Local Advisory Body

Windsor Academy Trust Structure of Governance

Kingswinford Academy is part of Windsor Academy Trust.

Windsor Academy Trust has established a clear organisational structure with identified lines of accountability and reporting for all of its operations. This includes defining the responsibilities of the Board of Directors and those responsibilities delegated to its committees and officers within the Trust.

Scheme of Delegation

The responsibilities of the Board of Directors and its committees are set out in the Trust’s Scheme of Delegation and Financial Scheme of Delegation. The schemes make clear which functions are retained at Board level and which are delegated, providing clarity on the role and remit of each part of the structure, as well as the relationship and reporting arrangements between them. Through these schemes the Board of Directors have defined where all key governance functions are exercised.

Windsor Academy Trust Members

The Members of Windsor Academy Trust are the guardians of the governance of the Trust. They have a limited but distinct role and are essential to the integrity of the governance structure. They are the last line of defense from failures of governance and failure to uphold the Trust’s charitable purpose. Whilst it is the Board of Directors who are responsible for the core governance functions and conducting the business of the Trust, members have certain key powers afforded to them:

• Ensuring the Trust’s charitable objectives are being met
• Approving and signing the Memorandum and Articles of Association
• Determining the name of the Trust
• Appointing and removing Members and Directors 
• Appointing and removing the external auditors
• Dissolving the Trust

Board of Directors 

Subject to the provisions of the Companies Act 2006, the Trust’s Articles of Association and to any directions given by the Members by special resolution, the business of the Trust is managed by the Board of Directors who exercise all the powers of the academy trust. The Board of Directors is responsible for the overall strategic direction of the Trust, as well as holding executive leaders to account for delivering agreed priorities and ensuring the financial probity of the Trust. There are key matters that are reserved for the Board of Directors:

• Responsibility for the Trust’s strategy, objectives and values
• Approval of new schools joining the Trust
• Approval of Trust plans, targets, budgets and capital expenditure
• Oversight of long-term financial planning, maintenance, risk mitigation, internal controls and compliance with regulations
• Approval of material acquisitions or disposal of land or buildings
• Approval of significant changes in accounting policies or practices
• Approval of annual accounts
• Approval of the Scheme of Delegation and Financial Scheme of Delegation
• The appointment of the Chair and Vice Chair of the Board and approval of the Board’s committee structure and composition, including the appointment of Committee Chairs.
• Appointment of CEO, CFO and school headteachers 
• Ensuring effective safeguarding policies and procedures are in place

Board of Director Committees

In order to allow the Board of Directors to focus on their core functions, some other powers and functions are delegated to committees, the Chief Executive Officer and school Headteachers. To ensure oversight, all delegated actions taken and decisions made are reported back to the Board of Directors. The committees to which the Board of Directors will delegate powers and functions to, as defined in the Scheme of Delegation, are:

• Audit and Risk Committee
• Finance Committee
• Education, Performance and Standards Committee
• People and Culture Committee
• Pay Committee 

The constitution, membership and proceedings of these committees are determined by the Board of Directors and clarified through Terms of Reference for each committee. The establishment, Terms of Reference, constitution and membership of all committees will be reviewed at least once every twelve months.

Local Governance Arrangements 

Local governance is an integral element of governance in an academy trust, extending the reach and knowledge of the Board of Directors into our schools and local communities, providing vital local information to support decision-making.  Provision is made for at least two parent representatives to serve on each established local Advisory Body (LAB).

Further information about Windsor Academy Trust's governance arrangements can be found by visiting the trust's website here.

Contact Details

The Chair of the Local Advisory Body is Darren Wood who can be contacted directly by emailing dwood@kingswinford.windsoracademytrust.org.uk