The Trust is governed by a Board of Trustees, supported by Members, sub-committees and local School Boards. Together, they ensure strong leadership, accountability and oversight, so that every child is Safe, Happy and Learning. 

Governance at a Glance 

• Legal status: A charitable company limited by guarantee with governance requirements set out within The Pioneer Academy (TPA) Articles of Association 

• Accountable body: Board of Trustees 

• Strategic focus: Educational standards, safeguarding, compliance and financial oversight 

• Local oversight: School Boards for each school 

• Trust vision: Putting children first – Safe, Happy, Learning 

Our Governance Structure 

Governance within the TPA operates at three levels: 

Members 

Members hold the Trust to account for fulfilling its charitable purpose. They appoint Trustees and approve key constitutional decisions. 

Board of Trustees 

The Board of Trustees is the legal governing body for all schools in the Trust. Trustees are also company directors and charity trustees. 

They are responsible for: 

• Setting and championing the TPA vision, values and strategic direction and ensuring this is implemented across all layers within the Trust 

• Holding executive and school leaders to account 

• Overseeing educational performance and safeguarding 

• Ensuring financial probity and value for money 

• Meeting statutory and contractual obligations 

• Being accountable to the members of the Trust and to the Secretary of State 

• Oversee risk, audit, finance, safeguarding and educational standards 

What Trustees Do Not Do 

• Trustees do not run schools operationally 

• Trustees do not manage staff or pupils 

• Trustees do not handle individual complaints 

• Trustees do not inspect individual schools or classrooms 

Operational leadership sits with the Chief Executive, Executive Team and Headteachers. 

School Boards 

Each school has a local School Board with delegated responsibility set by the Board of Trustees as documented in the Scheme of Delegation (found on the TPA website) and Terms of Reference.  School Boards consist of Governors who provide strategic and school level oversight in the following key areas; safeguarding, educational standards and community engagement. 

Trust Sub Committees 

To support effective oversight, the Trust Board delegates through committees, including: 

• Audit, Compliance and Risk Committee - Oversight of audit, safeguarding compliance, risk and internal control 

• Pay Committee - Oversight of pay and performance decisions for senior leaders 

• Chair and Vice Chair Group - Liaison and development of governance across School Boards 

• School Boards 

• Governance Safeguarding Group - Development of best practice governance in relation to safeguarding  

Each committee operates under approved Terms of Reference. 

Trustee Expertise and Roles 

Trustees bring a wide range of strategic skills, including: 

• Education and safeguarding 

• Finance and audit 

• SEND and inclusion 

• HR and organisational leadership 

• Compliance, risk and governance 

Some Trustees hold specific portfolio roles, such as safeguarding, education standards or finance, to provide focused oversight.  

Safeguarding and Assurance 

Safeguarding is a core responsibility of the Trust. 

Trustees: 

• Receive regular safeguarding assurance reports 

• Monitor compliance with statutory guidance 

• Support and challenge executive leaders on safeguarding practice 

• Ensure strong safeguarding culture across all schools 

Each school also has a lead safeguarding governor through its School Board. 

Listening to Our Community 

The Trust values the voices of: 

• Parents and carers 

• Pupils 

• Staff 

Trustees consider: 

• Ofsted ParentView outcomes 

• Staff and pupil survey feedback 

• School Board reports 

• External reviews and audits 

This ensures decisions are informed by the lived experience of the Trust community. 

Statutory Governance Information 

In line with statutory requirements, we publish: 

• Details of Members and Trustees 

• Trustee terms of office 

• Register of business interests 

• Committee structures  

• Articles of Association 

• Scheme of Delegation  

Contacting the Trust Board 

If you wish to contact the Chair of Trustees, please do so via the Trust office, clearly marked: “For the Chair of Trustees” 

Please note: trustees cannot respond to individual complaints, which should follow the Trust complaints policy. 

Our Commitment 

The Board of Trustees is committed to: 

• Acting in the best interests of all children 

• Strong ethical governance 

• Transparency and accountability 

• Continuous improvement