Governance

The Pioneer Academy recognises the intrinsic link between high quality governance and the quality of leadership and management of the school. The Pioneer Academy endorses the key qualities evident in the successful leadership of governors in general and chairs of governors in particular as highlighted by OfSTED:

• Vision
• Analytical Skills
• Good Communication Skills
• Energy
• Decisive Action
• Toughness
• The Ability to Challenge
• Enthusiasm

The model of governance across The Pioneer Academy is central to the principle of promoting local freedom and governance for schools to take control of their own destiny. A key principle that drives The Pioneer Academy, is that each school will be as autonomous as the quality of education it provides dictates.  There is a clear delegated framework for governance at Trust Board and School Board level that makes the responsibilities of both the Trust Board and each School Board explicit. 

The Pioneer Academy Trust Board is constituted to create robust and challenging governance across our schools, realising the ambitions and aspirations for high achievement.  Building on the excellence of the quality of governance, the Multi Academy Trust Board will bring synergy to the leadership, management and policy framework for all schools.

The Trust Board is made up of members of the management team, key stakeholders and invited partners who ensure an equality of opportunity for all schools during the decision making processes of The Pioneer Academy and to be a part of the wider organisation at a strategic level. The Trustees monitor performance of our schools in the light of the quality improvement framework presented at Trust Board meetings. Trustees also monitor the Trust performance by way of regular reports from the CEO against the strategic objectives.

The Trust Board meets six times a year and is supported in its work by the Company Secretary and Company Clerk.

The Trustees work collectively as a group and are accountable to the wider community for the delivery of the best possible educational, pastoral and support service.  The Trust Board has overall responsibility for the management and administration of The Pioneer Academy: the operations of all schools, with some responsibilities delegated to the School Board of each school. The School Boards are legally functioning committees of the Trustees Board. They will meet termly and have special interest governors, looking after such aspects as standards, resources and buildings and premises.  The day to day management of the schools is delegated to the Chief Executive Officer, Director of Education, Head Teachers, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Finance Officer and members of the senior management team.

School Board

Primary schools are central to their community, and local governance enables the school to both be influenced by and be accountable to that community.

Within a multi-academy trust such as TPA, school leaders receive professional support and challenge through the trust’s executive team, central staff and the School Board.

School Boards are to support and challenge the Headteacher regarding:

• School vision and expectations (set by the Trust and school in collaboration);
• Appropriateness and implementation of the School Development Plan;
• Effectiveness of safeguarding;
• Quality of Education, including curriculum implementation and impact, and progress and attainment of all pupils;
• Pupil behaviour and attitudes, including attendance;
• Pupil and staff well-being and personal development; and
• Understanding the school community and its views.

The School Boards have a maximum of 11 members. The Chair will be appointed by the Trust Board to ensure sufficient oversight and control of the strategic direction of the school from the sponsoring trust, The Pioneer Academy. The remaining governors will include:

• A minimum of two elected parent governors
• A minimum of one elected staff governors (with a maximum of two)
• The Head Teacher
• Up to 7 community governors

Core Functions

The duties of the School Board are to:
1. Champion and foster TPA’s vision and expectations in the school;
2. Support the implementation of the school’s vision, aims and objectives;
3. Support and challenge the performance of the school through receiving and considering:

• The Headteacher Report
• Overview of the curriculum, its adaptation for cohort characteristics, and its implementation and impact updates (which may also be SDP priorities / Lead Governor roles);
• Outcomes and progress data from national assessments;
• Information regarding the implementation and impact of the School Development Plan, including through Lead Governor roles and visits;
• External reviews or assessments of school provision, including Ofsted reports;

4. Contribute to the school’s self-evaluation and School Development Plan;
5. Establish procedures for receiving the views of the school community, and ensure that the views of the school community inform the School Development Plan;
6. Ensure that School Board members are supported to enhance their skills and knowledge, including undertaking training as required; and
7. Make and be involved in decisions in accordance with the Scheme of Delegation such as reviewing and approving policies and procedures in a timely manner and in accordance with legislation and the TPA Scheme of Delegation.

Each School Board has a Chair, Vice Chair, a Safeguarding Governor, an Inclusion Governor, and an Attainment and Progress Governor. 

What do School Board Governors do?

School Board Governors are very important in making sure that the school is fulfilling its purpose in providing an effective education for the children. The main aspect of the role is to be a “critical friend.” This is a bit of “governor speak” but describes the responsibility in that we are there to sense, check and monitor. A School Board Governor’s job is to focus on those aspects that indicate the performance of the school, and also take a strategic view of where we want the school to get to. It is not focused on day-to-day running of the operational side or day-to-day issues. The School Board Governors do not intervene in the professional responsibilities of teachers, but they do agree policies which, when put into practice by the teaching staff, determine what is taught to children. These policies are available on the website or from the school office.

The School Board meets at least once a term. Standing items on all School Board meeting agendas will be quality of education, SEND, safeguarding, pupil progress (including of pupils with EAL, SEND, LAC and FSM), finance, health and safety as well as school culture.  Minutes of these meetings are displayed on a notice board by the school office.

The Pioneer Academy seeks to develop the role of School Board Governors to provide robust support and challenge, judging the impact of school leaders and all staff through the outcomes for pupils.

The School Board Governors work to these key principles:

• To provide challenge and support to the Head Teacher and staff of the school to raise standards and keep pupils safe
• To champion high achievement for all pupils, with a particular focus on the ‘Corporate Parenting’ role held by all governors
• To monitor all aspects of the school performance, with probity and integrity
• To ensure they are trained to understand data and performance to give them insight into the progress the school is making
• To bring and discuss the views and perspectives of pupils, parents, carers and the community
• To take an active role in the committee structures, deploying key skills effectively to the benefit of the school and The Pioneer Academy

How are School Board Governors elected?

The Chair will be appointed by the Trust Board to ensure sufficient oversight and control of the strategic direction of the school from the sponsoring Trust, The Pioneer Academy. The two staff governors are elected by and from the staff at the school. They serve for four years. The two parent governors are elected by the parents of all pupils at the school and must be the parent of a child at the school at the time of their election. If their child leaves the school before the end of their 4-year term of office, they do not have to stand down. When there is a vacancy for a parent governor, all parents will be notified, invited to nominate candidates, provided with information about the candidates and be issued with a ballot form.  The community governors are appointed by the School Board and serve for four years.