Director responsibilities

The Board of Directors are appointed by the Trust and:

• Ensure our clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction

• Hold the CEO to account for the educational performance of our schools and its pupils, and the performance management of the Heads of School

• Oversee the financial performance of the Trust and make sure its money is well spent

• Ensure the legal and financial responsibilities of the Trust are carried out.

The minimum number of Directors is three, but must allow for the capacity and capability to run a number of successful schools. The trust wants the smallest possible Board achievable with all skills covered. As Local Authority associated persons must not exceed 19.9% of votes, the Trust will appoint at least SIX voting board members. One of the Directors will be a Member of the Trust. At least two Directors will be parents.

The Board has adopted the Framework for Governance from the National Governors’ Association to evaluate its own effectiveness, and to then set, monitor and review the strategic direction of each school through Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

To carry out the operation of the Trust from the strategic vision, the Board has appointed the CEO who is the Accounting Officer and Line Manager of the whole organisation.

The Trust will not appoint paid Trustees, and doing so, fulfils the need for paid Trustees to be no more than a third of the Board, and that the Chair must not be an employee.

The Board will meet three times a year, with committees being formed to delegate strategic activities meetings. Quorum is three voting Directors.

The CEO will be an Ex-Officio Board member, but not have voting rights.

The CEO can appoint Executive Leaders and delegate leadership of strategic operations to them.

The Board will form committees to oversee the strategic operation of our schools. Each committee will have at least one Executive Leadership Team member and at least one Director. Committees will be joined by Governors who have the appropriate skills and interests. All committees report back to the Board through the link Director.