Governance

TRUSTEES OF THE ACADEMY

THE ROLE OF THE TRUSTEES

What Does a School Trustee Do?

Trustees are responsible for overseeing the management side of a school: strategy, policy, budgeting and staffing. They enable their school to run as effectively as possible, working alongside senior leaders and supporting teachers to provide excellent education to children.

Being a school trustee is a commitment to attending trustee board meetings that consider issues such as setting the school vision, mitigating financial risk and scrutinising educational outcomes. They are all involved in the school community, acting as critical friends to the headteacher and senior leaders. Trustees bring a wide range of skills and expertise from their professional lives to the trustee board and schools benefit greatly from working with skilled volunteers.

Core Trustee Responsibilities

Setting the strategic direction – trustee boards are the key strategic decision makers in every school. Along with the Headteacher, it is the job of a trustee board to set the school’s aims and objectives around how the school will develop and improve.

They set policies, formulate plans and agree targets to help the school achieve these objectives, as well as regularly reviewing their strategic framework in light of that progress.

Creating robust accountability – the trustee board is there to support and challenge the school’s senior leadership team. They play a crucial role in holding the Headteacher to account for securing the best possible outcomes for pupils. By challenging key decisions and asking pertinent questions about the school’s performance data, trustees aim to guarantee high standards in education.

Ensuring financial accountability is adhered – the trustee board have a strategic role in the financial management of schools. Their key responsibilities include, setting financial priorities through the school development plan and 3-year financial plan and the annual budget. They also decide on how the school’s delegated budget is spent in accordance with the school improvement plan and statutory curriculum requirement.

PECUNIARY AND PERSONAL INTERESTS

“Trustees and governors are, in my view, the unsung heroes of the system”. About Governors for Schools Become a governor: https://governorsforschools.org.uk/ – Sir David Carter National Schools Commissioner

Kirton Interim Executive Board Structure