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Independent Chair, Gloucestershire Education Forum (GEF)

The Gloucestershire Education Forum membership brings together the systems’ leaders from the county’s local education system, including:

  • The county’s headteacher association chairs
  • The CEOs of multi-academy trusts with a footprint in the county
  • The Gloucestershire Lead for the DfE’s Regions Team
  • The Director of Education for the Diocese of Gloucester
  • The Director of Gloucestershire’s Research and Teaching Schools

Since September 2025, GCC’s Lead Council Member for Education and Skills has joined the Forum.

In September 2022, the first in-person meeting recorded the following purpose for the education systems leaders’ group:

The Forum should:

  • Shape a culture of trust and transparency amongst all education providers, recognising the natural competition which exists
  • Recognise that ‘we are all the local education system’, eschewing the tired language of ‘us’ and ‘them’
  • Act as an advocate for high quality education in the county, for all pupils and for all settings
  • Engage with key regional and national agencies to ensure Gloucestershire’s voice is heard and listened to

There was a united resolve that the Forum should have one distinctive purpose, namely: to shape the trust-led landscape in Gloucestershire - ‘a stronger and fairer school system’, as the White Paper 2022 then described it.

Since then, and reflecting changes in the political landscape under different governments, together the Forum has morphed into the following:

The Forum serves as an impartial ambassador for every child - circa 7,000 per age cohort - educated in Gloucestershire, rooted in shared values and ambitions, with aims to:

  • Improve well-being and academic outcomes for all children and young people
  • Co-design a partnership-led system
  • Promote system generosity
  • Provide opportunities for professional development

Together the Forum has continued to build partnerships and trust across the county.

This commissioned research gave the Forum a useful starting point for some of its work on disadvantage, including a number of partnership funded projects.

The Forum has organised a number of successful inter-school visits focused on SEND, in the spirit of system generosity. And deliberate links with the Glos Research School have proved mutually beneficial.

In November 2024, the Forum membership produced a powerful summary of the five ‘manifest challenges’ faced by educationists across the county: funding, special educational needs, disadvantage, early years, speech and language.

In April 2025 we brought together a group of the county’s MPs to talk about SEND – and that was a gathering that had impact not only about special needs but also about the funding of education in Gloucestershire. (The Forum awaits news from MPs as to whether to repeat the event in May 2026).
And throughout all this time and activity, a core group of colleagues has supported GEF generously, and has ensured that the Forum complements what other groups across the phases are focusing upon.

Together the Forum has continued to build partnerships and trust across the county.

This commissioned research gave the Forum a useful starting point for some of its work on disadvantage, including a number of partnership funded projects.

The Forum has organised a number of successful inter-school visits focused on SEND, in the spirit of system generosity. And deliberate links with the Glos Research School have proved mutually beneficial.

In November 2024, the Forum membership produced a powerful summary of the five ‘manifest challenges’ faced by educationists across the county: funding, special educational needs, disadvantage, early years, speech and language.

In April 2025 we brought together a group of the county’s MPs to talk about SEND – and that was a gathering that had impact not only about special needs but also about the funding of education in Gloucestershire. (The Forum awaits news from MPs as to whether to repeat the event in May 2026).
And throughout all this time and activity, a core group of colleagues has supported GEF generously, and has ensured that the Forum complements what other groups across the phases are focusing upon.

Help shape the future of education across Gloucestershire. The Gloucestershire Education Forum (GEF) brings together system leaders from schools, trusts, local authority and diocesan partners to champion the best outcomes for children and young people. 

We are seeking an independent, impartial and highly credible Chair to lead the Forum’s work from September 2026.

Help shape the future of education across Gloucestershire. The Gloucestershire Education Forum (GEF) brings together system leaders from schools, trusts, local authority and diocesan partners to champion the best outcomes for children and young people. 

We are seeking an independent, impartial and highly credible Chair to lead the Forum’s work from September 2026.

