Trustee Reports

Brief Summary of the business conducted by the Full Trust Board on 25 September 2023.

• There were elections of Chair and Vice Chair.
• The governance structure was considered. It was agreed that the Student Needs and Curriculum committee would be renamed as the Standards committee and the Finance, Staffing and Buildings committee would be renamed as the Finance, Workforce and Operations committee. The Board agreed to establish an Audit and Risk committee and a Local Governing body.
• Chairs and committee members were appointed to the Standards committee and the Finance, Workforce and Operations committees.
• The Trustee Skills Audit was discussed.
• Trustees’ roles were allocated.
• Trustees completed declaration of business interest forms.
• The updated Code of Conduct was approved.
• Safeguarding training for trustees and for all staff was discussed.
• The Trustee Report for the year ending 31 August 2023 was discussed and approved.
• The Trust Growth plan was discussed.
• The updated Risk Register was discussed and approved.
• There was policy development.

Brief Summary of the business conducted by the Full Trust Board on 11 December 2023.

• The Board received the Audit report and formally approved the annual Audited Accounts for the year ending 31 August 2023.
• Trustees discussed membership and a prospective Trustee was introduced.
• The Trustee Training plan was discussed.
• The Board approved the Terms of Reference for the committees.
• There was a Trust development update.
• The Trust Improvement Strategy was approved.
• Trustees approved the Pay Policy and received an update from the Pay Panel.
• The Internal Scrutiny programme for the year was agreed.
• There were Principal reports from the Principals of Bradfields Academy and Forward2Employment.
• Trustees approved the Pupil Premium Strategy Statement.
• There was a Safeguarding update.
• There was policy development.

Brief Summary of the business conducted by the Full Trust Board on 25 March and 29 April 2024.

• There was discussion and approval of the Academy Improvement and Development plan.
• Trustees discussed the Forward2Employment Quality Improvement Plan.
• There was formal approval of the School Resource Management Self-Assessment tool checklist response.
• Monthly management accounts were discussed.
• Trustees confirmed reading of the new Academy Trust Governance guide.
• There was a Safeguarding update.
• Trustees approved the Quality Mark four-year plan.
• There was a report from the Data Protection Officer.
• There was discussion of the results of the Board Self Evaluation questionnaire.
• The Governance Development plan was approved.
• Membership issues were discussed and the Board supported the appointment of a new Trustee and there were appointments to committees.
• The updated Key Performance Indicator document was put to the Board.
• A draft overview of the 2024/25 meetings was approved by the Board.
• There was a Trust development update.
• There was discussion of the Internal Scrutiny reports.
• There was policy development.

The committee’s responsibilities include matters concerning budget (including audit), staff appointments, contracts, performance management, salary and the Academy site.  Policies are reviewed and approved.

The committee receives briefings from the senior leadership team and looks at value for money with regards to expenditure on staffing and resources.  It also takes on ‘Task and Finish’ monitoring exercises, where a group of trustees focus on a particular topic to make a judgement on its impact and value for money.

The committee minutes are presented at the next meeting of the Trustees.  At the conclusion of each meeting the Trustees discuss the impact made.

The following are brief summaries of the business carried out at the three meetings in 2023/24:

12 October 2023.

• There was discussion of Bids and Grants.
• Trustees received an update on site development.
• The minutes of the Health and Safety committee were discussed.
• Trustees were updated on the progress of performance management reviews.
• There were updates on absence management and staffing.
• There was a presentation and discussion of staff wellbeing.
• The Terms of Reference of the committee were reviewed.

8 February 2024.

• The Primary PE and Sport Spending plan was discussed.
• There was a Finance Report and Budget Monitoring.
• The School Resource Management Self–Assessment checklist was discussed and the response approved.
• There was planning for Task and Finish monitoring.
• Trustees received an update on premises development.
• There was a report on Health and Safety in the Trust.
• There was a staffing update.
• Trustees discussed the results of the staff wellbeing survey.
• Trustee training was discussed.
• There was policy development.

6 June 2024.

• There was a budget monitoring report.
• There was an update on Free Schools bids.
• Trustees received a report on the Pupil Premium spend and impact.
• The 2023-24 PE and Sport Premium spend was approved.
• There was an update on premises and the minutes of the Health and Safety committee were discussed.
• There was a report on staffing and absence management.
• There was an update on the action on staff wellbeing following the staff survey and the use of the benefits package.
• There was discussion of Trustee training.
• There was policy development.