Trust Board
The Pioneer Academy Trust Board is constituted to create robust and challenging governance across our schools, realising the ambitions and aspirations for high achievement. Building on the excellence of the quality of governance, the Multi Academy Trust Board will bring synergy to the leadership, management and policy framework for all schools.
The Trust Board is made up of members of the management team, key stakeholders and invited partners who ensure an equality of opportunity for all schools during the decision making processes of The Pioneer Academy and to be a part of the wider organisation at a strategic level. The Trustees monitor performance of our schools in the light of the quality improvement framework presented at Trust Board meetings. Trustees also monitor the Trust performance by way of regular reports from the CEO against the strategic objectives.
The Trust Board meets eight times a year and is supported in its work by the Company Secretary and Company Clerk.
The Trustees work collectively as a group and are accountable to the wider community for the delivery of the best possible educational, pastoral and support service. The Trust Board has overall responsibility for the management and administration of The Pioneer Academy: the operations of all schools, with some responsibilities delegated to the School Board of each school. The School Boards are legally functioning committees of the Trustees Board. They will meet termly and have special interest governors, looking after such aspects as standards, resources and buildings and premises. The day to day management of the schools is delegated to the Chief Executive Officer, Director of Education, Head Teachers, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Finance Officer and members of the senior management team.
The Regional Scrutiny Board includes: Chief Executive Officer, Director of Education or Chief Finance Officer, School Board Governor with specific responsibilities in that area, the Head Teacher or School Business Manager for each school.
Governance
The Pioneer Academy recognises the intrinsic link between high quality governance and the quality of leadership and management of the school. The Pioneer Academy endorses the key qualities evident in the successful leadership of governors in general and chairs of governors in particular as highlighted by OfSTED:
- Vision
- Analytical Skills
- Good Communication Skills
- Energy
- Decisive Action
- Toughness
- The Ability to Challenge
- Enthusiasm
The model of governance across The Pioneer Academy is central to the principle of promoting local freedom and governance for schools to take control of their own destiny. A key principle that drives The Pioneer Academy, is that each school will be as autonomous as the quality of education it provides dictates. There is a clear delegated framework for governance at Trust Board and School Board level that makes the responsibilities of both the Trust Board and each School Board explicit.
Core Functions
The School Board has five core functions:
- Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction;
- Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils, and the performance management of staff;
- Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent;
- Ensuring all safeguarding policies and procedures, including prevent, are effective; and
- Monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the School Development Plan (SDP) and reviewing the annual Self-Evaluation Report (SEF)
The School Board members are carefully selected, using the National Governance Association skills audit and skills matrix. As a member of the School Board, local governors would be expected to take on a specific responsibility for one of ten special interest areas detailed below.
1. SEND and disadvantaged (including Pupil Premium)
2a. Finance
2b. Premises and Health and Safety
3. Safeguarding
4. Curriculum (including PE and Sport Premium)
5. Attainment and Progress
6. Teaching Standards
7. Staffing
8. Parents, Children and Community
9. Attendance and Behaviour
Each special interest role will be allocated in line with the School Board Governor’s individual skillset and will also undergo bespoke training via The Pioneer Academy’s Training and Development Programme, which is aligned to the DfE’s Governance Handbook and Competency Framework for Governance –
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/governance-handbook
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