Key Elements of Trust Governance for Developing and Expanding a Multi-Academy Trust

As multi-academy trusts (MATs) grow, strong governance structures are important to ensure the effective management of resources, delivery of educational excellence, and compliance with statutory responsibilities. Strong governance provides the foundation for sustainable growth while maintaining the trust’s vision and values. Here are the key elements of governance needed to support the development and expansion of a MAT.

Clear vision and strategic direction

A MAT’s vision and strategy should form the basis of every decision made at both board and operational levels. It’s important to define your core values, set measurable objectives for academic outcomes, financial health and operational effectiveness, and create a plan for expansion that aligns with the trust’s capacity and resources.

Effective board layout

The trust board is the ultimate decision-making body, and its effectiveness depends on the members’ skills and expertise, independence and commitment to training. You should aim to include members with diverse expertise in education, finance, law, HR and governance. You should also balance executive and non-executive directors to ensure there’s sufficient challenge and accountability, and regularly update trustees on sector changes and governance best practices.

Defined roles and responsibilities

Clarity in roles and responsibilities can prevent overlap and provide accountability. You should consider:

• A trust board, who can focus on strategic supervision and high-level decision-making.
• Executive leadership, who can handle the day-to-day operations under the board’s direction.
• Local governing bodies, who support individual schools while adhering to the trust’s overarching strategy.

Make sure these roles are clearly defined in the delegation plan.

Strong financial governance

Financial management is critical, particularly during growth. The main elements include aligning financial planning with strategic objectives, using detailed management accounts to monitor financial performance, identifying and mitigating risks related to growth such as underperforming schools or funding challenges, and ensuring adherence to the Academy Trust Handbook and other regulatory requirements are followed.

Quality assurance and accountability

Governance structures must support the continuous improvement of educational standards across the trust. This can be achieved by using clear KPIs to measure academic outcomes and operational efficiency, having regular audits and evaluations of governance practices that can identify areas for improvement and establishing processes for holding schools, leaders, and the board accountable for performance.

Stakeholder engagement

Engaging with stakeholders builds trust and ensures the MAT remains responsive to the needs of its community. Ways to engage stakeholders include surveys and forums which provide valuable feedback, having transparent communication which fosters a culture of collaboration and commitment, and maintaining open and proactive relationships with external bodies.

Scalable governance structures

Expansion requires governance systems that can grow with the trust. You should establish clear processes for integrating new schools into the trust, review the scheme of delegation as the trust’s size and complexity increase. Additionally, you should consider investing in systems that enable efficient management across multiple schools.

Risk management and compliance

Proactive risk management ensures the trust’s stability during periods of growth. This can be supported by regularly updating and reviewing risks at board level, keeping governance, safeguarding and financial policies current. Being proactive in ensuring adherence to legal and regulatory requirements and engaging with professional providers and acting upon recommendations.

Capacity building

Growth requires investment in leadership and governance capacity. You should identify and prepare future leaders through succession planning. Provide training for governors and trusteesthatfocuses on skills essential for overseeing a larger organisation and develop centralised services (e.g., HR, finance, IT) to support schools effectively.

Culture and ethos

Maintaining a consistent culture and ethos across all schools is crucial for cohesion. It’s important to have shared values and communicate a unified vision that resonates with all schools. It’s important to be collaborative, encouraging schools to share best practices and resources, and make sure your trust leaders exemplify the values they promote.

Expanding a multi-academy trust is a complex but rewarding journey that requires meticulous planning and strong governance. By focusing on these key elements, MATs can ensure sustainable growth, uphold educational standards, and deliver lasting benefits to the communities they serve.

At Carpenter Box we can assist trustees in understanding their duties and responsibilities. If you would like to discuss anything further please get in touch with a member of our Not For Profit team on 01903 234094.