Fircroft College is a great place to work, situated in a manor house that once belonged to the Cadbury family with 6 acres of grounds and easily accessible by road and rail, with free parking on site. Being a member of staff at the college you would be part of the Fircroft team, working together with the aim of helping our students to enjoy their learning and to succeed. If you see a job and you think you meet the requirements, apply now! We look forward to receiving your application.
Independent Governor and Audit Committee Member
Exceptional opportunity to Join the Governing Body of Fircroft College of Adult Education, Selly Oak, Birmingham.
Fircroft College is an award-winning adult residential College situated in a former Cadbury family home in Selly Oak, near central Birmingham. We are a values-driven College, committed to high quality learning with a Mission to ‘promote social and climate/environmental justice by providing adults with an excellent learning environment for personal, professional and political development’.
We have a vacancy on our Governing Body and are looking to fill this with an individual from a diverse background and experience with a strong commitment to social and climate/environmental justice and adult education. Previous experience as a Charity Trustee or Further Education governor is desirable but not essential. We are recruiting to a vacancy in our Audit Committee and are therefore seeking an individual with skills specific to this including:
- Recent financial and assurance experience, with strong analytical, financialscrutiny and questioning skills that enable effective oversight of financial management, risk, governance and internal controls. Able to interpret complex information, identify key risks, exercise professional scepticism and provide constructive challenge.
- Financial literacy, including the ability to understand and scrutinise financial statements, management accounts, cashflow forecasts, balance sheets, income and expenditure reports, reserves and the College’s accounting framework. Able to assess financial sustainability, solvency and value for money, and identify areas requiring further assurance.
- Understanding of resource efficiency, financial risks and solvency, with the ability to apply sound judgement and strategic thinking when evaluating the stewardship of charitable and public funds.
- Experience of, or ability to oversee, counter-fraud arrangements, demonstrating integrity, independence of judgement and a commitment to maintaining high standards of accountability, transparency and ethical conduct.
- Ability to provide independent assurance to the Governing Body that financial and non-financial controls are operating effectively, drawing on objectivity, evidence-based decision making and a willingness to challenge appropriately where concerns arise.
- Experience of overseeing the internal control environment, including playing a robust role in governance, stewardship and risk management. Able to evaluate the effectiveness of assurance processes and controls and understand the responsibilities of governors, trustees and directors within a charitable educational organisation (adult further education college and company).
- Ability to oversee internal and external audit, including reviewing audit findings, assessing management responses, monitoring implementation of recommendations and maintaining effective professional relationships with auditors while preserving independence.
- Experience of oversight of counter-fraud measures, combined with curiosity, vigilance and the confidence to seek appropriate assurance where risks or concerns are identified.
Ability to report and advise the Governing Body (through the Audit Committee), the DfE and other regulators on the measures taken to fulfil statutory and regulatory responsibilities, supported by strong communication skills, discretion and the ability to present complex issues clearly and concisely.
We are actively seeking a trustee from a wide range of backgrounds and experience whether this comes from your career, your community, your lived experience or your diversity of thought.
Good oral communication skills and the ability to think and plan strategically, monitor performance and outcomes, and interpret different forms of information, including reports and data, are all necessary. All Governors are expected to share a commitment to safeguarding adults.
The role is unpaid but reasonable expenses can be reimbursed. Benefits of the role include helping to transform lives through education, working collaboratively with an enthusiastic group of governors, and gaining boardroom experience for personal and professional development and your CV.
Necessary technology and a full induction process followed by ongoing training and support are provided.
Governing Body meetings are currently held four times a year, supplemented by termly sub-committee meetings (the latter being online). Commitment to attend meetings and engage with Board business is essential. The successful candidate will become a member of the Governing Body and of the Audit Committee.
Professor Geoff Layer, Chair of the Governing Body, says, “This is an exciting opportunity to help deliver our 2030 Strategic Goal “To support the development of global sustainable citizens through residential adult education”. We are looking for someone who believes that adult and residential education can be a powerful force for social and climate/environmental justice. We are looking for someone who shares our ambition, and can bring fresh insight, challenge and commitment to our community.”
