1. Scheme of Delegation Information for local Governing Bodies

2. Expectation for good Governance
DfE places a very high emphasis on the quality of governance
Governance functions can be delegated by the Board to local governing bodies (LGBs) or other committees overseeing one or a cluster of academies – delegations must be set out and published in a clear scheme of delegation. Regardless of the extent of delegation, the trust remains accountable for the performance of all its academies to the Secretary of State.
Further, the DfE states:
There is no duplication between the roles of executive trust leaders and LGBs in holding individual academy leadership to account. (DfE 2016)
This presentation supplements the formal scheme of delegation and should be considered a summary of that document.

3. Role of the Main Board
The main Board through its chief executive will be responsible for the following:
Agree and disseminate the aims and objectives of the Trust
Agree and disseminate a business plan and/or an annual development plan for the Trust
Meeting statutory reporting requirements through its chief executive to the Regional Schools Commissioners and through them to Parliament
Maintain and update the Trust’s financial delegations and agree local academy budgets with guidance from the Finance Director and Chief Executive
Agree any large scale purchases including services offered on a Trust-wide basis as per the financial scheme of delegation
Agree a new academy joiner protocol and market the Trust to a wider audience recognising its geographical base
Establish such committees as are necessary for the good governance of the Trust including a finance and audit committee and an education committee.
Appoint and (performance) manage as necessary officers of the Trust.
Develop and maintain a range of Trust-wide policies including, admissions, behaviour, health and safety, asset management, HR, remuneration, SEND, safeguarding including whistle blowing, data protection and risk management.
Hold individual governing bodies to account, varying delegations, usually with notice, if progress is not considered adequate.

4. Powers & Accountability dedicated to CEO
Develop a business plan and/or an annual development plan for the Trust
Ensure the Trustees meet all statutory reporting requirements to the Regional Schools Commissioners and through them to Parliament
Propose such committees as are necessary for the good governance of the Trust including a finance and audit committee and an education committee.
Recommend local academy budgets with guidance from the Finance Director
Appoint and (performance) manage as necessary officers of the Trust as agreed from time to time by the Main Board.
Develop, maintain and seek approval for a range of Trust-wide policies including, admissions, behaviour, health and safety, asset management, HR, remuneration, SEND, safeguarding including whistle blowing, data protection and risk management.
Hold individual governing bodies to account
Prepare, maintain and update a new academy joiner protocol and market the Trust to a wider audience recognising its geographical base
Ensure all schools maintain an up to date risk register and use those as the basis of a Board Accountability Framework, escalating risks to the Board as appropriate

5. LGB Delegated Powers Powers delegated locally will normally include:
Day-to-day oversight of the academy including the monitoring of finance, entering into local contracts within financial regs and supporting appointments.
Delegated responsibility for:
Standards, including curriculum, academic standards and attendance
Safeguarding, including health and safety and SEND
Stakeholders, including admissions
…and ensuring these accountabilities are knitted together in a local academy development plan with the support of KGA consultancy staff

6. Standards
The expectation is that all King’s Academies are top quartile or better for performance, including all externally benchmarked standards.
For primary academies, the expectation is that all pupils capable of meeting age related expectations do so and that bespoke intervention plans exist for those at risk of not meeting this target
These expectations should guide the setting and agreeing of targets at all levels and inform the local curriculum, ensuring that it meets the Board’s requirements
Where a academy or a group of pupils within a academy is performing significantly below these expectations, any improvement trajectory should be as short as is reasonably possible and certainly never more than three years.
A range of resources including DfE websites are available to support the setting of targets and regular training on these resources will be provided to local governing bodies and their members.
High quality teaching is fundamental to achieving these outcomes and support for ensuring good teaching is the norm across KGA academies will be available both locally and centrally

7. Safeguarding for pupils & staff (Inc. H&S)
Statutory Guidance: Working together to safeguard Children (DfE July 2018)
Keeping children safe in education (DfE September 2018)
Local governing bodies….
Develop their local safeguarding policy which will incorporate safer recruiting, online safety and ‘Prevent’ drawing on the KGA template (to be developed)
Ensure the academy maintains a single central record
Monitor the implementation of that policy locally
Receive an annual assurance report from the academy’s designated lead in safeguarding meeting at least the minimum requirements of a section 11 report (Children’s Act 2004) as determined by LSCBs
Adopt a suitable health and safety policy (to be templated) and ensure it is properly implemented, reporting as necessary to the Board.

8. Stakeholders, including Admissions
To agree a local admissions policy with the Chief Executive based on the KGA model template, consulting widely with the local community to create a sense of ownership
To ensure systems are in place to hear the voice of pupils, staff and their parents, and, as individuals, participate as necessary from time to time in public meetings, hearings and so on to ensure the ethos and purpose of the academy is understood well in the community it serves
To agree a local complaints policy
To ensure senior staff have policies and procedures in place to meet the requirements of data protection
To ensure the academy has a suitable whistle blowing policy and to receive an annual report when necessary

9. Terminology
Members - who establish the trust and set out the constitution of the school, through signing its memorandum and articles of association. They can appoint and dismiss directors/governors;
Directors /Trustees–set the strategic direction for the MAT and are accountable to the Secretary of State for the performance of the schools within it. They may also be governors and trustees but are referred to here as Directors to distinguish them from the members of the Local Governing Body (LGBs);
Local Governing Bodies/Boards – oversee different functions of schools within the Trust, depending on the responsibility delegated to them by Directors;
Chief Executive Officer - who provides the professional leadership of the Trust;
Individual Principals/Headteachers– responsible for the day-to-day running of each school in the MAT and who are accountable to the Directors/LGBs and line managed by the CEO,
Heads of School – accountable to Principals

10. New Joiners Protocol – Due Diligence
KGA undertakes a due diligence review of all proposed new joiners, based on The National Association of School Business Managers (NASBM) recommendations:
• Income / expenditure and budgets / liabilities and assets – 3 years prior and forward looking
• Pupil numbers - 3 years prior and forward looking
• Scrutiny of (governing) board minutes, legal and HR contracts, any accounts/financial statements, internal audit reports
• Skills and experience at the entity under review.
To which we add
Ambition of present arrangements in terms of expectations, targets and so on.
Together these give a sense of direction for new joiners and allow the Trust to determine risk and allocate resources as appropriate.

11. Cover Note
This document sets out a high level summary of the KGA scheme of delegation. This presentation site alongside the wider suite of documents – the Formal Scheme of Delegation ( including detailed Financial delegations and the Protocol for Intervention) and the longer matrix of responsibilities that sets out what that means in practice .

12. For Further Information
Dianne Smith
Interim CEO E: T: M: