professional and accountable governance in multi … · professional and accountable governance in...

Freedom and Autonomy for Schools – National Associationwww.fasna.org.uk

Professional and Accountable Governance in Multi Academy Trusts

Joan BinderVice Chair, FASNA

Lee MillerFinance and HR Director

Thinking Schools Academy Trust

http://www.fasna.org.uk/


This seminar will focus on:

The roles and responsibilities of Members, Trustees and Local Governors

The principles of establishing a robust and coherent accountability structure across all schools in the MAT

A case study featuring the response of one MAT to this challenge

Key roles within any MAT governance structure



Academy Trust (Company Limited by Guarantee)

Legal Framework

MembersAkin to Shareholders

Board of Trustees(Directors Governors)

Academy Trust

DfE

Land ownership or lease from LA

Staff

Academy 1Advisory Group

(Board Committee)

Academy 3 Advisory Group

(Board Committee)

Academy 2 Advisory Group

(Board Committee)

Delegated Powers

Funding Agreement(s)

Employment Contracts



Members

Similar to the role of Members in a share company Usually appoint majority of Trustees and can

remove Trustees Have control over the company by approving

changes to Articles of Association Ensure the strategic vision of the MAT Sign off company accounts and annual report (if not

done at Board level) DfE preference for ‘independent’ Members No individual financial interests in the company



Board of Trustees

Skills and expertise of Trustees important Most appointed by Members Legal entity akin to GB Company directors and charitable trustees Responsible for the operation of the Academy – in

particular the core functions of governance Ensure compliance with charity and company law

and the Funding Agreement CEO/Principal may be a trustee Must have a clear strategic vision for the MAT as a

whole



Academy Committee

MAT scheme of delegation should be very clear about responsibilities delegated to this level

Not all schools in the MAT need have the same delegated responsibilities

Delegated scheme should identify who appoints the chair of this body

Trustees need to decide how membership should be identified

Members should not normally serve on this committee but a Trustee could



Governance Responsibilities

Core functions: Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic

direction; Holding the headteacher to account for the

educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff; and

Overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.



Governance Responsibilities HR and employment Admissions Premises Effective safeguarding and child protection systems SMSC and British Values Prevent duty Health and Safety Risk management Statutory duties Self review and professional development



Summarising Responsibilities

Strategic vision including admissions

Standards - pupil outcomes including SMSC, British Values etc

Statutory duties including breadth of curriculum provision

Employment matters, staff performance management and pay, health and safety

Financial oversight including premises matters, risk management

Self-review and professional development



Robust and Coherent Accountability Principles

Strong link between all layers – Members, Trustees, individual academies

Skilled Chair of Trust (Member) – strategic role

Skilled Chair of Board of Trustees – accountability role

Trustees and academy committee members appointed on a skills based assessment

How should chair of academy committee be identified?



Robust and Coherent AccountabilityPrinciples

Keep number of members at each level manageable – no more than 12 – fewer Members

Skills based appointments at all levels

Ensure clear and direct links between levels to the Board and Trust

Role of CEO and/or principal of each academy

Consider how individual academy will have a direct link to Board or Trust



Robust and Coherent AccountabilityPrinciples

Absolute clarity in terms of who is accountable to whom for what

Articles of Association, Scheme of Delegation establish the principles

Basic structure – Members general oversight, Board key level of accountability, Academy clearly identified responsibilities

Question – in a larger MAT (6 +) is there a need for an intermediate level between the Board and a number of schools?



Ofsted Framework- Inspectors Will

‘Seek to meet those responsible for governance ….likely to include members of the school committee….. as well as MAT Trustees’

Consider whether governors ‘work effectively with leaders to communicate the vision ethos and strategic direction of the school and develop a culture of ambition’



Case Study

Future Proofing


New Governance Structure

Lee Miller

Finance and HR Director




TSAT was originally formed in 2010 with a single Outstanding School (Rochester Grammar School)

Partnered with an outstanding Primary School to form a MAT

Since Summer 2014 the Trust has grown and now supports 11 schools over 2 hubs

In all cases the Trust has improved the OFSTED rating and attainment results year on year in all of its schools



TSAT SLT structure

Head of School

Lead Professional

Accountable officer

CEO

EHT

Secondary Academies

(Hub 1)

EHT

Primary Academies

(Hub 1)

EHT

Academies (Hub 2)



Why undertake a review of governance?TSAT challenges: Local governing bodies (LGB) do not reflect the inter-relationships

between our schools and the new Executive Principal posts

LGBs are constantly duplicating their workload and that of governors therefore they are not working effectively or efficiently

