About Our Trust
Governance
Brontë Academy Trust is an education charity that runs schools as well as a company and is therefore subject to both charity law and company law. Brontë is a company limited by guarantee, which means that it does not have share capital or shareholders, but instead has members who act as guarantors.
Although Brontë Academy Trust is a charity, it is exempt from registration with the Charity Commission as it is regulated by the Education and Skills Funding Agency [ESFA]. This means it does not have a charity number, but it must comply with charity law and operates in all other respects as any other charity. As a company, it is also subject to the regulator for companies called Companies House.
Brontë has set up a governance model that ensures clear and non-duplicative roles and responsibilities within the overall governance structure. There is clear separation between Members and Trustees, and Executive and Non-Executive. The Executive Leadership Team facilitates communication between levels of governance.
There is a close relationship between the different parts of governance in the Trust, but each has distinct responsibilities as outlined in the Scheme of Delegation and their Terms of Reference.
Trust Members:
The guardians of the constitution [Articles of Association] who ensure the charitable objects are fulfilled. As outlined in the Department for Education’s Governance Handbook, members have a strategic ‘eyes on, hands off’ role. The Academy Trust Handbook and the Trust’s Articles of Association, together with relevant legislation, contain key information on Members. Members have specific roles which can include amending the articles of association, appointing or removing Members of the Trust Board, appointing the Trust auditors and receiving the audited annual accounts and the power to change the Trust’s name, and ultimately, wind it up.
Trust Board:
Accountable to the Members, Secretary of State for Education and the wider community for the quality of the education provided to pupils and students and for the appropriate expenditure of public money. The Board is the non-executive body who hold ultimate legal accountability and are required to have systems to assure themselves of the quality, safety and good practice of the affairs of the Trust. It is recognised that, whilst the Board can choose to delegate some of its functions, it cannot delegate its responsibilities.
Trust Committees
There are two sub-committees of the Trust Board:
Risk and Finance Committee
The Risk and Finance Committee oversees the Trust’s use of financial, physical, and human resources to ensure efficiency, effectiveness, and alignment with strategic goals. It scrutinises budget setting, financial performance, capital planning, and HR strategies. The committee also assures the integrity of financial systems, internal controls, and risk management. Meeting at least three times a year, it ensures the transparent and proper use of public funds, in line with the Academy Trust Handbook.
Pay and Performance Review Committee
The Trustees’ Pay and Performance Review committee meets at least annually, with the main focus of reviewing the performance of Executive roles in our Trust. This ensures transparency and probity and an important governance responsibility on behalf of the main Trustee Board. Executive roles are the senior leadership team for the Trust e.g. CEO, CFO etc and also
Executive Group
Reporting to the Trustees, the Executive Group comprises of Headteachers from each of our schools, CEO and CFO. The Executive Group meets monthly and plays a vital role in the day-to-day running and organisation of the Trust. The Executive Group advises and informs Trustees, though does not form part of the formal governance structure.
Trust Chief Executive Officer
Our Trust has a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) who works for the Trust and also serves as the Accounting Officer. It is the CEO's job to ensure that our MAT operates in the way that the Trustees have envisaged and within the relevant DfE and ESFA regulations and guidance. The CEO also has responsibility for standards across the Trust schools and will report back to the Trust Board at least 5 times a year.