Governance Stucture
The Trust governance model consists of Members, a Trust Board of Directors and Local Governing Bodies (LGBs).
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The Members: The Members are appointed by the Bishop of Lancaster and the Diocese has ultimate control over the Trust, with the ability to appoint the majority of the trustees (Foundation Directors) and the right to amend the trust’s Articles of Association.
The members of Mater Ecclesiae are: the Bishop of Lancaster (Bishop Paul Swarbrick), the Episcopal Vicar for Education and Formation, Fr Michael Doherty, and the Diocesan Board of Education Trustees.
Trust Board of Directors: The Directors are responsible for the same three core governance functions performed by the governing body in a maintained school: setting the direction, holding the Chief Executive to account and ensuring financial probity. As charity trustees, they must also ensure that they are complying with charity law requirements. The Trust Board will be supported by an Executive Team led by the Chief Executive Officer.
Local Governors: Local Governors are individuals who sit on Local Governing Bodies (LGBs). Subject to the restrictions in the articles of association and any guidance issued by the Archdiocese, the directors have discretion over what is delegated to each LGB. They may, for example, decide to delegate all functions to academies in the trust that are performing well and fewer to those academies that need greater support. The details of what has been delegated from the directors to local governors is detailed in the Scheme of Delegation for the Trust. This will make it clear what responsibilities are retained by the Trust Board of Directors of the and what responsibilities are to be given to each Local Governing Body.
Key Responsibilities: The Local Governing Body will be responsible for the Catholic Life of the academy, day to day oversight of the management of the academy and compliance with the Trust and the academy’s policies and practices, standards, and ensuring the academy fulfils its responsibilities to pupils and their families, being at the heart of the relationship between the school and its local parish community. The Trust Board will determine the strategy for the Trust, secure school improvement and academy turnaround overseeing performance and standards, ensure good practice holding leadership to account.
Purpose
The role of the Local Governing Body in a multi academy trust is a valuable one in providing local governance as well as offering assistance to the Trust Board of Directors in fulfilling their responsibilities. The purpose of the LGB is to provide focused governance for an academy at the local level. It should also monitor the academy’s key performance indicators and act as support and challenge to the Headteacher. The LGB will also play an important role in representing the views of the academy stakeholders. The specific functions of the LGB are clearly laid out in the Trust’s scheme of delegation.
Local Governors contribute to the work of the Local Governing Body in ensuring high standards of achievement for all children and young people in the academy by:
- Supporting the academy’s vision, ethos and strategic direction in line with that of the Academy Trust
- Supporting and challenging leaders on the educational performance of the academy and its pupils, and their well-being and safety
Full Trust Board: Mater Ecclesiae full Trust Board is chaired by Roger Mason. The full Trust Board meets four times per year and receives reports from its main two Board Sub Committees and reports from academies across the Trust wherever relevant or required. The Boards two sub committees are:
- Ethos Intervention and Standards
- Finance, Audit, Risk and Resources
Ethos Intervention and Standards: The purpose of the sub-committee is to ensure that the Trust Board has effective oversight of the activities at the Trust in relation to a number of areas. It ensures that any statutory and Diocesan requirements relating to key policies are implemented. It seeks to identify areas where greater collaboration between the Academies can improve standards and outcomes. The subcommittee is chaired by Damien Callagher.
Finance, Audit, Risk and Resources: The purpose of the sub-committee is to ensure that the Trust Board is kept informed of all major financial issues concerning the Trust and its Academies. Advise and report to the Directors in relation any organisational risks which might impede the development and implementation of a long-term strategy for the success of the Trust. Support the Directors in developing an organisational structure which reflects the Trust’s values and enables the management systems, structures and processes to work effectively in line with legal requirements and to ensure sound financial management. Ensure effective risk management practices are in place across the organisation. The subcommittee is chaired by George Krawiec.
For further information about the Committees including Terms of Reference, please see the scheme of delegation or contact us for further information.
