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Role details

Schools Adjudicator

Application deadline 15 September 2023

Summary

Organisation
Chief Schools Adjudicator and Adjudicators - Office of the Schools Adjudicator
Sponsor department
Department for Education
Location
Various
Sectors
Education
Skills
Legal, Judicial, Regulation
Number of vacancies
2
Time commitment
60 day(s) per annum
Remuneration
£58 per hour
Length of term
3 years
Application deadline
10am on 15 September 2023

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Timeline for this appointment

  1. Opening date

    28 June 2023

  2. Application deadline

    10am on 15 September 2023

  3. Sifting date

    29 September 2023

  4. Interviews expected to end on

    30 November 2023

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the role

Role description

The role of a schools adjudicator is a challenging and rewarding one. Their decisions are legally binding. They can be challenged only by judicial review and are expected to be legally and evidentially robust and coherently set out. The decisions adjudicators are called on to make matter to people and can attract local and national media interest. A schools adjudicator needs credibility and to command confidence across the whole education community, derived from experience and knowledge, independence, integrity and impartiality.

Successful applicants will have a range of experience of the publicly funded school system in England at a senior level. Experience must include work with or in individual schools, whether as a member of staff or in a role such as Chair of Governors or Chair of an academy trust, as well as leadership and work in education beyond single schools. They will command confidence, respect and trust from those they come into contact with professionally. They will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the school system and the laws which govern this.   

Organisation description

Schools adjudicators make legally binding decisions on a range of school matters. Most frequently they deal with objections to, and referrals of, school admission arrangements. Adjudicators also make decisions and give advice in relation to securing places for children who need them; resolve disputes about school land and make decisions in certain circumstances about school organisation matters.

Successful applicants will have a proven track record at a senior level within the publicly funded school sector in England, be impartial and independent with keenly developed analytical, presentational and communication skills. In particular, they will demonstrate the ability to take full responsibility for producing clear and robust written determinations for each case they take.  Adjudicators must be able to understand and apply the relevant primary and secondary legislation which relates to their statutory functions.

Schools adjudicators are appointed by the Secretary of State for Education but as statutory office holders they act independently of the Department for Education.

The posts are part-time. A minimum level of availability is required, the majority of which would be between mid-May and the end of September. Adjudicators work mainly from home. They may hold virtual meetings with schools and others and may also make visits, as necessary, to schools. They are expected to take part in regular meetings with their fellow adjudicators most of which also are held virtually but some may be held in person in Darlington or London.  Remuneration is at a daily rate of £355 for work conducted away from home and an hourly rate of £58 for work at home. Appointees will have access to the NEST pension scheme. Travel and subsistence expenses will be met. The appointment will be for a period of three years with the first year served as a probationary year.

Person specification

Essential criteria

Successful applicants for all roles will demonstrate the following essential criteria:

o   Analytical and decision-making ability: Adjudicators are required to make decisions taking account of competing arguments and within an often complex legal framework. They must be able to keep an objective perspective and be recognised for their impartial approach and judgement.

o   Written communication skills: Successful applicants will show first-hand experience of producing papers which set out difficult/technical issues, competing arguments and the rationale for a final decision/recommendation in clear terms which can be understood by a wide range of interested parties. The ability to write clear, well-argued and robust determinations is of prime importance; the adjudicator has sole responsibility for the production of his or her determinations and must be able to communicate and present their decisions and reasoning compellingly to parents and schools and others in their written determinations which are legally binding documents.

o   Communication skills: As part of their work, adjudicators have to chair both small meetings of parties to cases and large public meetings. Successful applicants will be able to demonstrate experience and ability in building rapport with different audiences and establishing credibility with professionals and the general public alike. They will be able to demonstrate that they can understand and show understanding of concerns while remaining independent and impartial.  Adjudicators are expected to always be able to demonstrate strong inclusion skills in carrying out their role.

o   Ability to manage own work and time: Successful candidates will be able to demonstrate the ability to work effectively alone, deliver to tight timescales, and at the same time contribute to and be part of a wider adjudicator team.

Because of the particular skill sets and experience of those who are retiring, we are especially keen to receive applications from individuals who can demonstrate the skills and experience set out above and who have one or more of the following:

o   Knowledge and experience of the co-ordinated school admissions process, school place planning and school capital funding, gained by working in a local authority;

o   Experience as a leader of a large multi-academy trust or in the faith body for schools with a religious character;

o   Experience as an Ofsted inspector/member of HMI;

The application requires you to complete a task which can be found as an attachment at the bottom of the advert. 

Please add your completed task at the end of your supporting statement.

Application and selection process

How to apply

In order to apply you will need to create an account or sign in.

