Our committees provide specialist oversight and assurance, undertaking detailed scrutiny of key areas of responsibility. 

Audit and Risk Committee 

The role of the committee is to: 

1. Monitor effectiveness of Trust’s risk management arrangements including review of Strategic Risk Register  
2. Review draft one year and three-year budgets and make recommendations to Board  
3. Approve financial procedures and limits  
4. Monitor effectiveness of procurement and VFM  
5. Monitor internal controls and compliance with the Academy Trust Handbook  
6. Recommend appointment of external auditors to the Members  
7. Monitor compliance with the requirements of the Funding Agreements and Articles 

Education and Standards 

The committee will advise, monitor, evaluate and report on: 

1. Curriculum matters  

1.1 The broad educational needs of the pupils attending the trust’s academies.  

1.2 The curriculum principles which apply to all academies in the trust.  

1.3 How curriculum principles are being implemented by academies in the trust and their impact on all pupils.  

1.4 Curriculum and quality of education issues for all academies in the trust.  

1.5 To keep under review the curriculum for the academies and to make recommendations to the trustees where necessary to ensure that the requirements of the National Curriculum and relevant legislation are met.  

1.6 Curriculum enrichment throughout the trust.  

1.7 Other curriculum issues such as spiritual, moral, social and cultural learning.  

2. Pupil achievement  

2.1 Pupil achievement and standards throughout the trust, including specific groups: those with special educational needs and disability (SEND), disadvantaged, looked after children and pupils with English as an additional language.  

2.2 The quality of teaching and learning throughout the trust, including performance and future performance trends and risks in relation to each academy. 

2.3 Teaching capacity throughout the trust including the impact of continuing professional development on pupil achievement and standards. 

2.4 How collaboration between academies in the trust and more widely is raising pupil achievement and wider outcomes.  

2.5 The effectiveness of the trust’s quality assurance work and improvement planning.  

2.6 The effectiveness of the trust’s intervention and school improvement work. 

3. Wider outcomes  

3.1 The trust-wide approach towards ensuring all pupils are given the knowledge, skills and attributes needed to manage their lives now and in the future. 

3.2 The trust-wide approach to improving pupils’ health, wellbeing and physical literacy.  

3.3 The trust-wide approach to building the cultural capital of pupils.  

3.4 The trust-wide approach to promoting British values and providing pupils with a global outlook.  

3.5 Issues related to pupil discipline such as levels of exclusions across the trust.  

3.6 Current and emerging patterns, trends and risks relating to attendance and behaviour for all academies in the trust.  

3.7 Current and emerging patterns, trends and risks relating to pupil wellbeing for all academies in the trust.  

3.8 Engaging pupils, parents and the wider community in promoting and improving educational performance and wider outcomes for all pupils throughout the trust. 

Ethos and Values 

1. For all the Trust schools. 

1.1 To monitor how the Trust’s vision and values are promoted across the organisation and shared both internally and externally with key stakeholders.  

1.2 To monitor the impact of the Trust vision and values in improving the educational outcomes for the children.  

1.3 To monitor the content and impact of  

- Collective Worship,  

- Religious Education  

- and the PSHE curriculum  

to ensure that these aspects are threaded throughout school life. 

1.4 To monitor that the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of children and staff is nurtured throughout the Trust, actively seeking views and evidence from stakeholders.  

1.5 To monitor that the Trust promotes links between the school, parents, the wider community, relevant local organisations, including worshipping communities including all faiths.  

1.6 To monitor the effectiveness of procedures to support well-being and pastoral care of children, staff, and governors.  

1.7 Provide an annual report to the Members for review in the spring term that reports on the work of the committee.  

2. For our Voluntary Aided or Voluntary Controlled Church of England Schools:  

2.1 To review the effectiveness of the contribution made by all school leaders to sustaining, developing and nurturing the Trust’s ethos and the Christian distinctiveness of our Church of England Schools.  

2.2 To monitor how Christian principles are embedded in the policies and day to day life of all Church of England schools.  

2.3 To ensure school leaders and governors focus on and use Christian values to promote a distinctive Christian vision for each school.  

2.4 To regularly monitor and review the school’s self-evaluation as a Church school, ensuring that self-evaluation is ongoing, contributes to school improvement and ensure good preparation for SIAMS inspection. 

People and Pay 

The committee the following responsibilities: 

1. Staffing 

1.1 Review the staffing structure of the trust, ensuring that it meets the requirements of the trust development plan, the curriculum and is affordable  

1.2 Consider applications from staff for variation to contract (such as secondments, early retirement, leave of absence, reduced working hours and flexible working requests)  

1.3 Review staff work-life balance, working conditions and wellbeing, including monitoring staff absence rates  

1.4 Oversee the operation of the appraisal policy, including making arrangements for the senior executive leader’s performance management  

1.5 Review pay decision data to ensure that pay increments are awarded fairly  

1.6 Ensure that staffing procedures (including recruitment procedures) comply with equality legislation and safer recruitment practice  

1.7 Monitor the provision of staff training and CPD, ensuring sufficient budget is allocated  

2. Delegated Decisions 

Based on the current Scheme of Delegated Governance Functions the following decisions are delegated to the committee  

2.1 Agree an overall rating of the CE’s performance for the past year and achievement of the previous year’s key objectives using the Trust’s Performance Management system.  

2.2 Agree the CE’s key objectives for the forthcoming year and how these will be measured. 

2.3 Agree pay award, and the pay system and terms and conditions of employment for the CE if outside of STP&C or Local Government pay scales.  

2.4 Approve recommended pay awards from the CE for senior leaders and teachers moving to UPS.  

2.5 To agree the Trust wide pay policy and oversee the process of moderation across the Trust.  

3. Additional Responsibilities: 

The following list may be revised or amended by the Board at any time. 

3.1 Ensure the Board has a senior management succession plan which minimises the risk to business continuity in the event of resignations or long term absence.  

3.2 Ensure that the remuneration policy and system for the CE is broadly consistent with and proportionate to that of other Trust employees  

3.3 Ensure that remuneration decisions do not have a detrimental impact on the financial position of the Trust.  

3.4 Receive a report from the CE on the overall performance ratings of other senior Trust employees.  

3.5 To oversee any major changes in employee benefits structures in the Trust.  

3.6 Monitor compliance with all HR and employment requirements. 

3.7 Agree disciplinary and capability procedures.  

3.8 Ensure CE undertakes appropriate CPD.