Applications should be submitted using the Expressions of Interests Form, which can be found on the Queen Victoria School website – “News > Staff Vacancies”, and returned to QVS.
His Majesty’s Commissioner, Queen Victoria School, Dunblane
Contents
Summary
- Organisation
- Queen Victoria School
- Sponsor department
- Ministry of Defence
- Location
- Scotland
- Sectors
- Defence
- Skills
- Accountancy, Business, Commercial, Legal, Judicial
- Number of vacancies
- 2
- Time commitment
- 10 day(s) per annum
- Length of term
- 5 Years
- Application deadline
- 11:59pm on 30 January 2025
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Timeline for this appointment
-
Opening date
16 December 2024
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Application deadline
11:59pm on 30 January 2025
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Sifting date
5 February 2025
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Interviews expected to end on
19 February 2025
Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change
About the appointment
Introduction
We are looking to appoint two new members/Trustees to the Board of His Majesty’s Commissioners (HMC) for Queen Victoria School (QVS), Dunblane. Knowledge and experience in law (preferably charity law) is required for one of the appointments. For the second appointment experience can be widened to include the likes of accountancy/finance or Education, as desirable, but all applications will be assessed on their merit and overall benefit to the Board.
QVS is a Ministry of Defence (MOD) funded non-academically selective, fully boarding, co-educational school with a capacity of 277 pupils from the age of 10/11 up to 18. It is part of the MOD family of schools administered by Defence Children Services (DCS), and is the only remaining MOD School in the UK. Although MOD Schools are Tri-Service, management and budgetary responsibility sits within the Army’s Regional Command (RC), with DCS, on behalf of all three Services.
The School operates under a Constitution and Royal Warrant, first established in the reign of His late Majesty King Edward the Seventh, to provide stability and continuity of education, within the Scottish education system, for the children of regular UK Armed Forces personnel who are Scottish, have served in Scotland or are/have been part of a Scottish Regiment. Individuals without a formal Scottish link may also apply. The Schedule to the Royal Warrant vests governance of the School in the Board of HMC. Whilst routinely working in conjunction with RC/DCS, the Board is separately accountable to the Army’s Commander Home Command, to whom the Secretary of State for Defence has delegated overall responsibility for QVS, for the performance of their duties.
Introduction from the Chair
Queen Victoria school is unique in the United Kingdom as the only MOD boarding school. As a Board of His Majesty’s Commissioners (HMC), we are determined that the sons and daughters of British Service personnel with a Scottish connection receive the best possible education. We believe that education is fundamental to achieving success in life, and that is the aim of the school which we, as Commissioners, seek to support.
If you share these aims, then I would welcome your application as we have a need for people from a diverse range of backgrounds to ensure that the pupils who are our responsibility receive the best possible start in life. I look forward to hearing from you.
Appointment description
The key areas of the work of HMC are:
- · Strategy. Agreeing, on an annual basis, the strategic priorities for the School’s improvement and development; approving appropriate plans and targets to meet these priorities; and ensuring that sufficient progress is made towards the achievement of these plans and targets.
- · Education and Safeguarding. Ensuring that pupils receive the highest possible quality of education. They will focus on the key issues of raising standards of achievement, establishing high expectations, promoting effective teaching and learning and promoting and maintaining the military ethos of the School. Ensure that the School complies with all legislative requirements concerning child protection and pastoral care and ensuring the highest possible standards of pastoral care for pupils, throughout their experience at the School.
- · Performance. Reviewing the School Improvement Plan and its implementation. Monitoring performance and ensuring that the School responds promptly to any concerns from stakeholders, for example staff, parents or regulatory bodies. HMC will also approve and keep under review school policies, ensuring regulatory compliance as appropriate.
- · Public Funds. Examining the budget set against the needs of the School and making recommendations to CHC/RC/DCS, as necessary. Also, to lend support to Business Cases for resources when required.
- · Support to Staff. Providing support to the Head and staff in achieving the plans and targets set for the School. HMC will act as critical friend, providing the Head and staff with support, advice and information, drawing on their knowledge and experience and by providing CHC with reports as to the standards being maintained at the School. HMC will encourage the involvement of parents and the military community in support of the School and assist in the resolution of parental complaints, hearing parental appeals against school exclusions, and monitoring the School complaints procedure.
- · Staff Appointments. Keeping under review the management structure of the School, with particular input to selection of the School’s Senior Leadership Team.
- · The Charity Funds known as the Queen Victoria School Funds (QVSF). HMC are Charity Trustees of the QVSF and discharge their duties as detailed in the HMC Governance Manual. HMC have a duty to authorise an Investment Policy and appoint an Investment Manager.
- · Communication. Promoting the mission and activities of the School to a wider audience and acting as a channel for communication between the School, parents and the military community served by the School, and promoting ways of developing and improving that communication.
- · Local Engagement. Developing and strengthening the School’s role as a resource for learning and development within the local community, including the use of school facilities for extended learning as appropriate and relevant.
- . Maintaining a risk register for the School.
Organisation description
The Board of His Majesty’s Commissioners for the Government of Queen Victoria School, Dunblane.
