The information in this article is based on the model articles of association and funding agreements from the Department for Education (DfE). If you're an academy, check your own articles of association and funding agreement as they may differ from the models.
Legal status of an academy trust
An academy trust:
- Is a charitable company limited by guarantee
- Must comply with company and charity law
- Is an independent legal entity
- Is the admission authority, meaning it sets and manages its own admissions process
- Is the 'employer' of staff, meaning it's legally responsible for things like health and safety
See the 'definitions' section, and sections 4.3 and 7, of the academy trust governance guide.
How governance is structured
All academy trusts are made up of at least 2 layers of governance:
- Members
- Trustees (also known as directors)
MATs often have a third layer:
Single academies usually don't have LGBs