Independent Chair Surrey Education Partnership

Surrey County Council; Horsell; Hybrid; GBP 150,000 - 200,000; Part time

Job summary

A prominent local authority is seeking an Independent Chair for the Surrey Education Partnership to lead educational equity initiatives. The role involves overseeing the implementation of a key strategy and involves significant strategic oversight. The position is fixed term with a day rate of £700, requiring 12-15 days of commitment per year, with travel around Surrey necessary.

Qualifications

• You should be passionate about ensuring educational equity.
• Previous Board experience preferred as a Chair or CEO.
• Experience of holding teams accountable for deliverables.
• Experience with stakeholders to achieve shared aims.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Surrey Education Partnership Board overseeing the strategy.
• Ensure educational equity and excellence for all in Surrey.
• Work with community and stakeholders on strategic goals.
• Monitor and share the successes of the strategy.

Job description

Independent Chair Surrey Education Partnership

Details

• Reference: SCC/TP/287911/4223
• Positions: 1
• Salary: A day rate of £700 is applicable for this role
• Contract type: Fixed term
• Working hours: Required for 12- 15 days per annum
• Posted on: 25 November 2025
• Location: Woking Surrey but with travel around the county when required

Please note this role is advertised on behalf of the Surrey Education Partnership Board and is being supported by Connect2Surrey-a trading style of Surrey & Kent Commercial Services LLP - A joint venture between Surrey County Council & Commercial Services Kent Ltd. Connect2Surrey is an equal opportunities Employment Agency & Business. It positively encourages applications from all suitably qualified and eligible candidates.

A day rate of £700 is applicable for this role.

The time commitment for this role is between 12- 15 days per annum and is initially offered for a year. We envisage that the Shadow Board will meet half-termly. Other meetings with priority group leads will be required in advance of each meeting plus some other work.

We anticipate that the majority of meetings will take place on a virtual platform (Microsoft Teams) although we recognise that occasional meetings in person are beneficial to relationship building particularly at the start of the work. For this reason, we would need the person to be able to travel to and within Surrey.

Our ambitions for a Lifetime of Learning Strategy and the role of the Independent Chair

We have high aspirations for all children, young people and adults in Surrey. We want to identify early any barriers to learning, well-being and succeeding, ensuring educational equity and promoting social mobility for all with 'no child, young person or adult left behind.

Surrey's Lifetime of Learning Strategy supports us to achieve our ambition that all children have a great start to life, and everyone receives education and learning to achieve their full potential and become contributors to their communities throughout their lives.

To achieve this, we have plans to work in partnership across our whole education community - from early years through to adult learning - to ensure allSurrey residents benefit from a place where:

• everyone benefits from education, skills and employment opportunities that help them succeed in life.
• we overcome inequalities - ensuring that no one is left behind.
• we reduce and remove barriers to education and participation.
• we have high aspirations for all, and we ensure the equality, diversity and inclusion sit at the heart of our education system.
• equity and excellence are not alternatives and cannot be divided.
• we bring together collaborative partners and stakeholders to work together to improve outcomes for children, young people and our adults.

Learning should not be confined to children and young people within statutory school ages, learning is for everyone no matter their age or background.

About the role:

The Chair will lead the Surrey Education Partnership Board which will oversee the implementation of Surrey's Lifetime of Learning Strategy. The Chair will report to the Director of Education and Lifelong Learning for Surrey County Council.

The SEP Board is collectively responsible for delivery of the strategic direction of the Lifetime of Learning Strategy for Surrey.

The Chair is responsible for implementing the Strategy action plan which has been co produced with a range of partners.

The Chair will:

Oversee the work of the Surrey Education Partnership (SEP), provide overall strategic direction and approve and monitor annual priorities as part of the Surrey Lifetime of Learning Strategy 2024 - 2030.

Bring together all stakeholders with a vested interest in education and lifelong learning across Surrey to ensure both excellence for all and educational equity. The Chair will ensure the Board has representation from a broad range of partners across the education and skills sectors in Surrey.

Work with the community, partners and key stakeholders to set out clear expectations concerning delivery of this strategy including its vision, priorities, values, behaviours and objectives.

Take a lead role in creating a culture of shared accountability for improving standards and the educational outcomes and life chances of all residents across Surrey. Promote a culture of openness, trust, partnership and professional collaboration that improves outcomes, shares best practice and contributes to system led improvement. Ensure no education or learning setting or providers are left isolated.

Put the interests of children, young people and adults first. Create a structure and climate where all partners can work together so that no one should fail to reach their educational potential because of disadvantage or vulnerability.

Ensure members of the Board work in a professionally collaborative way on behalf of the wider Surrey community to fulfil the aims of the partnership and the delivery of the Life-Long learning Strategy. Identify leads for priority pieces of work. Ensure any decisions taken are in the best interest of CYP and adults and that improving their life chances are at the root of all decisions.

Ensure all partners can engage with the development, implementation and embedding of the Strategy so that all opportunities are fully exploited, and the maximum benefit is realised.

Monitor, record and ensure the successes of the Strategy are shared with all partners in the achievement of the vision and objectives.

Key experience and skills:

• You should be passionate about ensuring that all children, young people and adults have educational equity in Surrey and be able to evidence the impact you have had on education or lifelong learning.
• You will be passionate about diversity and ensuring equity across Surrey and will be able to demonstrate impact on diversity in your professional or personal life.
• You will have previous Board experience preferably as a Chair or Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and you will be keen to bring that experience to another setting.
• You will have experience of holding teams to account for a set of agreed deliverable bringing an appropriate level of robust challenge.
• You may bring experience of working implementing new initiatives across a wide group of stakeholders.
• You will have experience of working with a wide range of stakeholder and bringing partners together to achieve shared aims.

The Chair will report to the Director of Education and Lifelong Learning for Surrey County Council.

Employment is subject to satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure and suitable references.