Academy Governance Conference: Delivering continuous improvement

Chair’s opening remarks

Louise Thomson FCIS, Head of Policy (NFP), ICSA

Keynote address

The new governance handbook and competency frameworks

Earlier this year the Department for Education (DfE) released three documents: an updated Governance Handbook, the Competency Framework for Governance, and the Clerking Competency Framework to provide guidance to trust boards and clerks in effectively carrying out their roles and functions. We take a closer look at the key governance themes emerging from the guidance, and consider how they might inform the work of the DfE moving forward.

Sir David Carter, National Schools Commissioner, Department for Education

Tackling conflicts of interest

Conflicts of interests and loyalty can appear in any organisation, especially so where a range of stakeholders are involved. In 2016, for instance, some 23 academy trusts were revealed as having breached funding rules in cases of related party transactions. In this session, we focus upon the importance of identifying, managing and avoiding conflicts of interests. We highlight the legal duties of trustees and offer some practical guidance on how to develop and implement appropriate policies and procedures.

Graeme Hornsby, School Business Management Consultancy Ltd and Specialist Advisor, New Schools Network

Demonstrating financial control

The changes in government funding for schools present a new challenge for MATs, and while some thrive financially others will struggle. As charitable companies limited by guarantee, MATs are subject to the insolvency regime, so it is important that trustees are aware of the potential risks and liabilities to which they are exposed. This session offers tips and guidance on approaches to sustainable funding, and highlights the duties, responsibilities and potential consequences for trustees of not acting quickly in times of financial distress.

Stephen Morales, CEO, NASBM

Maximising the impact of the board

A successful board can demonstrate the impact of good governance on pupil achievement, and for MATs this means embedding good governance even when operating over a geographically and culturally diverse area. But how do you link governance with achievement? And what tools can boards use to make it happen? In this session we explore the value of delegating, the use of committees and empowering senior leadership teams, and examine the role of Local Governing Bodies.

Dr Kate Chhatwal, Director, Southwark Teaching School Alliance and Chair of Standards, STEP Academy Trust

Creating a meaningful stakeholder engagement plan

Sitting at the heart of communities, academy schools generate vast and varied interest from a wide pool of stakeholders, and good relations with members and stakeholders alike are an important part of what makes a MAT successful. But balancing influence and interest, internal and external stakeholders, can be tricky. In this session, we reflect upon what a good stakeholder engagement plan looks like and discuss how members can work with trusts to maximise their impact as part of the wider stakeholder group.

Panellists include:

Michelle Doyle Wildman, Acting CEO, PTA UK

David Gracie, Vice Chair, Green Spring Education Trust and Director, Global Entity Management Legal Services, KPMG

Brian Lightman, Director, Lightman Consulting and Former General Secretary, ASCL

Afternoon keynote address

Mike Sheridan, Regional Director, London, Ofsted

Succession planning: the board and beyond

Overseeing succession planning, taking time to evaluate the skills and competencies around the board table, and ensuring that the executive team has effective talent management and development processes in place are all key responsibilities for any board. That’s as true of academy trusts as it is of the largest corporates, and in this session we look at how trusts can get the right arrangements in place and develop a culture of continuous improvement in both the boardroom and in the schoolroom.

Matthew Robb, Managing Director, Parthenon – EY, Ernst & Young LLP

Closing keynote address

Brian Lightman, Director, Lightman Consulting and Former General Secretary, ASCL