groups.

Bristol Cluster: Our Local Academies

Primary Academies (Ages 3–11)

• Begbrook Primary Academy
• Evergeen Academy
• Frome Vale Academy
• Lansdown Park Academy
• Minerva Primary Academy
• Summerhill Academy
• Wicklea Academy
• Woodlands Academy

Secondary Academies (Ages 11–16)

• Bristol Brunel Academy
• Bristol Metropolitan Academy
• City Academy Bristol

Alternative Provision – Snowdon Village

Snowdon Village provides specialist education through four distinct provisions:

• Bristol Futures – supporting students with complex needs
• Engage – tailored intervention for learners requiring additional support
• Nest – therapeutic and nurturing environments
• City School – bespoke education for students needing alternative pathways

To learn more about our academies, their locations, and Cabot Learning Federation as a whole, visit the CLF website and explore the ‘Our Academies’ section.

How to apply:

By clicking ‘Apply’ on the advert page, you will be re-directed to the CLF Governance Page. On this page, please access and complete the Expression of Interest form (towards the bottom of the page and titled ‘Express Your Interest’) and detail the academy you are interested in becoming an Academy Councillor. The Governance Team will pick this up and contact you directly to arrange an initial call/meeting, along with informing you about any other next steps of the process.

We welcome visits from potential volunteers. If you would like to arrange a school visit as part of your interest in becoming an Academy Councillor at one of our academies, please let us know during the initial call/meeting you have with a member of our Governance Team.

Safeguarding & Inclusion

We take safeguarding seriously. All volunteers must complete an application form, provide references, and undergo checks, including a DBS.