Once you are logged into your account, click on 'apply for this role' and follow the on-screen instructions. To apply, please complete the task, your current CV and a covering application letter no longer than two sides of A4 paper demonstrating how you meet each of the four criteria outlined in the person specification together with an account of your relevant experience and knowledge of the school system.  Applicants will be considered first against performance in the task (or tasks for those wishing to be considered as the statistical lead adjudicator). Those applications which reach the minimum required standard will then be considered against the person specification.

N.B. Please add your completed task at the end of your supporting statement.

You will also have the opportunity to make a reasonable adjustment request or apply under the disability confident scheme before you submit your application.

The Advisory Assessment Panel reserves the right to only consider applications that contain all of the elements listed above, and that arrive before the published deadline for applications.

Advisory Assessment Panel (AAP)

Department official and panel chair - Kim Sibley - Deputy Director 
Admissions, School Organisation and Transport
Representative of the organisation - Chief Schools Adjudicator for Office of the Schools Adjudicator
Independent panel member - TBC
Advisory Assessment Panels (AAP) are chosen by ministers to assist them in their decision-making. These include a departmental official and an independent member. For competitions recruiting non-executive members of a board (apart from the Chair), the panel will usually include a representative from the public body concerned.
AAP’s perform a number of functions, including agreeing an assessment strategy with ministers, undertaking sifting, carrying out interviews in line with the advertised criteria and deciding objectively who meets the published selection criteria for the role before recommending to ministers which candidates they find appointable. It is then for the minister to decide who to appoint to the role.

Eligibility criteria

In general, you should have the right to work in the UK to be eligible to apply for a public appointment.

There are a small number of specialist roles that are not open to non-British citizens. Any nationality requirements will be specified in the vacancy details.

The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. 

You cannot be considered for a public appointment if:

  • you are disqualified from acting as a company director  (under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986);

  • have an unspent conviction on your criminal record;

  • your estate has been sequestrated in Scotland or you enter into a debt arrangement programme under Part 1 of the Debt Arrangement and Attachment (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 17) as the debtor or have, under Scots law, granted a trust deed for creditors.

When you apply, you should declare if:

  • you are, or have been, bankrupt or you have made an arrangement with a creditor at any point, including the dates of this. 

  • you are subject to a current police investigation.

You must inform the sponsor department if, during the application process, your circumstances change in respect of any of the above points. 

When you apply you should also declare any relevant interests, highlighting any that you think may call into question your ability to properly discharge the responsibilities of the role you are applying for. You should also declare any other matters which may mean you may not be able to meet the requirements of the Code of Conduct of Board Members (see Outside interests and reputational issues section below)
If you need further advice, please contact ashleigh.honour@education.gov.uk

Additional information for candidates

Equality and diversity

We encourage applications from talented individuals from all backgrounds and across the whole of the United Kingdom. Boards of public bodies are most effective when they reflect the diversity of views of the society they serve and this is an important part of the Government’s levelling up agenda.
We collect data about applicants’ characteristics and backgrounds, including information about people’s educational and professional backgrounds, so that we can make sure we are attracting a broad range of people to these roles and that our selection processes are fair for everyone. Without this information, it makes it difficult to see if our outreach is working, if the application process is having an unfair impact on certain groups and whether changes are making a positive difference.
When you submit your application, your responses are collected by the Cabinet Office and the government department(s) managing your application. The data is used to produce management information about the diversity of applicants. You can select “prefer not to say” to any question you do not wish to answer. The information you provide will not be seen by the Advisory Assessment Panel who review applications against the advertised criteria and conduct interviews.

Disability confident

We are a member of the Government’s Disability Confident scheme. We use the Disability Confident scheme symbol, along with other like-minded employers, to show our commitment to good practice in employing people with a disability. The scheme helps recruit and retain disabled people. 
As part of implementing the scheme, we guarantee an interview for anyone with a disability whose application meets the essential criteria for the role, set out in the advert, and who has asked that their application is considered under the scheme. Indicating that you wish your application to be considered under the scheme will in no way prejudice your application. By ‘minimum criteria,’ we mean that you must provide evidence which demonstrates that you meet the level of competence required under each of the essential criteria, as set out in the job-advert.
When you apply you will have the opportunity to select if you would like your application considered under this scheme.

Reasonable adjustments

We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to make sure applicants with disabilities, physical or mental health conditions, or other needs are not substantially disadvantaged when applying for public appointments. This can include changing the recruitment process to enable people who wish to apply to do so.
Some examples of common changes are:
  • ensuring that application forms are available in different or accessible formats;
  • making adaptations to interview locations;
  • allowing candidates to present their skills and experience in a different way;
  • giving additional detailed information on the selection / interview process in advance to allow candidates time to prepare themselves;
  • allowing support workers, for example sign language interpreters;
  • making provision for support animals to attend.
When you apply you will have the opportunity to request reasonable adjustments to the application process.

