Clarity. Connection. Impact.

Our approach to governance is straightforward. Our Governance Partners give us so much - invaluable experience, relatable professional expertise and, perhaps most importantly of all - time. And all for free. So, the least we can do is to make our processes and procedures clear, concise and connected to deliver governance with real impact that supports and challenges us in equal measure. Win, win.

The Primary First Trust Governance Structure

The Primary First Trust is a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT), and so has Members who are akin to the shareholders of a company and are the guardians of the Trust's constitution. The Trust also has a board of Trustees who also act as company directors and are accountable in law for all decisions about their academies.

The Trustees are accountable for three core governance functions: setting the strategic direction, holding the Executive leaders to account, and ensuring financial probity. As charity trustees, they must also comply with charity law requirements. For all the Trustees to be effective in their core governance functions, the PFT have Trustee committees. These committees have delegated responsibility to oversee the; Financial and Auditing requirements of the MAT and matters such as premises management, HR matters, Educational responsibilities, Compliance requirements. The Trustees also invite governance partners to be part of the committees to ensure the local community and its school directly influence the Trust's decision and policy making. The delegation level for each committee is shown within terms of reference documents.

The MAT board delegates key responsibilities to academy committees through a Scheme of Delegation, also known as local governing bodies, or within the PFT, Governance partnership bodies. (GPBs) Their roles are outlined in the Scheme of delegation and the GPB Terms of reference documents as shown in the PFT governance handbook: PFT Governance handbook 2021.

Each Governance Partnership bodies have Parent Governance partners, Staff Governance partners, and Trust appointed Governance partners. The Headteacher and Educational Director is also part of the GPBs. The term of office is 4 years for each role.

The Governance partnership bodies have link roles in monitoring specific areas directly linked to the School development plan eg – SEND, Safeguarding, EYFS, Ring fenced grants, SRE, Wellbeing etc. Monitoring is outlinned in the GPBs annual monitoring plan and is formally reported and shared in the GPB meetings. The GP are part of the Risk Review process, and receive the Trust on a page document, as well as all quality assurance reviews which outline all data, and quality of teaching etc across the Trust. The Governance partners are also a key link to our communities and ensuring their voice is heard – GPB work with their community engagement plans to meet this goal. Each Goveranance partnership body has it own development plan which links into their training plan.