Our Approach to Governance

At the Thinking Schools Academy Trust, we believe in governance that strengthens communities and supports every child to succeed. Our governance model ensures clear accountability, strong local oversight, and alignment with our shared Trust vision and values.

Our Members

Members form the top tier of our governance structure. Their role is set out in the Trust’s Articles of Association and includes appointing or removing Directors, approving any changes to the Trust’s constitution, and ensuring that effective governance is in place. They do not take part in day to day decision making, but act as an independent layer of oversight that holds the Board to account for fulfilling the Trust’s charitable purpose.

The Role of the Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors holds ultimate responsibility for the performance and strategic direction of the Trust. In line with Department for Education guidance, Directors have three core functions:

• Setting vision and strategy: ensuring clarity of purpose, ethos and long-term direction.

• Accountability: holding our executive leaders to account for the educational performance of our schools and the outcomes for pupils.

• Financial oversight: ensuring public money is used effectively, efficiently and in the best interests of our pupils.

Local Governance

Each of our schools has an Academy Governing Body (AGB) responsible for monitoring performance, safeguarding, community engagement and ensuring the voices of pupils, parents and staff are heard. AGBs provide essential local insight and play a key role in shaping the educational experience of every child within their community.

Committees and Delegation

Certain areas of Trust-wide business – such as Audit & Risk, Education Standards, and Finance – are overseen by specialist committees of the Board.

The Scheme of Delegation clearly sets out how responsibilities are shared between the Board, Committees, and AGBs.

Collaboration Across the Trust

A full cycle of governance meetings takes place three times a year, bringing together pupil voices, Academy Governing Body, Committees, and the Board of Directors. This ensures that insight from every level of the Trust informs strategic decision-making.

Meet the Board of Directors

Message from the Chair

TSAT Members, Directors and Governors are united in their commitment to delivering our vision of transforming the life chances of all of our young people and students, regardless of background, ethnicity or gender.

Our Trust has a proud track record of success in growing the number and performance of schools within the TSAT family. This is due to our strong educational vision of fully integrated thinking schools, within a framework of cognitive-based education. This supports our children in developing their ability to think and act independently, and in consequence their confidence and success in terms of their own future.

Our governance framework and the actions of our Governors within that is a key component of achieving our vision and success – working with our leadership and all of our staff, providing oversight, challenge and support. Through this, we aim to ensure that each school within the Trust, and TSAT overall, upholds the highest standards and delivers the best to each and every one of our students.

Gerard Newman
Chair of TSAT Board of Trustee

Board of Directors Minutes

Associated Documents

Governor Resources