Principles of public life

Holders of public office are expected to adhere to and uphold the Seven Principles of Public Life https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-7-principles-of-public-life/the-7-principles-of-public-life--2. These are:

  1. SELFLESSNESS - Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family or their friends;
  2. INTEGRITY - Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might seek to influence them in the performance of their official duties;
  3. OBJECTIVITY - In carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on merit;
  4. ACCOUNTABILITY - Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office;
  5. OPENNESS - Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands;
  6. HONESTY - Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest;
  7. LEADERSHIP - Holders of public office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example.

Code of conduct for board members

The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. In support of this, all non-executive board members of UK public bodies must abide by the principles set out in the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. The Code sets out the standards expected from those who serve on the boards of UK public bodies and will form part of your terms and conditions of appointment.

Management of outside interests and consideration of reputational issues

Holders of public office are expected to adhere and uphold the Seven Principles of Public Life and the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. Before you apply you should consider carefully: 
  • any outside interests that you may have, such as shares you may hold in a company providing services to government; 
  • any possible reputational issues arising from your past actions or public statements that you have made; 
  • and/or - any political roles you hold or political campaigns you have supported; 
which may call into question your ability to do the role you are applying for.
You will need to answer relevant questions in relation to these points when making an application. Many conflicts of interest can be satisfactorily resolved and declaring a potential conflict does not prevent you from being interviewed. If you are shortlisted for an interview, the panel will discuss any potential conflicts with you during that interview, including any proposals you may have to mitigate them and record that in their advice to ministers. Alongside your own declaration, we will conduct appropriate checks, as part of which we will consider anything in the public domain related to your conduct or professional capacity. This may include searches of previous public statements and social media, blogs or any other publicly available information. The successful candidate(s) may be required to give up any conflicting interests and their other business and financial interests may be published in line with organisational policies. 
Details of declared political activity will be published when the appointment is announced, as required by the Governance Code (political activity is not a bar to appointment, but must be declared).

Status of appointment

As this is an office holder appointment, you will not become a member of the Civil Service. You will not be subject to the provisions of employment law.

Appointment and tenure of office

Appointments are for the term set out in this advert, with the possibility of re-appointment for a further term, at the discretion of Ministers.. There is no automatic presumption of reappointment; each case should be considered on its own merits, taking into account a number of factors including, but not restricted to, the diversity of the current board and its balance of skills and experience. In most cases, the total time served in post will not exceed more than two terms or serve in any one post for more than ten years

Remuneration, allowances and abatement

Remuneration for this role is treated as employment income and will be subject to tax and National Insurance contributions, both of which will be deducted at source under PAYE before you are paid. 
You can claim reimbursement for reasonable travel and subsistence costs which are properly and necessarily incurred on official business, in line with the travel and subsistence policy and rates for the organisation to which you are applying. However these payments are taxable as earnings and will be subject to tax and national insurance, both of which will be deducted at source under PAYE before you are paid.

Pension and redundancy

This is an office holder appointment and does not attract any benefits under any Civil Service Pension Scheme. The appointee will have access to the NEST pension scheme. You will not be eligible for redundancy pay. No other arrangements have been made for compensation upon the end of your term of appointment because an office holder who is appointed for a limited duration would have no expectation of serving beyond that period.

Application feedback

We will notify you of the status of your application. We regret that we are only able to offer detailed feedback to candidates who have been unsuccessful at the interview stage.

How to complain

Dealing with your concerns – For queries about your application, please contact Ashleigh Honour by email ashleigh.honour@educaton.gov.uk
If you are not completely satisfied – We aim to process all applications as quickly as possible and to treat all applicants with courtesy. If you feel that you have any complaints about the way your application has been handled, we would like to hear from you:
Please write to: Alice Douglas at Alice.DOUGLAS@education.gov.uk
If you have reason to complain about the way your application for appointment was handled, you should first direct your concerns to Alice Douglas at the above email address.
If, after receiving a comprehensive response you are still concerned, you can write to Kim Sibley, Department for Education, Sanctuary Buildings, Great Smith Street, London, SW1P 3BT
Details on the DfE’s complaint process is available from http://www.education.gov.uk/aboutdfe/complaintsprocedure/a0014/complaints

Complaints will, be acknowledged upon receipt and responded to within 15 working days.

Data protection

The Cabinet Office will use your data in line with our privacy policy.

Contact details

tbc

Attachments