The purpose of your board
The Academy Trust Handbook 2023 explains in paragraph 1.10 that the trust board provides:
- Strategic leadership of the academy trust: the board defines the trust vision for high-quality and inclusive education in line with its charitable objects
- It establishes and fosters the trust’s culture and sets and champions the trust strategy including determining what, if any, governance functions are delegated to the local tier
- Accountability and assurance: the board has robust effective oversight of the operations and performance of the academy trust, including:
- The provision of education
- Pupil welfare
- Overseeing and ensuring appropriate use of funding
- Effective financial performance
- Keeping their estate safe and well maintained
- Engagement: the board has strategic oversight of relationships with stakeholders
- The board involves parents/carers, schools and communities so that decision-making is supported by meaningful engagement
You should also consider the governance and leadership trust quality descriptions produced by the Department for Education (DfE) for the features of high-quality trust governance.
Remember