Last reviewed on 16 May 2022
School types: All · School phases: All
Ref: 40748

If you're responsible for governance in a MAT, be clear on how to help your local governing bodies (LGBs) develop an effective relationship with trustees, feel valued and understand their role, so they feel accountable and engaged to become effective players in your trust.

Our thanks to our associate education experts Cathy Brown, Brendan Hollyer, Lizzie Oliver, Phil Preston, Julia Skinner, Sara Scott and Jill Wakefield for their advice for this article.

Note: this article is aimed at whoever leads the central governance team in a multi-academy trust (MAT). This individual may be called a ‘governance co-ordinator’, ‘governance manager’, ‘head of governance’ or something different. If you're on a local governing body, find out how to stay effective and engaged with your trust.

Facilitate an effective relationship between the board of trustees and LGBs

If you want your local governing bodies (LGBs) to be more engaged, the trust needs to engage with your LGBs too - it's a 2-way street.

Establish regular forums/away days Online or in person, these forums are a nice quick win to