As Independent Chair, you will:

  • Provide strategic, non-executive leadership to the Forum, setting a clear agenda and ensuring focus on impact for children and young people
  • Facilitate inclusive, well-governed, multi-agency meetings that secure commitment, challenge and assurance
  • Build trusted relationships across school leaders, trusts, diocesan bodies, the local authority and regional partners
  • Champion evidence informed practice and support transparent decision making
  • Ensure the performance of activities and associated preparation and follow up work for the scheduled meetings as the Independent Chair of the Gloucestershire Education Forum for academic years 2026-27 to 2028-29 under a Contract for Services

Outcomes

  • Through co productive and collaborative working with systems leaders in the local education system, build consensus, system generosity and support the development of a workplan of activity and workstreams to deliver the agreed ambitions of the Forum’s Outcomes Framework and the Children’s Coalition’s ‘OnePlan’
  • To assist in ensuring the appropriate and effective use of public money in line with value for money principles in overseeing the delivery of the Forum’s workplan

About you

You will bring:

  • Significant leadership experience within education
  • A strong understanding of Gloucestershire’s educational landscape and priorities
  • Demonstrable independence, integrity and impartiality
  • The ability to chair complex discussions and drive consensus
  • Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills
  • Management experience in education sectors which have led to positive outcomes for children, young people and/or their families
  • Experience of effective working across organisational boundaries which has led to improved outcomes for children, young people and their families
  • Experience or developing/leading change
  • Experience of effective use of influence within multi-agency or similar work which has led to a positive impact on others
  • Experience of effective partnership work
  • Wide knowledge and understanding of national Education policies and the legislative framework affecting children, young people and their families and how these apply to the local education system
  • Good knowledge and understanding of local needs and priorities of children, young people and their families and how organisations and agencies need to respond

As Independent Chair, you will:

  • Provide strategic, non-executive leadership to the Forum, setting a clear agenda and ensuring focus on impact for children and young people
  • Facilitate inclusive, well-governed, multi-agency meetings that secure commitment, challenge and assurance
  • Build trusted relationships across school leaders, trusts, diocesan bodies, the local authority and regional partners
  • Champion evidence informed practice and support transparent decision making
  • Ensure the performance of activities and associated preparation and follow up work for the scheduled meetings as the Independent Chair of the Gloucestershire Education Forum for academic years 2026-27 to 2028-29 under a Contract for Services

Outcomes

  • Through co productive and collaborative working with systems leaders in the local education system, build consensus, system generosity and support the development of a workplan of activity and workstreams to deliver the agreed ambitions of the Forum’s Outcomes Framework and the Children’s Coalition’s ‘OnePlan’
  • To assist in ensuring the appropriate and effective use of public money in line with value for money principles in overseeing the delivery of the Forum’s workplan

About you

You will bring:

  • Significant leadership experience within education
  • A strong understanding of Gloucestershire’s educational landscape and priorities
  • Demonstrable independence, integrity and impartiality
  • The ability to chair complex discussions and drive consensus
  • Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills
  • Management experience in education sectors which have led to positive outcomes for children, young people and/or their families
  • Experience of effective working across organisational boundaries which has led to improved outcomes for children, young people and their families
  • Experience or developing/leading change
  • Experience of effective use of influence within multi-agency or similar work which has led to a positive impact on others
  • Experience of effective partnership work
  • Wide knowledge and understanding of national Education policies and the legislative framework affecting children, young people and their families and how these apply to the local education system
  • Good knowledge and understanding of local needs and priorities of children, young people and their families and how organisations and agencies need to respond

Terms

  • Start date: 1 September 2026
  • Time commitment: 10 days per year
  • Remuneration/expenses: £600 per day
  • Term of appointment: two years
  • Location: Face to face meetings in Gloucestershire; remote preparation work

Key dates

  • Applications open: 20 March 2026
  • Applications close: 1 May 2026
  • Shortlisting: Early May 2026
  •  Interviews: June–July 2026

Terms

  • Start date: 1 September 2026
  • Time commitment: 10 days per year
  • Remuneration/expenses: £600 per day
  • Term of appointment: two years
  • Location: Face to face meetings in Gloucestershire; remote preparation work

Key dates

  • Applications open: 20 March 2026
  • Applications close: 1 May 2026
  • Shortlisting: Early May 2026
  •  Interviews: June–July 2026

How to apply

Please submit a CV and a supporting statement (max. two pages) outlining how you meet the criteria to Hannah Swankie (hannah.swankie@gloucestershire.gov.uk), PA to the GCC Director of Education Kirsten Harrison.

For an informal conversation with Kirsten Harrison regarding the opportunity, please contact Hannah Swankie to arrange.