The role of the board

Understand what the academy trust governance guide covers and use our download to help you navigate the guidance. Read our summary of the changes for 2026/27 to be clear on your board's new requirements.

Get clarity on how to hold school leaders to account while supporting them to reach their targets, and see how this works in practice.

From carrying out effective governor visits to making sure you have the skills and diverse thinking needed on your board, find handy guides, downloadable templates and top tips to help you make sure your board is running as effectively as possible.

Understand what the maintained schools governance guide covers and use our download to help you navigate the guidance. Read our summary of the changes for 2026/27 to be clear on your board's new duties.

Save time on recruiting and download our template job descriptions for maintained school governors, academy trustees and governors on local governing bodies. Get inspiration from other schools and trusts if you want to write your own.

Get to grips with the 3 core functions: clarity of ethos, vision and strategy, holding executive leaders to account and overseeing financial performance.

Get to grips with the 3 purposes of trust governance: strategic leadership, accountability and assurance, and strategic engagement.

Save time with our summary of your board's responsibilities in different types of maintained schools.

Save time with our summary of your trust board's responsibilities.

The features of quality governance in academy trusts are laid out in the DfE's trust quality descriptions. Understand how your trust board should use them to inform effective governance across your trust.