Academy Trusts have different governance arrangements from schools that are under Local Authority control and their governors have a wider range of duties than governors of maintained schools. Academies also have an additional layer of governance, known as the members. The members are responsible for appointing the majority of the governors, approving the accounts at their Annual Meeting and for making any changes to the constitution (known as the Articles of Association) of the Academy Trust. The Academy Trust is the employer of the school’s staff, the admissions authority and the owner of its land and buildings.
Beyond this, it is the governing body which remains responsible for making strategic decisions and for overseeing the operation of the school.
As an academy is also a charitable company limited by guarantee, the governors have duties both as directors under company law and as trustees under charity law.
Articles of AssociationMemorandum of Association