As the trust grows and the number of LGBs grow it is not possible for the senior Trust staff/CEO to attend all of them. Therefore the ‘gap’ between Trust and LGB has grown and could grow wider

10 LGBs and more will require a constant need for 100+ Governors. Recruitment of quality Governors on that scale is becoming virtually impossible. This number of LGBs also requires quality clerking and more expense



Why undertake a review of governance?External factors

New Ofsted framework and additional scrutiny of Governors

The move from Ofsted to “inspecting Multi-Academy trusts” collectively as well individual school inspections

DFE accountability measures that aggregate trust schools

Academy financial accountability – CEO role as Accounting Officer and the role of Finance Director

DFE emphasis on skills and experience against representation

Budgetary pressures and the need to reduce costs



What about individual Academies?

We value all the hard work and commitment governors have made in the local governing body

We do need to retain a board or committee that will represent each academy and involve parents and staff as important stakeholders

We value the local knowledge and views of those working and those families supporting their child’s school

The working party recognised at this level it is important to involve stakeholders, who can concentrate on school and local community issues



Process of Review

June 2015 – Set up Governance working group internally

July 2015 – Commissioned an independent review of current structures

Sept 2015 – Working group identified key challenges and discussed with consultant options

Oct 2015 – Preferred option agreed

Nov/Dec 2015 – Consultation with current governors

Jan 2016 – Implementation



New Governance Structure

Stakeholder Representation

Skill based appointments

Elected

Independent Members

Board of Directors

RGB (One for Each Hub)

Academy Advisory Board (1 per school)

Board Committees



Review – impact Efficiency (Are we doing it in the right way?)

• Smaller numbers to communicate with

• Clear and simple schemes of delegation

Effectiveness (Are we doing the right things?)

• Governor appointment based on skills

• Governance model mirrors the organisational structure

Economy (Are we paying the right cost for it?)

• Cost savings that this model has created

• Costs savings that can be generated by using regional governing bodies to make decisions



Review – Impact on 16/17 Budget Plans

Savings for clerking costs estimated at £15k per annum

Savings for CEO/EHT/FD/Principal’s time estimated at £35k per annum

Creation of hub based staffing models for some roles are estimated to save £150k per annum

Creation of hub based back offices – restructure already happening and will save £200k per annum

Efficiency savings from Trust led contracts and savings target for £100k for 16/17 budget will be achievable



Key Roles in the MAT

Chair of Trust Chair of Board of Trustees Chairs of academy committees CEO if in structure Chief Finance Officer Principals of individual academies Company Secretary Clerk to academy committeesKey Question – By whom are these people appointed?



Come and see us today at the FASNA stand no. 630



"I welcome this new publication as a practitioners’ guide with a wealth of up to date examples from successful schools around the country” Peter Lauener, Chief Executive of the Education Funding Agency (EFA)

"This publication is a must-read for aspiring and practising School Business Managers, Headteachers and governors!” Stephen Morales, Executive Director, National Association of School Business Management

FREE to FASNA membersTo order copies, please email [email protected], or call 0115 917 0142

Cost £13 per copy (plus P&P for under 5 copies) or visit stand 630


mailto:[email protected]


"Our new inspection arrangements will focus more on governance and the effectiveness of governance.”Sir Michael Wilshaw, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Schools.

FREE to FASNA membersTo order copies, please email [email protected], or call 0115 917 0142

Cost £10 per copy (plus P&P for under 5 copies) or visit stand 630

Reviews received:Outstanding!‘If you buy one book to help improve your governing body, make it this one’

Top guide for school improvement‘An excellent help to Governors on how to ensure the all the children in their school get the best possible education’


mailto:[email protected]

Online training for governors and school staff to support induction, refresher and professional training

Tel: 0800 917 9544

[email protected]

www.capita-istep.co.uk

• Effective Governance • Developing Outstanding Governance• Safeguarding• Health & Safety• Fire Safety• Equality & Diversity


FASNA Summer ConferenceTuesday 21 June 2016, The Grand Connaught Rooms, London

BOOK YOUR PLACE NOW!

Speakers include:



Events, workshops and seminars focusing on:

Converting to academy status, starting, growing or joining a MAT – a complete package of on-going support

Admissions and admission appeals

Exclusions and challenging pupils

Professional development for Governors

Employment and HR issues

Procurement

School Business Managers

Clerks to Governors



Email: [email protected]

Office: 0115 917 0142

Website: www.fasna.org.uk


professional and accountable governance in multi … · professional and accountable governance in...

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