Governance Stucture
The Trust governance model consists of Members, a Trust Board of Directors and Local Governing Bodies (LGBs).
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The Members: The Members are appointed by the Bishop of Lancaster and the Diocese has ultimate control over the Trust, with the ability to appoint the majority of the trustees (Foundation Directors) and the right to amend the trust’s Articles of Association.
The members of Mater Ecclesiae are: the Bishop of Lancaster (Bishop Paul Swarbrick), the Episcopal Vicar for Education and Formation, Fr Michael Doherty, and the Diocesan Board of Education Trustees.
Trust Board of Directors: The Directors are responsible for the same three core governance functions performed by the governing body in a maintained school: setting the direction, holding the Chief Executive to account and ensuring financial probity. As charity trustees, they must also ensure that they are complying with charity law requirements. The Trust Board will be supported by an Executive Team led by the Chief Executive Officer.
Local Governors: Local Governors are individuals who sit on Local Governing Bodies (LGBs). Subject to the restrictions in the articles of association and any guidance issued by the Archdiocese, the directors have discretion over what is delegated to each LGB. They may, for example, decide to delegate all functions to academies in the trust that are performing well and fewer to those academies that need greater support. The details of what has been delegated from the directors to local governors is detailed in the Scheme of Delegation for the Trust. This will make it clear what responsibilities are retained by the Trust Board of Directors of the and what responsibilities are to be given to each Local Governing Body.
Key Responsibilities: The Local Governing Body will be responsible for the Catholic Life of the academy, day to day oversight of the management of the academy and compliance with the Trust and the academy’s policies and practices, standards, and ensuring the academy fulfils its responsibilities to pupils and their families, being at the heart of the relationship between the school and its local parish community. The Trust Board will determine the strategy for the Trust, secure school improvement and academy turnaround overseeing performance and standards, ensure good practice holding leadership to account.
Purpose
The role of the Local Governing Body in a multi academy trust is a valuable one in providing local governance as well as offering assistance to the Trust Board of Directors in fulfilling their responsibilities. The purpose of the LGB is to provide focused governance for an academy at the local level. It should also monitor the academy’s key performance indicators and act as support and challenge to the Headteacher. The LGB will also play an important role in representing the views of the academy stakeholders. The specific functions of the LGB are clearly laid out in the Trust’s scheme of delegation.
Local Governors contribute to the work of the Local Governing Body in ensuring high standards of achievement for all children and young people in the academy by:
- Supporting the academy’s vision, ethos and strategic direction in line with that of the Academy Trust
- Supporting and challenging leaders on the educational performance of the academy and its pupils, and their well-being and safety
Full Trust Board: Mater Ecclesiae full Trust Board is chaired by Roger Mason. The full Trust Board meets four times per year and receives reports from its main two Board Sub Committees and reports from academies across the Trust wherever relevant or required. The Boards two sub committees are:
- Ethos Intervention and Standards
- Finance, Audit, Risk and Resources
Ethos Intervention and Standards: The purpose of the sub-committee is to ensure that the Trust Board has effective oversight of the activities at the Trust in relation to a number of areas. It ensures that any statutory and Diocesan requirements relating to key policies are implemented. It seeks to identify areas where greater collaboration between the Academies can improve standards and outcomes. The subcommittee is chaired by Damien Callagher.
Finance, Audit, Risk and Resources: The purpose of the sub-committee is to ensure that the Trust Board is kept informed of all major financial issues concerning the Trust and its Academies. Advise and report to the Directors in relation any organisational risks which might impede the development and implementation of a long-term strategy for the success of the Trust. Support the Directors in developing an organisational structure which reflects the Trust’s values and enables the management systems, structures and processes to work effectively in line with legal requirements and to ensure sound financial management. Ensure effective risk management practices are in place across the organisation. The subcommittee is chaired by George Krawiec.
For further information about the Committees including Terms of Reference, please see the scheme of delegation or contact us for further information.