Board composition
- Chair
- Vice Chair
- 2 x Ex Officio Appointments
- 11 x other Commissioners
- 2 x Representatives of Commander Home Command
- Head Teacher
- Board Secretary (School Business Manager)
Person specification
Essential criteria
- · Experience in a relevant field (legal/charity law for one of the appointments).
- · Experience of critical thinking and demonstrating sound and independent judgement.
- · The ability to think creatively.
- · The ability to act independently but also make decisions as part of a collective body.
- An understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of Trusteeship.
Desirable criteria
- · A relevant professional qualification in your area of expertise.
- An understanding of the needs of children from a Service background.
Application and selection process
The assessment process
- The Approving Authority are responsible and accountable to Parliament for the public appointments made within their department. As a result, they must be consulted at every stage of the appointments process.
- An Advisory Assessment Panel (“Panel”) is appointed by Approving Authority to assist them in their decision making. The role of the Panel is to decide, objectively, which candidates meet the eligibility criteria for the role.
- At the shortlisting meeting the Panel will assess applications against the eligibility criteria and decide which candidates should be recommended for interview. The Approving Authority will then be consulted on the Panel’s recommended shortlist.
- Once the shortlist has been agreed by Approving Authority, you will be advised (by e-mail) whether you have been shortlisted. Those shortlisted will be invited to an interview.
- The Panel will meet again to interview candidates and determine who is appointable to the role. The names of all appointable candidates are provided to the Approving Authority. It is then for the Approving Authority to determine merit and decide who should be appointed. In some circumstances, the Approving Authority may choose not to appoint any candidates and re-run the competition.
- The Panel’s recommendations will be provided to the Approving Authority in a report which details the assessment method used and the outcome of each interview. They will then be asked to agree on the candidate(s) who should be appointed.
- Once the decision on the appointment has been made, interviewed candidates will be advised of the outcome of their application. Successful candidates will be issued with their Terms and Conditions and a letter of appointment should they agree to take up the position.
Panel Chair
Mr Ian Ritchie FRCSEd, Chair His Majesty’s Commissioners (HMC)
Representative of the Organisation
Commodore (Retd) Eric Fraser CBE RN, HMC
Departmental Official
Independent Panel Member
Advisory Assessment Panels (AAP) are chosen by the Approving Authority 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 the Approving Authority, 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 the Approving Authority which candidates they find appointable. It is then for the Approving Authority to decide who to appoint to the role.
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 Mr
Nigel Cunningham, Secretary to the Board of HM Commissioners, E-mail Nigel.Cunningham@modschools.org or telephone +44 7971 925794.
The successful candidate will be required to undertake Baseline Personnel Security Standard checks in line with the Civil Service guidelines. Additional Security Clearance may also be required for certain roles. This will be specified in the vacancy details. Further information on National Security Vetting can be found on the Gov.uk website here
The level of clearance required for this role is BPSS.
Additional information for candidates
The Ministry of Defence value and welcome diversity. The appointment will be governed by the Principle of Public Appointment based on merit with independent assessment and transparency of process. Successful candidate will need to demonstrate that they meet the criteria for this appointment.
We encourage applications from talented individuals from all backgrounds and experience across the whole of the United Kingdom. Boards of public bodies/Advisory Committees 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.
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 ‘essential 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.
Government departments 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.
The Seven Principles of Public Life (also known as the Nolan Principles) apply to anyone who works as a public office-holder.
1. Selflessness
Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.
2. Integrity
Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.
3. Objectivity
Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.
4. Accountability
Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.
5. Openness
Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.
6. Honesty
Holders of public office should be truthful.
7. Leadership
Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour and treat others with respect. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.
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.
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;
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).
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.
Appointments are for the term set out in this advert, with the possibility of re-appointment for a further term, at the discretion of the Approving Authority. Any re-appointment is subject to satisfactory annual appraisals of performance during the first term in the post. If re- appointed, the total time served in post will not exceed more than two terms or serve in any one post for more than ten years.
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.
This is an office holder appointment and does not attract any benefits under any Civil Service Pension Scheme. You will not be eligible for redundancy pay as you are not an employee. 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.
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.
We aim to process all applications as quickly as possible and to treat all applicants with courtesy. If you feel that you have a complaint about the way in which your application has been handled, please contact in
the first instance Defence Business Service (DBS) Civilian Personnel Public Appointments Team DBSCivPers-ResPublicAppts@mod.gov.uk. If you are not completely satisfied with the response, please contact the MOD Public Appointments Team at HeadOffice-PublicBodiesandAppts@mod.gov.uk
We will acknowledge your complaint upon receipt and aim to provide a response within 5 working days.
The Cabinet Office will use your data in line with our privacy policy.
The Ministry of Defence privacy policy can be found here
Please see the candidate Information Pack, which can be found on the QVS website – “News > Staff Vacancies”. If you would like to further discuss this rewarding opportunity, please contact Mr Nigel Cunningham, Secretary to the Board of HM Commissioners, E-mail Nigel.Cunningham@modschools.org or telephone +44 7971 925794.