Multi-Academy Trust Board Governance Review

JMC can conduct External Multi-Academy Trust Governance Reviews

The multi-academy trust review of governance will consider the core strategic functions as laid down by the DfE:

Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
Holding the executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the school/trust and its pupils, and the performance management of staff
Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent

The National Governance Association has identified eight elements that are essential for good governance.

The right people around the table
Understanding the role and responsibilities
Good chairing
Professional clerking
Good relationships based on trust
Knowing the school/trust- the date, the staff, the parents, the children, the community
Committed to asking challenging questions
Confident to have courageous conversations in the interests of the children and young people

We also carry out Governance reviews for maintained schools & independent schools. Find out more here
JMC Governance Team

DfE have scrapped the Governance support scheme for Multi-Academy Trusts two years after reforms

The Department for Education-funded national leaders of governance (NLGs) scheme was first launched in 2012, and reformed in 2021, to help governance boards judged to be weak by regional directors. The funding for DfE funded school governance reviews is being removed as of October 2023.

Governance is an essential element of Leadership & Management

With the increasingly important role of Governance in an Ofsted judgement, it is very important that trusts and governing boards regularly reviews its performance as a whole

Ofsted judges governance as part of leadership and management and there is a stronger focus on governance from the Regional Directors Office.

Why use JMC for your Mult-Academy Trust Governance Review?

JMC can provide an impartial, rigorous and robust external Trust Governance Review, which will examine the governance structure, operations and performance across the board. Our Governance reviewer will work closely with the board, executive leaders and the governance to evaluate the board’s performance and identify areas for development for an action plan.

JMC has extensive experience of carrying out external reviews of governance including for multi academy trusts.

Amongst our governance team are:

Former DfE National Leaders of Governance
Former Senior Local Authority School Improvement Advisors
Former Education Directors of Multi Academy Trusts
Former Headteachers & Executive Headteachers

We also offer a full Governors Training Programme, find out more here
JMC Governance Team

What are the benefits to a MAT Governance review?

MAT Governance reviews help your board to:

be more skilled, focused and effective
be clear in its vision and how it can achieve this
be confident that it has a clear delineation of roles and responsibilities
have the appropriate skills, and a sufficiency of committed governors or academy trustees to meet its needs
hold leaders to account for improving outcomes for all pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged
have appropriate oversight of finances and ensuring value for money
assure compliance
continuously improve

The Process

JMC’s Multi-Academy Trust Governance review team will:

Identify strengths in governance
Identify areas for development to strengthen the effectiveness of governance

We will consider the 6 features of effective governance, which are set out in the Governance handbook.

These are:

strategic leadership
accountability
people
structures
compliance
evaluation

MAT Governance Review meetings

We appreciate that Governors or trustees are busy people and may not necessarily be local to the school in all cases, therefore the review can be carried out virtually via Zoom or in person depending on the Trust’s preference.

Verbal Feedback

At the end of the visit, the Chair of Governors (and the Vice Chair or Head if requested by the Chair) will be given an verbal de-brief on the main findings.

Full written Report

A comprehensive written report is produced, outlining findings and recommendations which the Board might like to consider. The final report is confidential between JMC and the governors. However, the latter are free to present a copy to schools’ inspectors if they so wish.

Find out more about this