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Governance Structure

Poppy Hill Church of England Multi Academy Trust is a charitable voluntary organisation which relies on the valuable input of a number of non-executive volunteers, supported by an experienced team of staff. Due to the size of the organisation and the schools for which it is responsible, coupled with its drive for accountability, it is a complex organisation with various important elements of governance.

 

Principles

1. Poppy Hill Church of England Multi Academy Trust Charter sets out the fundamental principles of the organisation and lays down the rules for its governance. The Charter consists of the principles set out here, the Academy Trust Articles of Association and the detail set out in the Roles and Functions Matrix and Terms of Reference.

2. The governance principles of Poppy Hill Church of England Multi Academy Trust recognise the importance of developing relationships with common purpose and they are about developing processes and structures.

3. We will continue to develop our governance arrangements to shape and take account of best practice in the sector. The ’21 questions that every Multi-academy Trust should ask itself’ (March 2015), set out by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Education Governance and Leadership, provides a foundation by which we will assess the effectiveness of our governance.

4. Financial governance must, as a foundation, be compliant with the principles and regulations set out in the Academies Financial Handbook. Poppy Hill Church of England Multi Academy Trust aims to go beyond this foundation to provide excellence in its governance.

5. Governance is underpinned by a common understanding about who is responsible for providing valuable input to decision making and who has the decision-making responsibility.

6. Effective governance in our Academy Trust is supported by the following:

i. Trust Members – the guardians of the Constitution 

ii. Trust Board – the Directors / Trustees

iii. Trust sub-committees

iv. Local Governing Body

v. The Executive Team – the Chief Executive Officer (the CEO), Chief Financial Officer(CFO), Director of Human Resources and Director of School Improvement

7. The Trust Board has overall responsibility and ultimate decision-making authority for all the work of the Academy Trust, including the establishment and maintenance of the schools.