About us
Our governance structure is designed to provide strong leadership and clear accountability across all our schools. At Trust level, our experienced Directors bring a wealth of skills and knowledge. At each school, our passionate Academy Councillors work closely with staff, families, and the community to uphold high standards and support our schools to thrive continuously.
Our Directors
The Board of Directors have responsibilities for strategic oversight of all of the schools in the academy trust and are the directly accountable body to the department for education for the financial and educational performance of the Trust. Directors are appointed based on the skills they can bring to the board and we are proud to have a highly skilled and experienced board of directors. In our Trust many day-to-day governance functions are delegated to a Local Academy Council specific to the school under an agreed scheme of delegation (see example below)
Meet our Directors
Helen Beaton (Finance & Operation)
Madeleine Hope (Finance & Operational)
Tim Jones (Education & School Improvement)
John Taylor - Chair (Education, Buildings, HR) (Chartered Fellow of CIPD)
Paul Rickeard - CEO (Education & School improvement)
Allana Gay (Education & School Improvement, EDIJ)
Charlotte McCabe (Primary Education)
Paul Bowens (Finance and Change Management)
Jenny Wade (Legal and Governance)
Our Members
Members established the Trust and set out its constitution through signing its company documents (memorandum and articles of association). Members are the equivalent of shareholders in a company limited by shares and have limited but important powers under the company documents. These include acting as a ‘guardian’ of the Academy Trust and ensuring that the Academy Trust is acting within its charitable objects as set out in the Articles. Our Members also appoint the majority of our directors. However, Members do not interfere with the day-to-day operation of the Trust or any school or approach Directors or the Headteacher on an individual basis in their role as a Member.
Meet our members
Nigel Wyrley-Birch (Representing the Bishop of Durham as Corporate Member)
Stephen Pickering (Individual nominated by the Durham Diocesan Board of Education)
John Taylor (Chair of Board)
Revd Dr Gill Alexander (Individual nominated by the Newcastle Diocesan Education Board)
Bishop of Newcastle Right Reverend Helen-Ann Hartley
Academy Councils
Each of our schools has its own local Academy Council, a dedicated group of individuals, including parents, staff and members of the wider community (including local church representatives in our Church schools). They use their skills and experience to play an important role in school governance. They have responsibilities in respect of their specific academy under powers delegated to the Local Governing Body by the Board of Directors under the scheme of delegation. You can find details of academy councillors for each school on their individual websites.
Trust Governance documents
Scheme of Delegation
This document is an example as each school has its own bespoke signed version on their website. The Scheme of Delegation sets out decision making powers and the schedule confirms which level of governance within the Trust has the power to make various key decisions. As part of our overall vision we seek to ensure each school local academy council has as much involvement in local decision making related to their school as possible.
Organisation Chart
View the full Organisation Chart here.
This chart gives a visual overview of the different levels of governance within the Trust and how these relate to each other.
Other key documents