To apply: send your CV with a covering letter telling us about yourself and your reasons for wanting to become a Fircroft College Governor to Clerk@fircroft.ac.uk by 5.00pm 16 November 2026.
For more information see: www.fircroft.ac.uk or email questions to Clerk@fircroft.ac.uk.
To request an informal chat with the Chair of Governors contact Clerk@fircroft.ac.uk.
Key dates: deadline for applications is 5.00pm 16 November 2026. Interview dates are yet to be determined and are likely to be in November/December 2026.
Student Welfare, Behaviour and Support Worker
Student Welfare, Behaviour and Support Worker
Scale 2, currently £26,228 per annum (pro rata if part-time)
Hours per week: 3 vacancies – 1 x PT= 18.75 hours and 2 x FT = 37.5 hours
Benefits: include free parking, free lunch, free hot drinks, generous annual leave, generous pension scheme, health
cash plan, NUS discount cards, a unique working environment, 6 acres of beautiful grounds.
Fircroft is a residential college occupying a former Cadbury family home, set in six acres of beautiful grounds in Selly
Oak, Birmingham. We were originally founded to provide educational opportunities for some of the most
disadvantaged and excluded members of society. More than one hundred years on from the birth of Fircroft College,
its mission of ‘social justice’ is more relevant than ever.
Fircroft is a thriving and ambitious College; our values are embedded throughout the organisation, and we are
consistently nominated for sector and professional awards as an employer. We were assessed at the “Premium”
Level in 2025 by Investors in People. As an organisation, we are truly passionate about climate change and
sustainability and were the first College to declare a climate change emergency. In joining our team, you will have an
incredible opportunity to make a real difference in this vital area.
We are looking to appoint a Student Welfare, Behaviour and Support Worker. The post holder will be required to
work as part of the Student Welfare, Behaviour and Support team, providing provision across seven days to:
- Assess, plan, provide and review effective and inclusive learning support that enables learners to
engage with and progress successfully within their learning, through tailored 1:1, group and
classroom-based support - Provide low to medium level welfare support, supporting the wellbeing and safety of learners,
including assisting the work of the wider safeguarding team - Respond to behavioural needs and incidents, maintaining appropriate records, supporting a positive
culture and learner outcomes - Support learners to develop independence, autonomy, confidence and core skills including literacy,
numeracy, language, digital literacy and study skills - Contribute to learner inductions, open days and enrichment activities
To be considered for this role, you will have experience of supporting adult learners with learning support, welfare
and/or behavioural needs within an education, training or support environment. You will have strong communication
and organisational skills, an understanding of inclusive practice and learner wellbeing, and the ability to work
collaboratively to help learners overcome barriers, develop independence and achieve their goals.
The right person will be someone who enjoys working at a fast pace with a variety of different tasks, who is selfmanaged with a strong work ethic, who has a positive outlook and a ‘can do’ attitude and is a completer/finisher.
If you meet the criteria above and would like to apply for this role please visit
https://www.fircroft.ac.uk/Pages/Category/current-vacancies . Here you will be able to download an application form
and equal opportunities form to complete and return to us by the closing date. When applying, please state if you are
applying for the part time or full time role.
Closing date for this post is: 19 November 2026 (Please note the College reserves the opportunity to close the
vacancy at an earlier date if sufficient applications are received)
Interviews to take place: the week commencing TBC
This College is committed to equality of opportunity, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable adults, and
expects all staff to share this commitment. Due to the nature of the College’s work, all employees are required to have a Disclosure and Barring Service check in place prior to starting employment.
In 2021, we were very proud to affiliate with the Black FE Leadership Group. We particularly welcome application underrepresented groups including ethnicity, gender, transgender, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion.
To apply: Send your application form to Human.Resources@fircroft.ac.uk (Please note the College reserves the opportunity to close the vacancy at an earlier date if sufficient applications are received)
For more information see: www.fircroft.ac.uk or email questions to Human.Resources@fircroft.ac.uk.
Key dates: Deadline for applications is 5.00pm 19 November 2026. Interview dates to take place the week commencing to be confirmed
