Governance

Governance Structure

Members

Grove Learning Trust must have at least three (but ideally five or more) members. The Chair of the trust board attends members meetings for reporting purposes.

The members have the right to appoint and remove trustees and amend the trust’s Articles of Association, subject to Department for Education (DfE) approval. Members receive the trust's annual accounts and report, appoint the trust’s auditors, and through the appointment of the Board of Trustees in line with the Articles, they assure that the trust remains solvent and that directors manage the trust effectively in keeping with the trust’s vision, core purpose and principles.

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Trustees

As per our Articles, our members may appoint up to 8 of our trustees, plus the Chief Executive Officer however, we are not subject to any maximum number.

Trustees maintain a trust-wide view and are accountable for the trust’s standards, performance and financial probity. They are responsible for ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction for the trust, and for setting the trust’s priorities. They hold the CEO to account for delivering the strategy and performance outcomes – both educational and financial. They operate through 3 committees: Standards, People & Culture, Finance, Audit & Estates and the Remuneration Committee. To ensure robust risk management and focus, risk features as a standing item at SPC & FAE committee meetings as well as full trust board meetings.

Grove Learning Trust is an exempt charity and a company limited by guarantee therefore, Trustees are also Directors of the company. They are responsible for complying with both charity and company law.

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Academy Committee

Each academy has its own Academy Committee.

Academy Committee governors are expected to champion and hold the school leadership team to account for its performance through effective support and challenge. They operate as one body, as a committee of the Board of Trustees, which is the trust's legal governing body. Each Academy Committee is accountable to the Board of Trustees through the Board's committees - Standards, People & Culture (SPC) and Finance, Audit & Estates (FAU). Governors are appointed or elected to the Academy Committee after appropriate safer recruitment processes.

Scheme of Delegation

Our Scheme of Delegation, agreed by the Board of Trustees, sets out the delegated authority across our governance structure.

The Trust Board is the legal governing body for Grove Learning Trust and has overall responsibility for it's decision making through strategic planning and monitoring, some of which is delegated to committees of the board through the scheme of delegation. The Trust Board have authority to direct change to ensure the companies charitable objects and purpose are fulfilled.