The local tier of governors in multi-academy trusts (MATs) lack a “clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities” and communication between the layers of governance is “often poor”, a report warns.
The report by the Confederation of School Trusts (CST) also identifies a lack of diversity among governors at board level and says many trusts have equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) policies and statements that do not yet translate into reality.
The CST report says that the local tier of governance is “essential” to ensuring a trust has effective governance, as this tier will be able to provide information from the ground on aspects such as safeguarding and special educational needs and disabilities.
But the lack of communication creates “duplication” and “confusion over accountability”, the report warns.
MAT boards are accountable for decisions about all schools within their trusts. National Governance Association guidance says that some of a board’s functions can be delegated to the local tier of governors at the individual school level.
It adds that the local tier can form “the bridge between the trust board and its schools, and is integral to the governance of the vast majority of MATs”.
CST’s study analysed a year’s worth of external governance reviews to find current trends in trust governance.
Analyses found trusts tend to have strengths in financial governance, external accountability and scrutiny of educational outcomes and safeguarding.
Areas for development tended to be within board leadership and structures, the report says. It added that, going forward, board leadership needs to be more comfortable with complexity and evolving structures.
To evolve governance, the authors state there must be “clear articulation” about what each structure is trying to achieve and whether it is fit for purpose.
Diversity in governor boards ‘crucial’
The CST report also highlights the issue of diversity on trust boards, which it says is “crucial” to building effective organisations.
However, the governance reviews analysed showed EDI strategies are “poorly embedded” in many trusts.
The report suggests a number of questions for boards to ask themselves, including: how does your trust attract candidates and are trusts purposefully reaching diverse audiences?
It also asks trust boards to consider how the “culture, climate and working conditions” of your board and trust might fail to attract, or might actively drive away, more diverse staff and leaders.
The NGA found in 2021 that 93 per cent of respondents to its annual governance survey were white. Only 9 per cent were aged under 40.
The governance reviews that CST analysed also showed a correlation between high-quality trust governance and a skilled governance professional leading the board.
“Governance is often seen as an ‘add-on’ to other responsibilities and the role has not fully garnered the respect it deserves,” the authors said.
“The governance professional is also not located appropriately within the leadership structure, and important decisions are made without the benefit of their input and advice.”
To evolve governance, boards must be supported by a professional who can provide accurate guidance, the report adds.
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