Governance
Our Trust has three layers of governance to ensure robust leadership and full accountability, in accordance with our Memorandum and Articles of Association and Funding Agreements.
Members, trustees and local governors give their time voluntarily and do not receive any payment. Their wide-ranging skills and experience support our leadership teams to deliver excellence.
Members are accountable to the DfE and have ultimate responsibility for the Trust achieving its charitable objectives. They sign off the Articles of Association and have the power to appoint and remove the trustees. One member is appointed by the Salisbury Diocesan Board of Education (SDBE) to ensure the Christian distinctiveness of each foundation school is maintained and enhanced throughout the governance structure.
The trustees set the strategic direction for the Trust and are accountable to the Secretary of State for the performance of the schools within it. This is set out in a legal document known as the ‘Funding Agreement’. As charity trustees, they must also ensure that they are complying with charity law requirements. High calibre trustees are appointed for their skills, knowledge and experience.
The Trust Board has three core functions:
1. Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
2. Holding the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to account for the educational performance of the Trust’s schools and the performance management of staff
3. Overseeing the financial performance of the schools and making sure money is well spent
There are a number of committees of the Trust Board, covering Resources, Remuneration, Risk and Audit, Church Schools Flourishing, and Standards.
Each school has its own Local Governing Body (LGB) which is a committee of the Trust Board. Each LGB consists of parents and community representatives who support the trustees and Heads by adding local context and challenge. LGBs have governance functions delegated to them by the Trust Board for their particular school through the Scheme of Delegation and are accountable to the Trust Board.
Key governance documents:
Financial procedures policy
equa mead financial procedures policy.pdf
Reserves and investment policy
equa mead reserves and investment policy 1 .pdf
Risk management procedures
equa mead risk management procedures.pdf
Scheme of Delegation
equa mead learning trust scheme of delegation 29 05 24.pdf