Clerk to Governors William Barnes Primary School

William Barnes Primary School in Sturminster Newton is seeking a dedicated and enthusiastic individual to join the team as a part time Clerk to Governors to work on average 3 hours per week (term time only - 38 working weeks).

We are a friendly and inclusive learning environment dedicated to providing an engaging, high-quality education for children aged 4 - 11 years. 

As the Clerk to Governors you will contribute to the efficient and effective function of the Governing board by:

• Providing efficient, reliable and confidential service to the Governing Body and committees;
• To advise the Governing Body on constitutional matters and procedures for school governance;
• Managing information effectively in accordance with legal requirements.

Applicants must demonstrate flexibility in their approach to the role as there is no fixed pattern of working hours. Meetings are usually scheduled for Monday evenings at 6pm but all preparation before and after meetings is expected to be completed remotely from home. A laptop and access to necessary data will be provided for the role.

About you:
We are seeking a candidate who possesses:

• A high level of organisational and administrative abilities;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
• Flexibility in adapting to varying working hours;
• A collaborative nature, able to work both independently and part of a team;
• Familiarity with educational legislation, guidelines, and legal mandates;
• Efficient time management skills for prioritising tasks and meeting deadlines.
• Understanding of the confidential nature of the role.

Requirements:

• Experience of clerking/Minute taking;
• Knowledge of Governance and legislative requirements relevant to a school;
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Word/Excel/Outlook/Office 365.

There will be a transitional period during which the current Clerk will facilitate the handover of the role, ensuring that all responsibilities are properly conveyed. Relevant training and support will also be provided by Dorset Governor Services.

Closing Date: Friday 25^th September 2026

Interview date: Friday 2^nd October 2026

William Barnes school values the diversity of our workforce and welcomes applications from all sectors of the community.

Our school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people; this is a commitment which we expect all staff and volunteers to share. The successful candidate will be required to have a Disclosure and Barring Service check in line with the Governments safer recruitment guidelines.

This role is UK based and your Right to Work will need to be established as part of the appointment process.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974. The amendments to the ROA 1974 (Exceptions Order 1975, (2013 and 2020)) provide that when applying for certain jobs and activities, certain spent convictions and cautions are ‘protected’, so they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. The MOJ’s guidance on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide.

Keeping Children Safe in Education

Our school will conduct online searches of shortlisted candidates. This check will be part of a safeguarding check, and the search will purely be based on whether an individual is suitable to work with children. All aspects of social media and internet searches will be conducted. As care must be taken to avoid unconscious bias and any risk of discrimination, a person who will not on the appointment panel will conduct the searches and will only share information if and when findings are relevant and of concern.