Governance & Leadership

Governance

Inspiring Futures through Learning is hugely proud that over 100 volunteers have committed their time, skills, knowledge and diversity of experiences to governance roles across our Multi Academy Trust, representing our colleague, parent and community bodies.

Our local governors, Trustees and Members form a governance team that is strong, effective and pivotal in ensuring that we are successful in delivering our Vision, Values and priorities in all schools and across the Trust.

Our governance structure:

Our governance structure is represented by the diagram below.

What we do and who we are:

Our Members:

Our Members are our custodians whose role is to ensure that the IFtL is acting in accordance with our Articles of Association and in the best interests of the children and young people at all times. They, subject to restrictions and Special Resolutions;

Agreed, consult on, and approve any amendments to the Articles of Association
Appoint / remove Members
Appoint / remove up to 7 Trustees
Issue direction to Trustees
Appoint external auditors and receive the audited annual accounts at an Annual General Meeting

Our Trustees:

Our Trustees are bound by charity and company law which is why they are sometimes also referred to as directors (we refer to them as Trustees). As the Board of Trustees, they manage the business of the Trust and are legally responsible for the Trust’s statutory functions as well as the performance of all our academies. The Board has responsibility for three core governance functions:

Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos, and strategic direction
Holding the executive to account for the educational performance of the academies in our Trust
Overseeing the Trust’s financial performance and making sure that money is well spent.

In addition to these, the safeguarding of all stakeholders is of paramount importance and therefore we also classify this as a core governance function that runs through all Board of Trustee work. Trust wide and school safeguarding data, analysis, trends and benchmarking is regularly reported and robustly examined as part of every Board of Trustee agenda. This forms part of the work undertaken by the Board of Trustees:

To monitor pupils’ wellbeing so they have a positive attitude to learning, develop resilience and satisfaction with self, relationships and experiences at school.
To ensure that all schools within the Trust comply with safeguarding regulations and best practice guidance

The Trustees meet at least 6 times per year but, in addition, carry out their work within three committees:

Audit & Risk Committee (A&R)

Chaired by Steve Fulton
Our Audit and Risk Committee is established to support the Board, and the Chief Executive as Accounting Officer, in their responsibilities for ensuring the adequacy of risk management, internal control and governance arrangements including, but not limited to, ensuring that public funds are used efficiently.

Educational Excellence Committee (EEC)

Chaired by Ben Stanley
The Education Excellence Committee focuses on ensuring the highest educational standards for all of our pupils and progressively driving each of the schools’ performance. This includes assessment, data, curriculum, research and stakeholder well-being. This committee is innovative and always striving to be leaders in the development within the educational landscape.

Finance & Resources Committee (F&R)

Chaired by Greg Swepston
Our Finance and Resources Committee focuses on supporting and challenging each schools’ financial performance within the areas of finance, premises, and human resources. This committee is forward thinking and plans to ensure it protects the future financial and operational viability of each establishment in a supportive and measured way.

Meet our Members and Trustees

Members and Trustees Bios

Membership, interests and attendance of Members and Trustees

NB: please see individual schools for this information regarding Local Governors

Our Local Governing Bodies (LGBs)

IFtL will always be built on firm foundations of strong Governance both at Trust and at school level. To support this, it is a decision of the Board of Trustees that each school has a Local Governing Body (LGB) that understands the needs of the school and its community (an LGB may be responsible for more than one school within the Trust). In order for each school to have autonomy to enable them to drive key areas specific to each school’s needs, certain powers and duties have been delegated to the LGB’s.

Local Governing Bodies are support the principles of good governance and practice by focusing on:

The wellbeing and safety of all children and adults within the schools’ communities
The standards of educational performance, for all children, within the school(s)
The position of the schools within their wider communities and how the schools contribute positively to this
To identify, and look to mitigate, risk in relation to the above
To carry out the duties delegated to the LGB by the IFtL Board of Trustees

Local Governing Bodies meet 6 times per year as a full board, with no additional committees.

Academy Improvement Boards (AIBs)

In line with DfE and ESFA requirements, the responsibility for the performance of schools must remain at all times with the Board of Trustees. Should additional performance support be required by a school, the Board of Trustees will reconsider the level of delegated powers and duties of a Local Governing Body and may install an Academy Improvement Board in its place.

The remit and delegated powers of the AIB are reduced from that of an LGB to particularly determine: